Suggestion? Hiking BOOTS, not those light running shoes, or the cool Vibram five fingers, but sturdy boots. I did this hike on a sunny, Friday afternoon and overall would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Let's start with the entrance. I might need to get my tires checked after my car was thrown in and out consistently of a pot hole infested road to the trailhead. Although a wide road, there wasn't much flat surface amongst all the water filled holes. Do not lose hope though, for when you finally reach the trailhead, there is a spacious parking lot, well maintained, and an overall inviting beginning to your hike. The bathrooms were not particularly clean, definitely the kind you avoid skin on surface contact. The toilet bowl was so wide I thought I was going to fall in, and as much as one tries not to look down, I did, and it was like the dark, damp, never ending hole down to earth.
The trail to the summit was very well groomed, and for variety there other trails accommodating for bikes and different scenery. I went for the summit, and like I said in the beginning, regretted not wearing boots. The trail was very rocky, I definitely had to watch where I stepped. It was a peaceful hike up, with happy little bubbling creeks right alongside of you and beautiful vegetation. The trail didn't have a ton of switchbacks, which I appreciated because it felt like I touched and got to see a wide span of this beautiful mountain, not just straight-up. This hike will get your heart rate up! With a constant incline, every corner is a new picture of greenery, and a deeper, purer breath of mountain air. I was never bored, and my calves were super sore from all the steep part. Beautiful hike!
My anticipation was high throughout the last mile till the top. Feeling awaken from the wilderness, and slightly fatigued from the trek up, I was ready to see an amazing view. Traversing the trail I caught little snapshots of how high the top really is. The little glimpses looked amazing! Although, the trees and bushes were much too thick to get a real view so I walked on, even more excited to see the real summit view. What a DISSAPOINTMENT! I finally reach the top and look around to see a view of trees, mountain tops of trees, a couple snow-capped mountains in the distance and many trees blocking the view of potential good viewpoints. The top was small, the footing consisted of loose rock and a downhill slope that made me uneasy to venture to the sides or edges in search of a better view. I got tired of looking at trees real fast, as I am a Washingtonian and see plenty of these plants daily. There was no reason for me to hang around so I headed back down the beautiful trail feeling a little upset that my hard work up the mountain wasn't rewarded with a good view of the top. Next time, the focus will be a great, outdoor cardio workout read more