[Get Out and Go]

How bad do you want it?...Icicle approach is loooong...Chatter Creek is steeeep and probably snowy on the backside of Cape Horn, anyway, so I opted for the Whitepine/Wildhorse access off Hwy. 2. The trail starts out as a pleasant forest walk below the cliffs of Arrowhead.

Arrowhead, Rock (behind), Howard & Mastiff

After the Wildhorse turnoff at 3 miles, a few more patches of brush (mind the devil's club) and the trail strikes a perfect balance of distance and elevation gain. Don't bother to carry water on this trail as you are never more than 15 minutes from a creek crossing, some of them rushing ankle deep, requiring trekking poles. Soon Frosty Pass appears but for some odd reason does not get any closer. What's with that? The brush patches worsen, the overnight pack gets heavier and progress slows, but the scenery helps.

Big Basin sweeps up to Big Chiwaukum

Finally, the avalanche strewn head of the Wildhorse is reached before one last push up to Frosty Pass.

Wildhorse Valley, 9 miles up from the trailhead

Big Chiwaukum with Grace Lake Waterfall

Snowgrass from Frosty Pass area

Frosty Pass Meadows

Frosty Pass Meadows

I premiered my Sierra Designs Velox 1 Tent in a secluded spot near Lake Mary but I had not seen a soul all day long anyway.

Lake Mary

The "100 Hikes..." book is rather preachy in its description of the overuse of this area. That certainly is proven by the web of paths and restoration efforts. However, this was my third trip to the area in the last 10 years and I've only seen a handful of folks on the previous visits. This trip was to be 2 days of total solitude. The next morning, I had to choose between a ramble up Snowgrass or a visit to the other side of Mary's Pass...Either way I win. I chose Mary and Florence and found pesky hard snow.

Trail to Mary's Pass

I retreated a bit lower, crossed the snowfield and regained the off-and-on trail on the right side.

Mary's Pass Views

The vistas got better and better.

A couple of volcanoes

Mary's Pass Views

Mary's Pass Views

Mary's Pass Views

Mary's Pass Views

Olympic Mts. faintly visible on far horizon

I dropped into the basin that held Florence avoiding another steep snowfield.

Upper Florence Basin

Upper Florence Basin

Upper Florence Basin

Upper Florence Lake

Upper Florence Lake

Stuart and Ingalls

Harding, 6600 Ridge, and the Cradle

The Cradle and some other peak

Alas, I had to head back to Lake Mary, get my gear and head down the Wildhorse. It was hotter and brushier than the day before, but this hike's payoff was delightful.

Why We Hike

[GaliWalker]

What a nice report. I really like that area (Upper Florence basin to Lake Edna is one of my favorite hiking spots in Washington).

[Matt]

Thanks for the report. I wondered how the approach was from that side.

[wildernessed]

Awesome GOG, sorry I couldn't make it, but going on a backpack when family is visiting from Ohio would of been taboo, I guess they could have come along . Great scenery, how were the bugs ?, I wouldn't mind doing a Big C - Snowgrass through trip, nice shots of the back side of each.

[Get Out and Go]

Galiwalker, you would certainly give your camera a workout up there right now. Matt, I saw your photo with your route up Snowgrass. Getting up to that bench from the main trail looked wet and green and slippery closer to the Mary's Pass side. Coming in from Frosty Pass, I would just follow the ridgeline up there, skirting around into the basin. I see you did Frosty Peak, too. Rob, Coming out of there yesterday, my thoughts were, "I'm not so sure I'll do this one again." Lot of self-abuse with the heat and brush. A day later, I'm thinking, "Oh Yeah, I'll be back for more!" There are a lot of high points in the area to lounge around on. Bugs were tolerable, not as bad as my first time up there.

[Backpacker Joe]

Hey GOAG, how were the Be-you-gs?

[Get Out and Go]

A bit of a fresh breeze kept them tolerable...but I was prepared with head net and Deet, and ready to take refuge. I was pleasantly surprised.