Heather Lake & Boardman Lake

A beautiful morning for an April hike...in January. The trail through the forest was 45 degrees, high clouds but no rain so quite comfortable in just a fleece jacket, which I had to open to vent the heat of the 1100' climb. The trail was snow free all the way to the lake.
The trail around the lake was mostly snow free, but watch out for the few patches on the west and south sides of the lake. The snow has thawed and frozen again, and it has been polished to glass smoothness by the boots of many hikers. Take care and stay off it when you can.
The wind kicked up on the south and west sides as well, making it feel more like it was 25 degrees, so we stopped to put on another layer. An interesting sight on the lakes south shore was a stand of trees that had recently been snapped in two about 10 to 15 feet up their trunks. There were no boudlers, and there sure hasn't been enough snow for an avalanche to have done that this winter, so I think that it may have been a microburst, a very localized column of sinking air, producing damaging divergent and straight-line winds at the surface that can snap a two foot diameter tree like a twig. Standing in the brisk wind at the bottom of this bowl, looking up at the steep cliffs, I was thankful that today's wind was only a stiff breeze.
It was still early when we got back to the car, so we decided to take in the short trip to nearby Boardman Lake. After stopping in 1/10th of a mile to view scenic little Evan Lake, we climber 300' in 3/4ths of a mile in a light snow. I think this trail and the destination were both prettier than Heather Lake. I almost passed it up because it was too easy. Most of the time it doesn't seem like a "real" hike to me until I've invested some sweat and toil to earn it, but I was glad I talked myself into it.
It began snowing pretty heavily at the lake, big feather sized flakes, so we headed back down. By the time we hit Granite Falls we were driving in steady rain, but I'm happy to say that I didn't feel my first raindrop until I was in my own driveway. I'll chalk today up as a victory!

Barclay Lake & Heybrook Lookout

Barclay Lake and Heybrook Lookout are only a few miles apart, and they share more than geographic proximimty. They are also both great hikes to take novices and your non-hiking friends on. They are short, easy trails with no signifigant obsticles but with wonderful scenic payoffs.
Barclay lake is an almost level (50' elevation gain), well maintaned trail that is as water & mud free as any trail in Western Washington can be in November. Since the old growth forest I remember walking through as a child was logged most of the way to the lake, you can use the walk to explain the difference between an intensively managed (i.e. clearcut) tree farm and a natural forest, which you encounter as you near and walk along the lake. Trees were replanted along the trail over 40 years ago, but the understory is still a biological desert, except for the wood fiber. Plenty of sticks, cones and needles carpet the "forest" floor, but little else. The almost total lack of understory diversity gives meaning to the otherwise oxymoronic phrase "can't see the forest for the trees".
As you are just about in sight of the lake you come across an area opened by a small rockslide and get your first real glimpse of the towering vertical wall of Mount Baring to your right. Look to your left for a view of Gunn Peak, source of the rocky rubble on which your stand. For the best view of the lake, keep following the trail to the lakes infall creek, then duck under some thorny shrubs to a small opening at the creeks mouth. Enjoy the trout jumping, rippling the glassy surface.
After this short hike, those who still have some ambition and energy should head to the trailhead for Heybrook Lookout, located about 3 1/2 miles west on Highway 2, just across from the "Leaving Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest" sign. It's only 1 1/3 miles to the top, but the elevation gain is 850', which can be challenging for those not used to walking more than the width of a Mall parking lot. Most of that gain comes in the first half of the ascent, so gently prod your novices with the occasional "one step at a time" or "we're getting close now", and as the grade becomes gentler they'll feel as if they've hit their stride. Before you know it you come to an opening with Mount Index and Bridal Veil falls to your right and the lookout rising from the peak to your left, just a few feet away.
There are seven flights of starirs (68') to the top of the observation platform, from which the views unfold. South is Index, east is the Skykomish River valley winding its way between the mountains towards Stevens Pass, and to the left of that are Mount Baring and Gunn Peak, flanking the valley you just hiked to get to Barclay Lake. Kids faces will light up when they recognize it, a satisfied "I did that!" look on their faces.

Perry Creek & Mount Forgotten

Perry Creek is a beautiful fall hike with a taste of winter thrown in. The short but steep trail (8 miles round trip, 3200' elevation gain) begins under the sheer cliffs of Mount Dickerman's west face, a nearly 2 mile long avalanche chute between the trailhead and the falls. Few evergreens grow here, swept away by annual avalanches and occasional rock slides, but the alders and vine maples abound, dappling the trail with yellow, orange, red and gold, and expansive openings reveal views of Big Four, Hall Peak and a half dozen waterfalls across the valley.
A good trail procedes over stable rock on a gentle grade at first, gradually steepening in the second mile until you reach old growth forest at Perry Creek falls. Just past the falls is a creek crossing, partly on rocks, partly on a large downed cedar log, easy today but it could be tough if the creek was any fuller. Stepping on the partly submerged rocks, the water came within an inch of my boot tops. If your unsure, it might be worth putting on gaiters to keep the very chilly water out.
From here, the trail begins to climb steeply up the side of Mount Forgotten. Although easy to follow, it is a root and rock strewn path that keeps your eyes focused on the trail, just as well since the views have vanished, but it's worth stopping now and then to examine the large trees above and the interesting fungi below. Try not to get discouraged at the steep slope that seems to go endlessly up.
After gaining 2000' in the next 2 miles the ridge is finally attained. On this late October day we reached snowline at about 4500' elev., and found 2 inches of snow dusting the top. Great views here of Dickerman, Forgotten, Big Four, Hall & Stillaguamish Peak's. Another 300' gain in less than a quarter mile brings you to Mount Forgotten's meadows, but any wildflowers were long since bloomed and burried under snow.
If the creek crossing was a bit dodgy on the way up, be sure to keep an eye on the weather as this small, narrow creek will fill up fast in a heavy rain.

