[tigermn]

Well I returned after getting fogged out last year to again try to complete the Knapsack Pass to Spray Park loop.

Knapsack Pass/Spray Park loop.

I got a relatively late start for me. I was on the trail around 11:30. Maybe not a horrible thing as it had perhaps warmed up a little. Only a few cars in the lot. Blue skies with a slight nip in the air.

Mowich Lake parking lot.

I grabbed a few Mowich Lake pictures on the way to the patrol cabin which is where the trail to Knapsack Pass starts.

Knapsack Pass above Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

The trail starts just to the left of the patrol cabin as you are facing it.

Starting up trail to Knapsack Pass.

The trail doesn't mess around and starts climbing from the cabin heading in a general east direction towards Knapsack Pass.

At times rooty trail to Knapsack Pass.

Mowich Lake from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Occasionally passing some small ponds and views on the way up.

Mowich Lake from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Cliffs below Castle Peak from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Tolmie ridge from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Knapsack Pass.

There was a little frost/ice in places on the trail. Nothing requiring traction though.

Frost/ice on trail to Knapsack Pass.

Looking up towards Knapsack Pass.

Looking back down trail to Knapsack Pass.

You reach a flattish area before the final assault to the pass crossing a nice creek.

Creek crossing on trail to Knapsack Pass.

Looking up towards Knapsack Pass.

After some grunting up the final piece arrival at the pass is welcome.

Views towards Mowich Lake from trail to Knapsack Pass nearing the pass.

Views towards Mowich Lake from trail to Knapsack Pass nearing the pass.

Views from trail to Knapsack Pass.

Views towards Mowich Lake from trail to Knapsack Pass nearing the pass.

Almost to Knapsack Pass.

From the pass the views totally open up and it drops off the other side which is where the "trail" continues.

Views over Knapsack Pass.

Views from Knapsack Pass.

Views from Knapsack Pass.

The rocky scree trail does little switchbacks down the steep slope.

Views of trail down other side of Knapsack Pass.

Views from Knapsack Pass.

Views heading down Knapsack Pass on the scree.

Views heading down Knapsack Pass on the scree.

I ran into a couple coming up just after I started down. The guy provided me some visual beta to go with my GPS data. In maybe a mere .10 miles you reach the first snow area to cross. Well I just put on the microspikes but you really didn't need them if you were comfortable on snow. It was slightly sloped but not too bad. I was glad I had poles. The snow had softened up enough to not be too icy.

Rainier from trail heading down from Knapsack Pass.

First snowfield crossing on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Rainier from trail down Knapsack Pass.

After the first snow you hit some rocks then more snow.

Snowfields on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Looking back from trail heading down from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail heading down from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail heading down from Knapsack Pass.

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Where the trail goes on other side of snow fields. To the left of and below the snow fields.

After some more snow you hit sort of a rock/boulder area that I just made my way down.

Going down some rocks/boulders on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Going down some rocks/boulders on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Going down some rocks/boulders on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

It was nice to get on more normal ground.

Getting back on more normal ground on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Heading on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

More rocks and easy snow and a tarn or two.

Rainier from trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Snowfields encroaching on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Tarn just off trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Another snowfield to cross on trail down from Knapsack Pass.

Snow on way down from Knapsack Pass.

You reach kind of a gully which at first glance looks bad but going around to the right you can go on pretty level ground over the snow onto the rocks on the other side. Once you are past here no more snow on the route.

Trail resumes towards Spray Park.

Trail resumes towards Spray Park.

Heading down trail from Knapsack Pass to Spray Park.

Views back towards Knapsack Pass.

Rainier from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Looking down to area below Spray Park.

The trail hits the ridge point with a faint path going up along the ridge. From here the trail starts to drop more sharply down and tending along the ridge with steeper drop offs to the left (and great views).

Pano from trail from Knapsack Pass to Spray Park.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

The walking now is pretty much trail walking on the undocumented but very easy to follow trail. Views all along the way to Spray Park.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

Views from trail to Spray Park from Knapsack Pass.

The trail pops out and joins up with the Spray Park trail just below that first snow field that seems to linger.

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Trail from Knapsack Pass meets main Spray Park trail.

Views from Spray Park trail.

Views from Spray Park trail.

Views from Spray Park trail.

I found a lunch spot just up the Spray Park trail off to the side with a nice rock to sit on looking right at Rainier.

Pano1 from Spray Park trail.

Pano2 from Spray Park trail.

Rainier from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Contrails from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Eating lunch and soaking in the views and no bugs to speak of.

Views from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Rainier and contrails from lunch spot off Spray Park trail.

Rainier from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Views from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Rainier zoom from lunch spot just off Spray Park trail.

