Goat Rocks 2021
I have wanted to return to Goat Rocks for years, with a focus on the Goat Lake side. This mid-September trip had a short 4.5 mile hike up the Goat Ridge trail to camp in upper Jordan Basin for two nights. The first day had great sunny weather, and then lots of clouds moved in for days 2 and 3.
Views start to open up about three miles in
Western pasque flower is always very common up here
Camp will be in the valley that the trail is approaching
The bare spot in the middle is a dried pond and my tent is blue and just to the left of it
A little closer view of it - a very dramatic location. I arrived at 12:15 and was the first to set up camp in the area
The goal that afternoon was to hike to Hawkeye Point (over 7400 feet), above Goat Lake. This view of Goat Rocks was on the way
And in the other direction was Mt. Rainier
The switchbacks of the final climb. It was about 1200 feet above camp and 1.5 miles away, a steep hike
Looking down at Goat Lake and across at Goat Rocks
Another view of Rainier, and of things to come (the clouds)
Dusk sunlight on more western pasque flower seed heads
In the morning thick clouds had moved in, but the forecast was for partial clearing, so I as hiking to the PCT
Goat Lake under the clouds
On the PCT and Goat Rocks from a different angle
My highest spot for the day, the PCT heading over 7000 feet
And a marmot in the field
On the way back. Goat Lake is in that depression on the right, the trail then continues left over the pass at the far left, and my camp is just past and below that
The valley below Goat Lake - there is no trail down there
That's Hawkeye Point overlooking Goat Lake, over a thousand feet above
Looking back at Goat Rocks as clouds move in - Snowgrass Flats is on the far right
Back to camp - others had moved in - by evening it would be a solid fog bank
In the morning the valley was clear up high, with the fog bank just below camp, and Mt Adams also Above the Clouds
