I was in Washington moving my daughter back to college in Kirkland. Rather than the typical hikes I had done in the past, like Squak Mountain and Tiger Mountain, this time I was looking for something more scenic.

I started looking around and found Mount Pilchuck that was within an hour of our hotel. Mount Pilchuck is a peak with over 2000 feet of prominence located northeast of Seattle. The top houses a lookout and an outstanding view of the Cascade Range.

I was pushing it on time, but with a trail and early start, I figured I'd be okay. I left the Seattle area at 5am and started the hike just after dawn at 6am. I found the trail without issue and was off.

The trail started off in thick woods and it was nice and cool, refreshing after such a warm summer in Idaho. The trail in the woods was fairly smooth, making for quick hiking.

Eventually the trail reached the treeline and the views opened up. This is also where the trail gets fairly rugged and slowed my pace. Right around here I ran into my first people coming down from the summit (they had stayed the night). They informed me it had taken them 4 hours to reach the summit the evening before and I was about 2 hours from the summit. They then asked me how long I had been moving. I looked down at my watch and replied 59 minutes... it was funny to see the looks on their 20-something year old faces and I'm sure they thought this old big guy must be full of it. Turns out I was about 45 minutes for me to reach the top from that spot.

The trail does a wonderful job of keeping the climbing easy, but this is a rugged summit. Eventually the trail ends below the lookout tower and some class 2 climbing is required to reach the lookout.

Since it was still only 8am, the lookout occupants were still asleep. It looked like I had missed quite a party the night before, as bongs and beer cans were strewn about. I didn't want to wake the youngsters, so I quietly took some pictures and moved on. The views of the Cascades were stunning. So many peaks and so many of them rugged and pointy. It definitely got me stoked for more adventures in the Cascades. Mount Rainier and Mount Baker were both clearly visible, but it was still pretty dark for good photos.

Despite it being a weekday, I passed about 30 hikers heading up the trail on my way out. Very popular trail and totally worth the effort for those views!

Make your way toward Granite Falls on Highway 92. At a roundabout, take the second exit onto Quarry Road. Take Quarry Road 2 miles. You will pass through another roundabout, but stay on Quarry Road. After 2 miles, reach the Mountain Loop Highway. Take a left onto the highway and proceed 10 miles to the Verlot Visitors Center. Continue another mile past the visitor's center, cross a bridge, then take the next right onto paved Mount Pilchuck Road. You are now on FR 42. Proceed 6.8 miles down this road and you will reach the parking lot for the Mount Pilchuck trail. You will see a trailhead information sign and a bathroom. The trail is near both.

FR 42 is rough for the first few miles, with large, unavoidable potholes. As the road gains elevation, it gets better and is actually paved for the final stretch.

From the trailhead, follow the trail into the forest. Soon after the start, it crosses a small creek. After .25 miles, you see a sign reading "Entering Pilchuck State Park". Once the trail becomes rocky after approximately 1 mile, there are orange markers to help keep you on route. The trail uses the whole mountain, cutting back and forth across the slope, before eventually reaching the base of the lookout, where a short scramble gets you to the top.