[williswall]

The "traditional" Eastern Loop trail in MRNP utilizes the Wonderland over the Cowlitz divide and the Eastside Trail.....full description here. This loop is....more east....popping in and out of the NP boundary as it progresses north on the PCT. This year I am ticking off any trail in MRNP that I haven't visited, and this East Eastern Loop hit a few of them. I parked at the Grove of the Patriarchs trail head on the Stevens Canyon entrance and proceeded southward on the Silver Falls trail, connecting to the Laughingwater Creek trail (crossing highway 123). Laughingwater proceeds east, passing Three Lakes before connecting with the PCT. I found Laughingwater to be one of the most casual and delightful old growth forest trails in the park, despite climbing 3400' before connecting with the PCT. This trail is in excellent shape, with essentially little or no rocky and rooty sections. This would be a most excellent fall hike, vice my timing on this hot and very buggy Saturday. The skeeters were thick until I was back on the Eastside trail. At one point, during a water stop, I looked down at my calf compression socks and saw both legs covered in the little bastards. A swoop of my hand left blood streaks on the socks as some had already sated themselves on my essence. Gross. Nevertheless, this was a moving day as I had to cover 31 miles and 6,600 feet of elevation, so my stops were brief and minimal and the bugs took a back seat to the nice views as I traveled the PCT northbound, essentially staying within a few hundred feet of 5500' all the way to Chinook pass. As I left Dewey Lake and climbed higher, the heat was causing me some problems and I felt terrible ascending to the high point of 5800'. Then suddenly the skies opened and we had a nice hail storm, followed by rain, which cooled the temperatures enough to be back on my feet lickity split. Eventually the skies slowly cleared as I connected with the Eastside Trail at Chinook Pass and headed south again. Unfortunately, all the brush was now wet and as soon as I started to dry out I'd hit another patch and soak my shorts and shoes again. At least the skeeters abated. I found the Eastside Trail to be in relatively poor shape between Chinook Pass and the intersection with the Owyhigh Lakes trail, contending with some large blow downs and rutted out sections on surprisingly steep trail. However, as one progresses southward the trail improves and the last few miles are very nice. This is a good thing, as my legs were about dun by this point as I limped/staggered/shuffled to my vehicle and ate my packed dinner at a picnic table. I was finally able to sit down without being munched on, and enjoyed my repast.

Silver Falls Loop

Morning light on Laughingwater

3 Lakes

Reflection in bog

Blast from the past

5800' (above Chinook Pass)

A perfect petal

Chinook Pass

Delicate bloom

Flower cornucopia on Dewey Lake

Plethora of purple

The view

View from the East

Water collection

To recap, I think this loop would be best enjoyed in the fall before the snows hit the upper reaches of the PCT; fall colors, crisp air and no bugs. Although there are plenty of places to camp along the route (mostly on the PCT side with Deer Creek on the Eastside Trail), this is an excellent one day outing if one has the legs for it, as the elevation gain and loss is relatively mild for this distance. And aside from tourists near Chinook Pass on the Naches Loop trail, I only saw 3 hikers on the PCT and the last 11 miles on the Eastside trail I spent in solitude.

[El Puma]

Nice trip and mileage! I like the Laughingwater-Chinook trail very much as well. Like you, I hike alone a lot and tend to do the descents by pre-stashed bike (easier if you pass close to the exit point enroute to the car park). Most ambitious trip I've done is Box Canyon to White River, then bike back to the car at Box. I remember distinctly that I went through 10 liters of water (multiple filtering stops)... and how pretty Indian Creek was and that I wanted to come back and spend more time!