Wanting to do a one way hike from Crystal Mountain Ski Resort to Chinook Pass via the PCT, we left one car at Chinook Pass and drove to Crystal. Here we went up the Bullion Basin Trail at the bottom of the ski area. Our hike was 10 mile with 2,000 ft of elevation gain up to the PCT, then some up and down along the trail before descending down to Sheep Lake and Chinook Pall.
The trail took us up into the trees on the way to Bullion Basin.
At Bullion Basin (seen below in the photo) we choose the short, steeper trail to the east up to the PCT. Mt Rainier can be seen peeking over Crystal Mountain.
This is a great section of the PCT, it travels along the top of the ridge, as well as traversing both sides of the ridge lines on the way to Sourdough Gap. We reached the PCT at 2.2 miles and 2,000 ft elevation gain from the trailhead.
Views and wildflowers along the trail.
Another view of Mt Rainier as the trail winds around Pickhandle Basin.
I think we were near Pickhandle Gap here: Pano looking to the east.
Pano looking to the west: Mt Adams and the Goat Rocks to the south, Mt Rainier directly west.
zoom of Mt Adams and the Goat Rocks:
We saw a variety of wildflowers in bloom along the trail.
more views and lupine
Only snow field we came near, and it was no longer on the trail.
more wildflowers
Pano looking out from Bear Gap:
so many wildflowers
From Bear Gap to Sourdough Gap is 2 miles.
Placer Lake below
We hiked past some interesting rock formations with more wildflowers
In the far distance we could see the faint image of Mt St Helens (zoom)
A couple of switchbacks up towards Sourdough Gap
Pano at Sourdough Gap looking northeast
Pano at Sourdough Gap looking southwest, Sheep Lake below
There were lots of wildflowers in the meadows near Sheep Lake
and along the shore.
Looking back toward Sourdough Gap from Sheep Lake
From Sheep Lake, it is about 2 miles to Chinook Pass, there were more wildflowers along the trail here, also view of Naches Peak.
A few of the many wildflowers we saw in bloom today:
Wanting to do a one way hike from Crystal Mountain Ski Resort to Chinook Pass via the PCT, we left one car at Chinook Pass and drove to Crystal. Here we went up the Bullion Basin Trail at the bottom of the ski area. Our hike was 10 mile with 2,000 ft of elevation gain up to the PCT, then some up and down along the trail before descending down to Sheep Lake and Chinook Pall.
zoom of Mt Adams and the Goat Rocks:
more views and lupine
Placer Lake below
A couple of switchbacks up towards Sourdough Gap
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