Mt Pilchuck — Local services in Granite Falls

Mixed Experience on Mt. Pilchuck

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Visited: July 202

I tackled the Mt. Pilchuck trail, and while there were certainly aspects I enjoyed, the overall experience left me with a somewhat mixed impression.

First, the positives. The lookout tower at the summit truly lives up to its reputation. The panoramic views it offers are undeniably breathtaking. On a clear day, you can see for miles, and the feeling of accomplishment upon reaching the top is genuinely rewarding. The lookout tower itself is a cool spot to explore, adding an interesting historical touch to the hike.

However, my enjoyment was somewhat marred by the crowd. I visited in July, which is undoubtedly a peak season for hiking, but the trail was packed with fellow hikers. The popularity of the trail meant that at times, it felt more like a line at an amusement park than a serene hike in nature. The narrow sections of the trail became bottlenecks, and the peacefulness I sought was often interrupted by the chatter and noise of other hikers.

Moreover, the trail itself, while offering some variety, also had its challenges. The scramble towards the end required a bit more effort than I anticipated, which could be intimidating for those less experienced. The rocky sections were hard on my knees, and I recommend sturdy footwear for anyone attempting this hike.

The trail's maintenance seemed lacking in some areas, especially with the high foot traffic it receives. It could benefit from more frequent upkeep to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all hikers.

In summary, while the lookout tower and the views from the summit are undeniably impressive, the overall experience was tempered by the overwhelming number of fellow hikers and the challenges of the trail itself. If you're prepared to face the crowds and don't mind a bit of a physical challenge, the Mt. Pilchuck trail might still be worth a visit for the stunning vistas at the top. Just be sure to choose your timing wisely to avoid...

A very popular 3.1 miles hike each way and 2,200 ft of climbing. There’s almost always snow on the upper trail into early to mid July depending on the year. The trail is pretty rocky and usually wet unless it’s been a dry August or early September. The parking lot usually fills up by 8:30 or 9am on sunny summer weekends. From the Summit lookout you can see North to Mt Baker, South to Mt Rainier and West to the Olympic Range.

6/28/21. Climbed in record high temperatures today, got to the parking lot about 9:35am and surprised to see no other cars. The road to the top continues to worsen, mile 0.5-2.3 is deeply potholed and it’s hard to drive without incident if you don’t have a high clearance vehicle. Snow starts about 4,100 ft and nearly continuous most of the way up from there. We had gaiters and spikes which really helped. Enjoyed 20 min at the top by ourselves and met 9 people and 2 dogs hiking up on our way down. Only two had spikes. Post holed a few times and that’s only going to get worse for the next month. It was probably 20F cooler at the summit than in the valley and with a pretty...

Hiked up to the lookout just before sunset, the trail was covered in snow from about the halfway point with new snow still falling. We camped out in the lookout which was neat, and a great shelter except for all the mice. If I were to do it again I would hang all my gear from the rafters to keep the mice out. We had about 4 inches of new snow over night. We only lost the trail once on the way down but quickly realised that it was shrubs under the snow not a trail and with a quick check of the gps we we're back on track. I highly recommend gps if there is fresh snow also micro spikes and trekking poles as the snow quickly gets...