[Joe]

I started today’s hike from the trailhead at Soda Spring campground, 3200 feet. To reach the trailhead, from US 12, turn north of FS 45, located 1.3 miles east of the SR123 and US 12 junction. After 3/10th miles, turn left on FS 4510 and drive to the end of the road, about 5 miles from US 12. I was surprised to find the trailhead parking lot full at 9:15 AM. I parked at a wide spot about 1/4 mile from the trailhead. With high buck season starting on Monday, I assumed this was reason for the full parking lot, but it turned out there were a lot of bow hunters using this trailhead. The Cowlitz trail gradually climbs 2.5 miles through old growth forest with many large trees, to a junction, 3900 feet, with the Jug Lake trail.

trail-sign

windfall

I then hiked the Jug lake trail, which doesn’t really go to Jug Lake, but passes near Jug Lake. A side trail leads to Jug lake, 4410 feet, about 3/10 mile from the main trail.

Jug-Lake1

Jug-Lake2

After a short break, I headed back to the main trail and headed north, passing a few small lakes

lake1

lake2

skirts by Little Snow lake

Little-snow-lake1

Little-snow-lake2

and finally reaches Fryingpan Lake, 4800 feet.

fryingpan-lake1

trail

fryingpan-lake2

fryingpan-lake3

heading-out

Continuing north, about a mile past Fryingpan Lake, the trail intersects the PCT. I headed south on the PCT to the Twin Sisters Lake trail, then east on this trail to Big Twin Sisters Lake, 5150 feet, where I stopped for lunch. I only saw one person at the Big Twin Sisters Lake.

big-twin-sister-lake1

big-twin-sister-lake2

big-twin-sister-lake3

Big-Twin-Sister-pano

I then hiked to Little Twin Sisters Lake. There were several large groups camped at Little Twin Sisters Lake.

Little-Twin-Sister-and-Tumac-mtn

little-twin-sister-lake

Next I hiked south to Tumac Mountain, 6340 feet, where I took another break and enjoyed the great views. About a dozen crows were riding the thermals near Tumac Mountain.

twin-sister-lakes

blankenship-lakes-and-nelson-ridge

tumac-views

adams-over-goat-rocks

mount-rainier

The trail then drops down to 5200 feet to a junction, where I headed northwest. There are several trail junctions in the next half mile and it is was a little confusing. I took one wrong turn in this section, but after a couple minutes, the trail didn’t feel right. So I stopped, pulled out my map and compass and realized, I had turned left one junction too early. Backtracking to the last junction, I hiked a few more minutes and reached the correct junction, the trail to Penoyer Lake, 5000 feet.

shadows

penoyer-lake

A short distance past Penoyer Lake is another trail junction, where the Cowlitz trail heads back to the Soda Springs trailhead. In few minutes, the trail crosses an interesting smooth streambed, that is dry now, next to a 20 foot waterfall just a few feet down stream. The stream then plunges 100 feet into a v shaped eroded gully. It was hard to get a good view of the eroded gully, but it looked pretty interesting.

stream-bed

Trip Stats: ~20 miles with 3500 feet elevation gain. 9 hours 15 minutes car to car.

Jug-Lake-Twin-Sisters-Tumac-route

[Flora]

Nice report. Good alternative access to the area, too, since the road to Twin Sister Lakes TH is washed out. Thanks.