If you're in Washington State and someone says they want to do a big hike, you immediately think of Tahoma. There are so many epic adventures to be had around the Mountain. Ooh, except they closed the road. Dang it.
But the road to Crystal is still open. And the PCT goes right past Crystal so...
We left stupid early. Coffee at home. Coffee in Enumclaw. Would have had coffee after that, but there's nothing else open that early. We drove right past the trailhead to where we would end our hike. Rather than do a loop, we stashed my bike for later.
At the trailhead we started up the trail. It switches back and forth over and over. Mr. HOS hasn't been on trail in a while, but he had no problem keeping up with me. He did, however, stop to enjoy the views an awful lot. Luckily, I had Tinkham to check on him.
(Yes. She does hike a lot farther than anyone on two legs.)
We left the trees for open slopes and stands of burned forest. Higher, crusty snow lay in patches, but never more than a foot or two deep and never inconveniently placed. We saw the first and only parties just below the summit. It was just the three of us at the top, though not surprising given the chill wind.
Everyone else had climbed from the trailhead to Norse Peak and then returned the same way. But not us! Heck no! That's why we had the bike waiting for us.
We descended a tiny scratch of a trail before intersecting with the PCT. After that, it was smooth sailing toward Mexico before dropping into Bullion Basin and down to the bike.
I left Henry and Tink and zipped down the road to the car. I may have actually broken the speed limit. It was awesome. As I rolled up to the trailhead I saw a group crossing the road to the cars. It was the same group we'd seen at the summit. They looked at me and I'm pretty sure the thought was, "That guy looks just like the guy we saw at the top, but without the boy or the dog." Indeed, it was me. But I guess you've figured that out by now.
📍 On the lands of the spuyaləpabš (Puyallup) people.
