with no snow and no blowdowns, except for this whopper which I had to crawl under (my folded hiking pole (arrow) is 2' tall).
The Big Hollow trail was snow-free until just before the creek crossing at 3200', when it disappeared under 5' or so of snow. Last year, the snow was this deep here in June, so this year's melt seems to be going faster.
Fortunately, the snow was perfect for walking on - good foot steps and no post-holing. The 132/158 Tr junction (3750') was snowed-in,
as was the wilderness sign.
From the 132/158 junction to the summit was all on snow, with a lot of side-hilling. Although the trail up to the summit from the NW was snow-covered, the actual summit was not.
It was sunny and warm on top, with the usual great views of St. Helens,
Adams,
Hood (H), and several less obvious summits (G: Greenleaf, T: Table, B: Birkenfeld, 3: Three Corner Rock) on the hazy horizon.
There were even a few flowers showing.
Rather than take the usual way down - which would have meant lots more walking and side-hilling on snow - I decided to head directly SE off the summit and meet Tr 132 where it crosses the ridge at 3600'. In one of his posts, Thum had mentioned having taken this route and a "trail" appears here on the old 100K scale topos, so the odds were in my favor. The SE side of the peak was entirely snow-free but still looked steep from above,
and proved to be steep - but entirely manageable - on the way down.
Going this way saved me at least an hour by not having to routefind and contour on snow. Right now, this is the only snow-free way to climb Observation. From 3600', the 132 was its usual gentle (and snow-free) self all the way back. There were little patches of orchids in a few places along the trail,
and a couple of dogwood trees with just-past-their-prime flowers.
On the way down, I was passed by two trail runners and a couple with a friendly dog. Although there were several cars at the TH, these were the only people I saw all day. The Trapper Creek Wilderness is a little gem in the wilderness system and this loop lets you experience it all - creeks, forests, summits, views, and even a waterfall. Great hike! 13.9 mi, 3300' EG.
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