Scampering through Goat Rocks

We walked around ridgelines in Goat Rocks Wilderness and had a grand old time, braved a glacier, and tried and failed to see any goats.

We set out to Goat Rocks wilderness after work on Thursday and got a motel room a few miles from the the start of our trek. There was a wildfire blazing on the other side of the pass, and when we pulled up to the trailhead, the air was smokey. We asked some returning hikers about conditions and they assured us that the air cleared once you made your way a few miles up. It felt a little dicey, strapping on packs and walking into the smoke, but we figured these reports would either prove true or false in the next couple hours and we could adjust if needed, so on we went.

Luckily, the smoke did in fact clear out, and soon we emerged above the treeline where the skies were blue and we had beautiful views in all directions. We hiked a similar route last year and had scouted out the perfect hidden spots and trails to explore. We found a perfect tucked away spot, which we can obviously never tell anyone about, but rest assured it was awesome. On day two, we climbed to the summit of Old Snowy Mount and got views like these…

Shanako in their element at the top of Old Snowy Mount (7929)

We ate snacks at the top and tried to avoid the very chatty backpacker who had already pitched his tent at the literal summit of the very well travelled mountain. So it goes.

From there, we walked along the Knife’s Edge, an iconic 1.5 mile stretch of the PCT that follows the ridgeline north with views in all directions. On our way back, we opted to cross a glacier over steep terrain which required poles and post-holing for traction, and some degree of courage.

On our way down to camp, we crossed a scree field where folks had constructed some stately seats which reminded us of the Game of Thrones, and Kaden took a load off and did their best Tommen Baratheon for the camera.

Kaden on the Iron Throne.

The next day we passed by Goat Lake and began our descent back to the trailhead, sun kissed and excited that backpacking season was just beginning.