Deer Creek Pass & Kelcema Lake

About 50' from the very popular Kelcema Lake trail is the trailhead for Deer Creek Pass, a .6 mile, 300' elevation gain stroll to a ridge with views of Three Fingers, Liberty and Big Bear mountains. It's easy to overlook. We went past it at first, thinking the trail was a small eroded watercourse. Turns out it's both.
The small bridges and puncheons look like they were installed around 1960, and I'd guess that's the last time anybody other than the occasional trail user thought to maintain it, so it's safer to avoid the crumbling bridges and slick, slimey puncheons than to use them. Be sure your boots are laced up tight too, because there are some deep, boot sucking mudholes that are hard to avoid on the first half of the trail.
(Note to any interested parties: it wouldn't take much to rehabilitate this trail, which would help relieve some of the pressure from the somewhat overused Kelcema trail. This would make a great Eagle Scout project, or a nice opportunity for WTA volunteers who aren't athletic enough to tackle a backcountry work party).
The second half of the trail is wider, less brushy and with only a few small blowdowns as it switchbacks quickly to the ridge. Just before reaching the top I saw flagging tape and a sign for the "Helena Mine Trail", an informal trail marked off by someone (the ranger said a Boeing engineer) with a sense of adventure & history, but I didn't have time to explore it as grandpa duty called this afternoon.
For the curious and intrepid, there is also the Saint Louis Mine along Deer Creek just 100 yards or so downhill from the parking area, and the Bonanza Queen Mine about 2 miles up Deer Creek Road from the Mountain Loop Highway. Look for a wide spot on the left with a "what the duece?" brass plaque on a rock among the bushes and follow a faint trail a few hundred feet to the mine.

Independence & North Lakes

Independence Lake is a short, kid friendly hike to a small lake with a few trout, a worthwhile destination in its own right, but too short for much of a workout, so we headed up the trail towards North Lake. I would classify this hike as moderate, but it does head up agressively for two steep miles to a ridge where you either admire the view then head back down, or drop down 700' to the lake, which means 700' elevation gain on the way back (plus another 200' coming up from Independence Lake).
It's best to start early on a hot day. The route has plenty of exposure to sun, and the people we saw coming up in the afternoon looked uncomfortably hot in the 80 degree weather.
There is flagging tape to seperate the trail from some social paths to campsites at the end of Independence Lake, as well as to mark the trail up a boulder field to North Lake. The trail branches off here, left up the boulders to the ridge or right on a level path to an unnamed tarn with beautiful views towards a peak known as the Devils Thumb and a lovely campsite with a "big sky" view. The tarn is definately worth the short side trip, and makes a great destination for those disinclined to greater exertion. The blueberries were large and tasty.

Mount Pilchuck

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.

Barlow Point

After hiking the much too crowded Lake 22 trail (we'd hoped the rain would keep the crowds away, but it didn't, not even the woefully unprepared sneakers and sweatshirt people), so we went on an additional hike to Barlow Point.
The trailhead is at Barlow Pass. A hike of 1.2 miles and 800' elevation gain, this moderately easy trail starts by going slightly down hill under a long rock wall (pretty hanging purple flowers here...penstamon?), then begins a series of switchbacks with no level areas (those not used to hiking might need to pause for a breather on the way) through a forest of second growth timber. This is a fairly boring trail, with little understory vegetation, mostly sticks and fir needle duff on the ground, but can be a great educational walk when showing friends why clearcuts are bad forestry, a mirror opposite of the lush and lovely Lake 22 Research Natural Area.
There's no lake or stream on the way, and no views to speak of. So why bother?
Because when you reach the site of an old fire lookout at the top of this 3200' knob, you'll find lovely views up the Sauk river towards Mt. Pugh, across to Sheep Mountain, and down the Stillaguamish to Big Four and Hall Peak, as well as Twin Peaks and Mt. Dickerman. The rocky summit provides nice "chairs" to lounge on, and unlike other hikes in the neighborhood you'll probably have the trail to yourself.
On the return trip, turn off at the trail marked "Railroad Grade" and follow the path of the old Everett & Monte Cristo Railway back to the trailhead parking lot.