Rainier and contrails from lunch spot near Spray Park trail.

After eating I headed back down the Spray Park trail.

Snow field returning on Spray Park trail.

All of the sudden I saw this black thing cross the trail ahead. At first I thought someones dog but we all know no dogs in the park. Sure enough it was a bear. I juggled to get the camera out and got it out just in time to get a passing shot maybe 2 seconds before it disappeared.

Bear can be seen on right. It came across the Spray Park trail about 100 yards in front of me.

Even some flowers lingering in Spray Park. Not exactly peak but not a bad addition. Today the views were the order of the day though.

Spray Park trail.

Rainier from Spray Park trail.

Paintbrush on Spray Park trail.

Rainier from Spray Park trail.

Rainier from Spray Park trail.

Rainier from Spray Park trail.

Paintbrush on Spray Park trail.

Lupine on Spray Park trail.

Views from Spray Park trail.

Noticed a path heading up the ridge below Hessong Rock.

Hessong Rock ridge from Spray Park trail.

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Hessong Rock ridge from Spray Park trail.

A few more shots before heading down into the woods.

Hessong Rock from Spray Park trail.

Rainier from Spray Park trail.

Log bridge on Spray Park trail.

Back in the woods I took the brief Spray Falls side trail.

Spray Falls viewpoint junction.

Log bridge on spur trail to Spray Falls.

Scree field on spur trail to Spray Falls.

Views from trail spur to Spray Falls.

Spray Falls.

Spray Falls.

Lingering Columbine.

Back on the main trail I also checked out the camp area for the heck of it. Nothing exciting.

Camp junction from Spray Park trail.

Eagles Roost Camp area.

Eagles Roost Camp area.

The views from Eagle Cliffs area didn't disappoint.

Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

View from Eagle Cliff viewpoint off Spray Park trail.

The final section does a little down then up back towards Mowich Camp.

Log bridge on Spray Park trail.

Some strange berries on Spray Park trail.

Waterfall on Spray Park trail.

Back to Mowich Campground.

I walked around the lake a little for some photo ops before heading back to the car.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Rainier above Mowich Lake.

Fay Peak above Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Views from Mowich Lake.

Rainier above Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Mowich Lake.

Made way back to the car just before 5PM. About 5 1/2 hours car to car time (I was slow over the snow/rocks below Knapsack pass) . Just over 8 miles 2700 feet of gain/loss. What a great loop this is. It is sure more interesting than just doing Spray Park out and back with the masses (although there weren't masses on this day I think I saw 6 people on the Spray Park trail if that). I might try it in the other direction some time as well although the walk out Spray Park is a little nicer than coming back down Knapsack Pass.

[boot up]

wow! what an ideal weather day with great scenery! saturday is supposed to be cold and rainy.

[shadetree]

Thanks for the great report. I've been heading up to that area in a few weeks. What is the snow like in the snowfields? Hard or soft?

[tigermn]

Snow was plenty bootable. Some texture over a consolidated base. I put on microspikes but that's because I basically a snow wimp. The couple coming from the other way was just booting it and didn't even have poles. The traverses are on pretty gentle slopes. Actually the worst part for me was the first part where the first snow appears below the pass going from rocks to snow and getting on a more level traverse path. Now if you hit it early after the likely night freeze it might be more icy.

[Hikingqueen]

Nice, I've always wanted to go that way but not sure if I can "see/find" the trail so I always go the longer way..nice bear too!

[JennieEl]

Looks like you had a great day for it. I love the Knapsack Pass trail and that's how I usually go to Spray Park. Sometimes I'll take the forest trail back, but it's not a very interesting hike that way, so I prefer to go back through Knapsack. For anyone unfamiliar with the route and considering leaving Spray Park by Knapsack, I strongly suggest going in by way of Knapsack first. The scree trail can be hard to find from below if you don't already have some idea where it is. It peters out when it hits the bigger boulders.

[tigermn]

[Popcorn]

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I haven't hiked the Knapsack Pass-Spray Park loop since late last century (1997). Is there now a "formal trail" down Mt. Pleasant to the Wonderland Trail?

[tigermn]

I guess it isn't formal. It isn't on any map or suggested that it exists but it's at best a trail and at worst a bootpath. Over the I'm guessing semi permanent snow fields or over some boulders you do kind of lose the way but can always pick up a path once back on more normal ground.

[tigermn]

[JennieEl]

The trail has not been maintained for many years, which doesn't keep it from being one of the most popular in that part of the park (including with the rangers). It's a bit of a toss-up whether you should disperse in the basin between Knapsack and Mt Pleasant, as well as in Spray Park, or stay on the clear but unofficial trails.

[stevefromdodge]

Thanks for your great report. I just followed your steps yesterday. Trip Report