Overnight loop. We went up from Greenwater Lakes trailhead to Echo Lakes. This trail is nicely maintained and easy to move, especially with all the new bridges.
Coming around the north side of Echo Lakes as you enter the burn there is a bridge out that can require some balance or water shoes. Entering the burn, the trail can be quite hard to follow. As we worked up the ridge on Arch Rock Trail, often we found ourselves on game trails that led in the wrong direction and had to bushwack back. Definitely use your nav skills. The higher on the ridge you get, the easier it is to follow the trail.
Crossing the ridge into Airplane Meadows, there were a few water sources. We had carried from the lakes but refilled. We saw bear scat and prints, and found an elk or deer skeleton that didn't look too old, so kept moving onto the PCT. Once there, navigation was no longer something we had to worry about.
PCT north was great hiking. We decided to take the gravel road from government camp instead of taking the Naches trail and it was an easy to follow road walk. Some traffic of off-roaders, target shooters, campers. The last half mile we hopped on the Naches trail, and that had significant blowdowns and trail blocks. With tired legs and losing altitude, it was a surprise that a trail that close to the trailhead was so obstructed. But we made it out and back to the cars.
No snow to worry about, mosquito nets and bug spray were nice to have.
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