[ashleys237]

The trail is in good shape, lots of lupine, paintbrush, penstemon and even a few tweedy's lewisia along the gentle switchbacks. Snow started just after the first small creek crossing about a mile or so from the lake. The way to the lake was easy enough to find, although there was no boot path and the trail was totally covered in most places. There are a few creek crossings, the snowpack was enough that we crossed on snow. There were two or three melted out camping spots that we saw at the lake. The lake water is accessible. Once we passed the lake we lost the trail for a bit but then found it heading up at a small saddle. The trail was bare for a bit but not for long under the trees. We managed to follow the trail the whole way finding signs of it in small melted out portions. Above the treeline along the ridge, the trail is snow free to the lookout. I would say we hiked in about 1 and 1/2 to 2 miles of snowy trail of the 6 miles (one-way). The ridge walk is very pleasant with great views and wildflowers just starting to come out. Lots of paintbrush, glacier lilies, phlox, manzanita, ballhead waterleaf and desert parsley. We found tiny steer's head flowers growing right on the trail. We camped next to the lookout as the lookout person was not there yet for the summer and the rest of the ridge was still under a bit of snow. We soaked up the sun and views before the clouds socked us in for the night. We saw only a few other parties below the lake. We saw no one at the lake or past it and were possibly the first ones up to the lookout this spring/summer.

dirtyface peak, white river valley to the north

view to the southeast from alpine lookout

Merritt Lake

Nali checking out the view

thunderstorms to the east

showers in the little wenatchee valley

showers in the white river valley

alpine lookout

camp with a view

getting cloudy

nali watching for chipmunks

from the lookout

alpine lookout trail

alpine lookout trail

alpine lookout trail

Hwy 2 corridor from nason ridge

steer's head

phlox

ballhead waterleaf

fuzzy caterpillar

desert parsley

manzanita

penstemon

[Trailblazing Todd]

I tried going to the lookout from the other direction a couple of weeks ago on the 15th, but ran into 3 feet of snow with some dry patches at 4000 feet. I ran out of time and ran into a steep wall of snow. But I had a nice view up Stevens Pass and the Chiwaukum Mountains when I decided to turn around.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Thanks for the TR. I just might try that tomorrow for the holiday.