Park Butte Lookout hike

 We were influenced by the weather report for yesterday's hike. Out of the week this seemed the best day for some periods of sun in the area of our destination, so off we went for the long drive to the Schriebers meadow trailhead parking lot. I've only done this hike with our family in Sept. of 2014 and on a backpacking trip in 2019. Yesterday we drove up into clouds as we did for our Scott Paul hike in August. We began our hike at 11 am. My Garmin seems to give us more mileage than their signs state. I always take the longer distance as my total!

On our Scott Paul hike in August we turned right at this trail junction, but today we stayed left.

The skies weren't too dark at our start, I was hopeful for some views.

After the meadow creek crossing.

At the Railroad grade junction we stayed left and continued our uphill climb into the clouds.

We found a nice log to sit on for our lunch break and Scoutina found some prime sticks for chewing on.

There was a breeze that kept blowing the clouds around and after lunch I put on a hat and gloves, it was getting pretty chilly. 

Our view as we headed into the first water pond area just below Cathedral camp.

The trail junction for Mazama camp. Cathedral camp and Park Butte Lookout. We stayed left all others turned right.

Heading into the rocky ascent area.

The tarns were barely visible with the low clouds.

I hiked ahead of my husband for a bit and turned around and saw him faintly in the distance.

The entering Wilderness area sign visible on a tree. The next section of the trail was fairly steep but not for too long.

I was hoping it wouldn't be too cloudy to see when we were at the Lookout and it was nice to see that it was visible. We had decided that the drop off on the rock wasn't a good place to let Scoutina try out her climbing skills, so I went on ahead while they waited below. I climbed up the rock area alongside the tree branch that is fixed to the rocks.

Photo to show I made it and to show the "no view"

You can see what the view can be, in this photo taken on 2014 while on our family hike.

Another view from the lookout taken yesterday.

A look at my husband and Scoutina waiting for me below.

Time to go down the short section of steps and rocks.

Working our way down the trail from the Lookout.

We had some hope that we could possibly get some views as the clouds moved around. We did get some small peeks here and there. We thought we saw a Mt. Goat in the rockfall area to the left of the lake below, but the clouds moved in before we could confirm it.

Scoutina enjoying the small views.

Back to walking in the clouds.

We heard the shrill whistle of a Marmot and my husband spotted it. I was able to get a zoomed in photo of it. We heard several Pika but never saw one.

This would have been our view of Mt. Baker had it been clear.

A mirage like view of a hill in the distance.

The lower we got of course the clearer the sky and the warmer the temperature.

The creek below had barely any depth when we crossed it earlier, there was no need to rock hop & my shoes didn’t wet, but when we came back it had risen to ankle height on Scoutina. My shoes got wet this time, but mostly because I just walked right through.

Lots of mushrooms along the trail. Here was a patch of poisonous Amanita mushrooms.

I love the last section with it's meadow walk.

I enjoyed the views, the colors and the Blueberries.

A couple of heart rocks I saw on the trail.

We didn’t get the views we had hope for but it was a fun adventure, I’m glad we reached our destination.

Trail rating: Moderate hard

Total miles hiked: 8.7

Total ascent: 2147