Hike Name: Goat Flats / Tin Can Gap / Three Fingers
Round-Trip Distance: RT to Goat Flats: 10 miles, RT to Tin Can Gap:14 miles
Elevation Gain: 2800 ft
Season: Mid July - mid Oct
Difficulty: difficult due to poor trail conditions
Forest: Boulder River Wilderness, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Contact:Verlot Public Service Center: 360-691-7791 Map: Green Trails # 109-110
Directions: From Granite Falls follow the Mountain Loop Hwy East for 7 miles. Turn left onto FS road 41, staying on main gravel road for approx 15 miles (?) until you reach Trail head. (do not stop at the old meadow mountain trail sign which is rotting off to your right)
Well, this weekend I couldn't find anybody to go with me, so I ventured out alone on an overnight backpack. Really it's not scary, as some of my coworkers would like to believe. I've been backpackng for so many years now (about 10, and most of them with trail crew guys) that it's become quite natural. When I go by myself however, I do pick trails that seem to have a bit of traffic, just in case I were to get injured and need help getting down the mountain.
But as far as camping overnight in the wilderness alone, I have not an ounce of fear of being "messed with" by another human. The people who take that much time and effort to hike farther out are some of the best people around. I think that a predator would not take that much time preparing, packing, and busting ass to get to a spot, not knowing if any victims would even be there. I imagine that predators would rather stick to popular trails near town or highways, day hike spots, campgrounds, etc. Somewhere sure to turn up an easy victim. It would not be very rewarding for him to hike that far out with all that weight, food, etc, not even knowing if anyone would be there. Just my theory.
And in all my years of backpacking, I have never had a worrisome experience with a bear - we've always had our food hung properly or in a "bear box" (as is required in Yosemite)... and even though there have been bears in our camp, they have never messed with us because our food was properly stowed. My girlfriends and I did have to walk near a bear on the top of Copper Ridge (no other route could be made because we were at the top of the ridge)...but we made sure to make noise, be obvious, and get on our way. The bear just went on eating blueberries and barely noticed us making such a calamity only 15 feet away. I do my best to hang my food, not sleep with any smelly stuff, and if a bear still decides to come attack me, then... I guess so be it. I am on his turf at that point. In the Cascades, particularly backcountry, most of our bears are still wild enough that they are scared of humans, and if we respect them and take care with our food, it will hopefully stay that way.
In the rare event that I would come between a bear and her cub, well - that would be unfortunate. But it has never happened, and nor do I let the fear of that stop me from hiking alone. If I were in grizzly country I would have more fear. But as for the Cascades, I have more fear of being hit on the freeway by a semi-truck.
Anyway. Sorry about that digression. So anyway, I decided to do one last hike up the Mountain Loop Highway, and get up close to "Three Fingers," one of the big mountains that is easily visible from I-5 and Darrington.
Now you can actually get to the lookout at the summit of Three Fingers from this trail, however beyond Tin Can Gap it is apparently a little more on the sketchy side, better meant for climbers and people with fancy footwork (not clumsy old me).
Let me just say outright: I don't recommend this trail. Yes, the views from Tin Can Gap were awesome. I am glad that I did it, just because I'd like to hike all of the trails along the Mountain Loop (just to have a comprehensive idea of the area)... however... I think there are other trails with bigger payoffs and less hassles.
1) The drive out takes longer than you'd think. Unless you have a burly vehicle, the turnoff from the mountain loop to the trail head (on FS road 41) took me ONE HOUR to go 18 miles. Most of the gravel road is actually not bad, but there are some large pot holes, and when I came back down I GOT A FLAT TIRE, which was not pleasant.
2) The first 5 miles of the trail is in SEVERE need of trail work. Hardly a spot where you can step flat - your foot is always twisting and turning to step on major roots and rocks, virtually every step of the way. And streams have taken to using the trail as their new route, so virtually every step is slippery and muddy, further making your going slow and laborious. Not sure why the trail has not gotten care - it would be interesting to find out the story there.
However, trail and road condition aside, the forest is quite beautiful, and you will see many huge impressive cedars. After 2.5 miles you reach a lake, which is really not worth mentioning. I believe camping is prohibited within 200 feet of the lake. From what I saw, there weren't any campsites that looked promising.
The Goat Flats area is then 2.5 miles from the lake. And of course, once you reach the alpine meadow-y area, with delicious babbling brooks, heather meadows, and scores of blueberries, the hike becomes very pleasant. The flats are not far behind, and although a bit trampled, were still beautiful. Even though there were about 6 other parties camped there, I still found a spot to put my tent that seemed private and relaxing. Views start to open up, and you can see Rainier and Glacier Peak very well. As well as the "back side" of Three Fingers (the part without the glaciers.)
I camped overnight at the flats, and I THINK THIS WILL BE MY LAST OVERNIGHT OF THE SEASON... because it was FREEZING!! I have a warm bag and had 3 layers of clothes, but I still spent most of the night shivering. I was in my tent by 7pm because of the cold. And there was frost on the ground in the morning, so I'm not sure how cold it got.
Anywho - got up in the morn, bundled up my pack, re-hung my food, and set off for a side-trip (without my heavy pack) up to Tin Pan Gap. The hike there (maybe 4 miles round trip? not sure) was absolutely stunning. Trail in good shape, expanding views, blueberries, and a delightful reward at the end - looking straight into the glaciers on Three Fingers - a great place to eat lunch. More adventurous folks were heading off from this point up to the lookout. But I was happy to make it here, then head back to the flats, pick up my heavy pack, and head back down.
Overall a wonderful beautiful sunny clear weekend! Refreshing to my spirits as the mountains always are.
