[lookout bob]

we drove up 7315 to the saddle and walked the road up to Sun Top. A spectacular day with almost no clouds to foil views. The lookout is in good shape but some jackass has pried open one of the shutters but it looked like no real damage was done. Rainier was gorgeous, all the Crystal mountain area peaks looked grand, Kelly Butte was its usual lovely self with good views of the lookout through binoculars. There are more and more social trails there and I wish folks would stay on the established paths. Lots of columbia lilies blooming right now with paintbrush and lupine providing contrast. We walked up the road and down the trail which needs a lot of work. ( you can take the hiker out of WTA but you get reports like this.... ) I'd go up the trail and down the road if you're gonna do it. No camping at the lookout! We drove up 73 up Huckleberry creek where there were surprisingly a number of campers next to the creek on a weekday. We stopped at the one open site to check out the creek and were grossed out by scads of trash, tires, TP everywhere....bummer. We didn't try to clean it up but I reported it to the volunteer ranger on the district. ( Hiker John...all around great guy...) I would have wanted gloves and bags to clean it up which, unfortunately, I didn't have. Will carry some from now on. why do folks have to trash the place? Guess I don't understand the mentality. Alas.....

[stever]

My and my buddy went to Grand Park yesterday and we didn't see anyone camped at that site near Huckleberry Creek. However before we got there we saw what I can only describe as a Partridge Family school bus parked at one of the turnouts up there. SR

[lookout bob]

Yeah...the school bus was there when we went through too. I did report the garbage to the ranger district and perhaps they cleaned it up. Disgusting though. Why can't folks take their trash with them when they leave and maintain a nice site for whomever comes next?