Rainy Pass to Stevens Pass, 1979, page 11

Suiattle River bridge

Okay ... now back to today. This morning at breakfast I again got out my map and checked out the two routes to Mica Lake. The first follows the Pacific Crest Trail; it reportedly ascends 59 switchbacks up over Vista Ridge. That doesn't include uncounted others on smaller ridges.

The second route would be up the old Cascade Crest Trail. That consists of 15-miles down the Suiattle River trail and then a long climb back up to Fire Creek Pass via the Milk Creek trail. It seemed logical to me to only have to gain that elevation once rather than to have to go up and down over the new section of the PCT. Besides, I can camp at a lower elevation and hopefully stay warmer.

Miners Ridge fire lookout in distance

This seemed like a dandy solution to me so I planned to set off at about 9:30 AM. First, however, I went up to the fire lookout situated on Miners Ridge where the nice woman manning the station let me go up and take photos. Then I headed back, strapped on my pack, and headed down, down … down.

I’d read that there was a shelter at the end of the Suiattle trail, so I thought I’d exert a blazing three mile-per-hour pace and try to get to it before anyone else showed up. However, I got down to the Mill Creek trailhead before the shelter. As they say, ‘best laid plans…’

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