From the parking lot, I took the Tamanous Trail #27 which still had remnants of the previous week's rain in the form of muddy patches. Having my trekking poles in hand made crossing these areas much easier.
Once on the PCT trail I was pleasantly surprised on how well maintained the trail was. I thought I would be brushing up against overgrowth, but that was not the case. As I approached Gillette Lake I heard a rare sound - a gushing and rushing Gillette Creek! I've never seen it this full and lively before. The campers who stayed overnight at the sites were all smiles as I passed by.
I continued my way on the PCT up to the Heartbreak Ridge junction. The large board sign at the junction was down. Having not hiked this trail in a few years, I don't know how long the sign has been in that condition.
As for the Heartbreak Ridge trail - fun and strenuous as usual! Definitely some erosion, downed trees, and overgrowth took my attention, but only for brief moments. No snow could be found until you ultimately reach the summit where mounds 1-2 feet high could be found. I met a couple hikers who had camped overnight at the summit and reported a cold a slightly windy night.
Views at the top were great, although clouds to the east were covering Mt. Adams. After a quick lunch, I started to head back down taking the West Table Mountain Trail. The journey down back to the PCT was full of brief slides along the slopes of scree. Nothing dangerous, but still it's worth taking your time going down.
Once at the PCT junction, I noticed another large board sign lying down on the ground. From this junction to the Heartbreak Ridge junction, there were at least a couple more downed trees to contend with. After getting past the downed trees, it was smooth sailing back to the Bonneville Trailhead.
Overall, an absolute beautiful day and rewarding hike.
- From the Bonneville Trailhead parking lot facing Oregon.
- Gillette Creek was especially flowing nice in late May.
- Ready for the steep climb up Heartbreak Ridge.
- Summit of Table Mountain facing east. Wind Mountain and Dog Mountain is visible at the bend of the Columbia River. Mount Adams is lost in the clouds.
