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  1. #1
    TallPaul's Avatar
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    Video: Goat Rocks Wilderness (WA)

    I did a 2 day trip in the Goat Rocks Wilderness in Washington state, located roughly between Mt Adams and Mt Rainier.
    If you aren't familiar with Goat Rocks, it has been voted as one of the most popular sections on the PCT, known for the trails traverse along a knifes edge and stunning alpine views.


    Just before my trip, there was an excellent trip report on Goat Rocks posted on Hammockforums.
    This report, along with some prior ones, gave me confidence I'd be able to find a place to hammock camp.


    Hammock camping intel: I'll echo other reports - the Bypass/Connector trail #97 offers real good hammock options with water nearby. Multiple people can hang in the same vicinity.
    You can find places elsewhere with some hunting around. I did camp along the Lily Basin trail, roughly mid-way between Goat Lake and Snowgrass Flat, but trees are sparse and tend to be densely grouped. Finally, a quick look at a satellite view will show you the treeless sections.

    Itinerary
    I did the clockwise loop from Snowgrass Flat parking 4,600' (see pic below).
    I hit Hawkeye Point 7,431' on the way in and climbed up to the PCT/Old Snowy junction 7,200' on the way out.
    Originally planned a 3-4 day trip but that didn't happen due to smoke from forest fires.



    A few highlights from this trip:

    The trip that almost wasn't: I stayed the prior night at Chambers Lake. High winds were predicted (up to 50mph gusts). Smoke along with some ash clouded the sky from the fire in eastern Washingon. Fortunately, when I woke up to pee I saw stars, so I decided to go for it the next day. My original 3-4 day trip did turn into a 2 day trip as smoke returned.



    More wind: The wind was crazy on this trip. It started with a hiker headed back to the car because the wind had blown their shoe off the mountain. They were walking with a shoe on one foot and sock on the other. A PCT thru hiker had their tent ripped apart from the wind & was forced to sleep 3 people in a 2 person tent.
    Camping in the wind was crazy - I setup my gear to leverage the nearby natural wind blocks but I couldn't tell if it had an effect. I was rocking & rolling all night. I physically held the tarp for a bit then let go & said to myself if it goes it goes.. I'll deal with it then. Fortunately, it held.



    Popular trail: This area is quite popular, so I hit trail on a weekday right after Labor Day. I saw roughly 10-15 people per day, which I am guessing is light traffic. I'm guessing the wind had something to do with it, along with possibilities of smoke blowing into the area.

    Jordan Basin: Jordan Basin was one area that either didn't get a lot of press or I just missed it. You pop out of the trees to this large basin with a creek running through the middle. I bet the wildflowers are fantastic in season. I guess the tradeoff was no bugs for me




    Hawkeye Point: This was a great side trip. There just a bit of snow to walk around in Sept. 360* views of Mt Adams, Mt Rainier, Goat Ridge, etc.




    Goat Lake: Phenomenal. Steep sided alpine lake



    The PCT to Old Snowy junction: With the *wind literally moving me on the trail, this was as high as I was comfortable hiking on the exposed trail. Some PCT thru hikers passed & I wished them well - I would have been on all fours or butt-scooting the Knife Edge portion of the trail. Alas, I'll have to come back for that portion or just have to start in California & hike northward next time.



    Description & GPX track info:
    https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/...***-flats-loop

    https://youtu.be/fIilO7UXd04
    Last edited by TallPaul; 10-08-2020 at 20:03.

  2. #2
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    Great video and what a beautiful area! Nothing wrong with calling an audible - never know what conditions are going to actually be while planning.

  3. #3
    TallPaul's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Layne View Post
    Great video and what a beautiful area! Nothing wrong with calling an audible - never know what conditions are going to actually be while planning.
    Thanks Layne. It was fun to explore the area and the views were great. Bit different than our southern Appalachians.

  4. #4
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    Amazing report - loved the video. So gorgeous up there, another area added to my list to visit!

    That wind looked truly unruly - like listening to 50 crinkly bags of chips all night I guess!

  5. #5
    TallPaul's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tpatter View Post
    Amazing report - loved the video. So gorgeous up there, another area added to my list to visit!

    That wind looked truly unruly - like listening to 50 crinkly bags of chips all night I guess!
    Exactly - like the 50 crinkly bags of chips!
    I could easily spend 4 days up there exploring the various trails.
    And definitely worth the drive from Seattle (or Portland for that matter).

  6. #6
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    Beautiful, thanks for the video! That's some incredible scenery!

  7. #7
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Great video and pictures! Thanks for the report!

  8. #8
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    Thanks for the report. We've been considering it for a couple of years. Are there plenty of flat spaces near the useful trees, for my two ground dwelling hiking friends?

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