May have lost my nintendo switch at this trailhead! Ill buy you a six pack if you found it! reply here, we can trade contact info!

First the trash rant, then the rest of the lovely day.
11th and 12th essentials need to be garbage bags and gloves in the car. People, you came in the car with that coffee, pizza on a paper plate etc. Put it back in your car and take it home, don't put it on top of the overflowing trash can. On our way down, someone had put the trash in a bag but left the bag so we added more and took the bag with us. People were still walking over to the overflowing trash can thinking they were going to add their trash. I didn't have gloves so left the gross wipe......we are going to have to start an adopt a TH trash can program.

Arrived later than I typically do at the trailhead at 10:30. Some spots opening up in the small lot on W side and 1/3 of the spots left in the large lot. Quite a few backpackers heading up. Followed my dad's slow but steady pace up to Sheep Lake and Sourdough Gap. There are lots of berries! Given all the people, hard to believe all the easy to access berries. Lake was busy, many campsites snagged by 11:45. Flowers basically are over but the bear grass is still so cool. Great views of Adams, St Helens and Hood when you squint. We didn't walk just past the gap to the NP boundary to look at Rainier and Crystal lake, but there is a peakaboo look at Rainier on the way up to the Gap so a 4 volcano day! Even hotter on the way down, people still walking up. The grass and meadow around the lake has really suffered, I think unfortunately the ring keeps getting wider and the meadows are going to suffer.

We parked at the Tipsoo Lake parking area at 9:45 am.    There were plenty of parking spots left.    Restrooms were clean and stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

The part of the trail that goes above Hwy 410 was flat and warm because there wasn't much shade.    If I hiked to Sheep Lake again, I would park at the PCT lot a half mile further down the road to shorten this part of the hike.    That parking lot also has restrooms.

Once the trail heads into the woods, it's a more comfortable, shady hike   We rested by the lake and then headed towards Sourdough Gap.    The trail is a moderate uphill climb and the views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens were amazing.

Arrived at the trailhead around 8am and the parking lot still had plenty of spots, there were maybe around a dozen cars already parked. Vault toilets were reasonably clean and had toilet paper. It was smoky as we started the hike, especially once we got to the lake, but luckily it cleared out for the rest of the hike shortly after that. 

While the trail is an out and back versus a loop, there are so many great sights along the way that doubling back never felt boring. Definitely recommend continuing on past the gap to just enter into the National Park boundary for views of the mountain and Crystal Lake. 

Still plenty of wildflowers - lupin, aster, a few red dots of columbine and paintbrush along with fluffy pasqueflower seed heads. Lots of great birds, particularly in the morning near the lake where we had Nashville and yellow-rumped warblers along with a soaring golden eagle. Another favorite sight was a pika busily gathering grasses and flowers for its winter haypile. 

We took our time enjoying the sights and returned to the car around 1pm where the lot still had a few open spots. 

Arrived at Crystal Lakes TH at 8:10. Not full but filling up. several parties started out relatively close together but quickly spread out with different places and felt like O had the trail to myself most of the way up. Temperature was pleasant and wouldn't have wanted to go up in warmer temps. There was a nice breeze at the upper Crystal Lake. Continued on to Sourdough Gap. the ascent is through a gorgeous meadow even with flowers past peak. Everyone should go up this trail even a but to get the view back of My Rainier peaking above the ridge. Several parties coming up from the Sheep Lake TH to Crystal Lakes. At Sourdough Gap a bit busier but not bad. Gorgeous views with Adams, St Helens, and a view of Hood if you squint. A four volcano day! After a nice rest at the Gap, took my time heading down to enjoy the meadows. Last section on the way down was warm despite dense trees and looked miserable for folks doing up - some groups with bags so small or only one bag for 3 people that I was worried about them having enough water. Back at the car at 1:10. Lot had a few spots.