Trapper’s Peak is part of the Thornton Lakes area and the summit offers great views of the Pickets Range, Mt. Despair and Mt. Triumph. Also on the hike up you have great views of Thornton Lake.

The only way to access the Trapper’s Peak Trail is by hiking up the Thornton Lakes Trail 4.5 miles. At that point there is a trail split marked by a wood post. Follow the trail up to a sub-alpine setting. The trail is steep and you may need your hands occasionally to ascend. There is a few false summits and you will follow a beautiful ridge line to the actual summit.

Be alert to changes in the weather. This is not a place to be in any kind of storm. This trail should only be attempted by experienced hikers! The summit tops out at 5966 feet for a gain of over 3000 feet from the trail head.

Equipment: Sturdy hiking boots and trekking poles. Watch for the weather forecast and have appropriate clothing for the conditions you may face.

This is an ambitious day hike only because I stated after lunch. The hike to the lake is 5 miles one way with a side trail option to hike up to the summit of Trapper’s Peak, which I did. To access the trail head for Thornton Lake, you must drive a back country road for about 20 minutes up a steep grade dirt road. I had a rental car with normal clearance and it worked fine.

The start of the trail is very easy for the first 1.5 miles. After that point it is a steep climb up for another 3 miles to a saddle. At that point, you can go straight for an ascent of Trapper’s Peak or turn left for the lake. It is another .5 miles but this section is a steep downhill to the lake. Once at the lake there are several places to either camp or enjoy the view of Trapper’s Peak on the right and Mt. Triumph left of center watching over the lake.

Return the way you came for a 10 mile hike. If you wanted to ascend Trappers Peak, I recommend doing that first before descending down to the lake. This way you have an option if it is too late in the day.

Breathtaking views along a the Pacific Crest Trail!

This hike begins at the parking area across from the Rainy Pass Trail Head. It is on the north side of Route 20. There is a larger parking area a little further down Route 20. The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is 2600 miles long and links the borders of Canada and Mexico as it travels through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. This hike is 5 miles of the PCT up to Cutthroat Pass and back to the trail head. The first 2.3 miles of this hike is through beautiful thick forest. The hike also slows down 1 mile in with many recent (summer 2016) downed trees blown over by a micro burst storm. Easily climbed over or under. Hopefully the park service will have these cleared out soon.

After 2.3 miles, the forest recedes and the landscape opens up for amazing views all around. The trail climbs steadily but rather easy. After 4 miles you will encounter several switchbacks that make the grade easier. I encountered snow on the trail at this point (mid-July) but it was well packed and easy to walked over.

The final mile was one of the best hiking experiences I’ve had. The open landscape with clear blue sky and rugged peaks were breathtaking. Finally you arrive at the pass, an altitude of 6800 feet. Here you can look down on Cutthroat Lake and across to the Methow Valley. You can continue along the PCT for a bit more (I wish now that I did) or return the way you came after a rest. On the way down you have great views of Cutthroat Peak on the right.

This was the easiest and most enjoyable 10 mile hikes I’ve ever completed. It took me a little over 4 hours much of which was spent taking photos.