Goat Rock Wilderness had been an area I had heard about, but one place I had never explored before. Most reviews online and from others all said it was a fantastic place to spend a few days so when I had some extra time off around Labor day it seemed like a good place to go check out.
The Goat Rocks are actually remnants of an extinct volcano worn down over the years located in between Pahto(Mount Adams) and Tahoma(Mount Rainier). Most of the trail network in this area runs along the ridges and above the treeline so allows for fantastic views throughout most of the hike.
This was also my first backpacking trip of the year, in September sadly, so no big miles or elevation gains were planned. Just a casual two night backpacking trip with friends….or so I thought.
The loop is generally done either clockwise or counter clockwise with most recommendations are for the counter clockwise direction. The group decided to go for the counter clockwise route as we were considering trying to also climb Old Snowy for sunrise in the morning.
Day 1
After a long drive from Seattle we finally got to the trailhead, cleared up some miscommunication between the group and hit the trail. We steadily gained elevation through the lower forested section allowed for good conversations and an opportunity to catch up and get to know some of the group. When we hit the first junction on the trail we decided to head towards the PCT and hopefully an early morning summit. Climbing higher and higher into the alpine meadows and our first view of Mount Adams to the south made the day even more worthwhile.
The group had all agreed upon trying for sunrise from the summit of Old Snowy Mountain. The summit was still several miles away which called for an alpine start for the entire group. We made decent pace at the beginning but had to slow down after one of the party overheated from the pace. We slowed things down and after seeing Old Snowy wreathed in clouds in the early morning light, we reset our goals to be at the ridgeline above the Packwood Glacier for sunrise instead.
We soon hit the ridgeline and were greeted with blasting cold wind and amazing views of the valleys around us. I located a sheltered area out of the wind for some of the other members of the group to warm up while we waited for the sun to rise in the east. The sunrise that morning was a slow gradual warming of the horizon with subtle hues lighting the sky. To the west, grey storm clouds reared above the ridges and refused to light up with any colors as the sun rose.
Running directly north from Old Snowy there is a ridge line with a distinct trail that appears to go to the summit PCT 7210 from what I could determine in the app Peakbagger. It looks to be a beautiful ridge line trail and even I was thinking I would like to run it one day.
Soon the beautiful colors of sunrise started to fade and the group headed back down to camp. Along the way I was shocked at how many campsites we had passed in the dark and it reminded me just how popular this beautiful place is. Once back at camp we packed up our tents and headed back down to the main loop trail and over to Goat Lake.
Once back on the main trail to Goat Lake the path traversed the beautiful open valley that lies directly south of Goat Lake. This trail any many ways reminded me of the approach to Glacier Peak and the glorious views along the way. High alpine meadows and ridges are certainly some of my favorite things. Trail runners are often found on this loop and we were passed several times along the way. My friend David even took off his backpack to stretch his legs and for me to get some shots.
While most of the group was planning on headed back to the trailhead my girlfriend and I had considered staying another night at Goat Lake. In the end the decision was for all of us to head to the trailhead and get back to Seattle. Why I didn’t fully calculate out the remaining miles I do not know but the next 6 miles were not kind to my feet. This was after all the first backpacking trip of the year and my Salomon trail runners were more than a little wore out. Eventually we all made it there though but with the grind at the end even I was a little miserable.
This beautiful wilderness captivated my heart though and I can’t wait to return. Till next time…..
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