Made plans for Warm Lake and Gilbert Peak on Sunday/Monday... but ran into a locked gate on NF-1000 (S Fork Tieton Rd) about 6.5 mi before the Conrad Meadows TH.
rant/ I recalled reading that there was a washout on this road, and checked for closures on both the trailhead page and the road closure page on Gifford Pinchot NF site. After finding the gate we realized that although most of the rest of the Goat Rocks are in GPNF, Gilbert and the Conrad Meadows TH are located in MBSNF and administered by Wenatchee NF... so...that explains why the road closure wasn't on the list I checked. But it does not explain why the road is gated at 6.5 mi when the washout is only 1 mi from the TH!
/rant
Anyway, after driving around for most of Sunday, we regrouped at White Pass where we had cell service and did a quick search for a plan B nearby. Settled on another lake and extinct volcano combo, Shoe Lake and Hogback Mtn. According to WTA, Hogback is a "remnant of the once-great Goat Rocks Volcano... a jagged peak with long, knife-sharp ridges leading north and south from the summit."
We parked at White Pass and took the PCT south to Shoe Lake turnoff, then set up camp on the first flat spot we found once past the no camping zone around the lake. Lake was very warm and so clear! It was windy for awhile then things settled down and fog descended, but we awoke to clear skies.
After packing up we headed up to the high point on the ridge north of Shoe Lake which has great views of the lake and our original destination. Then we went north on the PCT about 3/4 mi to a sharp turn beneath the summit of Hogback and headed up a shallow talus field to the ridge. The summit is only a 10-15 min walk from the PCT and has great views of Rainier and the Goat Rocks, and the top of Adams. We hung out for a bit enjoying the un-smoky skies. Then it was a quick hike down the PCT and we were back at the car by 1pm. It was not the adventure we had planned but turned out to be a nice mellow back-up plan!
Oh darn it!!! We were going to Warm Lake/Conrad next month. I've never been and think we will just take an extra day and go, as long as we can get around the washout. I'll call the FS.
Beautiful pictures of Shoe and surrounding views
About a mile past the gate near the junction with the 1040 road there's another spot that's on the verge of slipping off the hillside. If you saw it, you wouldn't question the closure being where it is.
I talked to the ranger station yesterday and she said there was another washout and more sluffing along the road. She also said that someone tore out the first gate and moved their ecology blocks. I guess there is quite a bit of damage.
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rant/ I recalled reading that there was a washout on this road, and checked for closures on both the trailhead page and the road closure page on Gifford Pinchot NF site. After finding the gate we realized that although most of the rest of the Goat Rocks are in GPNF, Gilbert and the Conrad Meadows TH are located in MBSNF and administered by Wenatchee NF... so...that explains why the road closure wasn't on the list I checked. But it does not explain why the road is gated at 6.5 mi when the washout is only 1 mi from the TH! 
/rant
Anyway, after driving around for most of Sunday, we regrouped at White Pass where we had cell service and did a quick search for a plan B nearby. Settled on another lake and extinct volcano combo, Shoe Lake and Hogback Mtn. According to WTA, Hogback is a "remnant of the once-great Goat Rocks Volcano... a jagged peak with long, knife-sharp ridges leading north and south from the summit."
We parked at White Pass and took the PCT south to Shoe Lake turnoff, then set up camp on the first flat spot we found once past the no camping zone around the lake. Lake was very warm and so clear! It was windy for awhile then things settled down and fog descended, but we awoke to clear skies.
After packing up we headed up to the high point on the ridge north of Shoe Lake which has great views of the lake and our original destination. Then we went north on the PCT about 3/4 mi to a sharp turn beneath the summit of Hogback and headed up a shallow talus field to the ridge. The summit is only a 10-15 min walk from the PCT and has great views of Rainier and the Goat Rocks, and the top of Adams. We hung out for a bit enjoying the un-smoky skies. Then it was a quick hike down the PCT and we were back at the car by 1pm. It was not the adventure we had planned but turned out to be a nice mellow back-up plan!
We were going to Warm Lake/Conrad next month. I've never been and think we will just take an extra day and go, as long as we can get around the washout. I'll call the FS.
Beautiful pictures of Shoe and surrounding views 
