Mount Pilchuck is one of the classic trails in Washington. Jutting out 30 miles west of the main massif of the Cascade mountains, it rises a mile above Puget Sound and has a 360 degree panorama that includes Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains, 3 National Parks and a dozen wilderness areas.
While the views are spectacular during the day, it's the sunrises and sunsets that really take your breath away, so we decided to take an "illegal" (it's a day use only site) camping trip there the evening of July 4th. Talk about a balcony seat! The show was awesome, fireworks as far as the eye could see. We spent the night camped in the lookout.
The hike is 6 miles round trip, witha 2400' elevation gain, slogging up snowfields and over bouklders, a hard slog with a 40 pound pack but well worth the effort. Bug spray, sunscreen and sunglasses are a must, and trekking poles help on the snow. If you take only one hike this year, this is the one.
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