
Trip Report
Day Hike - Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail
Beautiful sunny, dry, windless conditions for a New Year's Eve trip for a group of nine. Our route took us to Whittaker Peak, Shy Bear Pass, and Doughty Falls where we admired the new trail construction, stairs, railing, and bridge.
- Tue, Dec 31, 2024
- Day Hike - Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail
- Cougar Mountain: Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trailhead
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The trail has mud in a few places but given all the recent rain, the trail is in far better condition than I expected. I give King County an A for trail maintenance, as only a few places remain where the tread is dicey. The new construction (bridge, stairs, railing) near Doughty Falls is awesome.
The parking lot for Whittaker Wilderness is fairly small; carpooling is highly recommended. Unfortunately, my group came from all areas of the PNW. Fortunately, when we arrived between 7:30-7:45, we were among the first to arrive. By the time we left around noon, cars were lining the street at the bottom of the parking lot. A portapotty is available. No permits are needed.
We saw/heard 14 bird species including a pileated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, brown creeper, and northern flicker. Total trip time 8:10-12:10, 7.6 miles / 1700' gain.There was another group of 6 arriving at Doughty Falls as we were leaving, and another unofficial Mountaineers group (Tacoma folks and a dog) just starting their trip. We probably saw 25-30 people -- enjoying the lovely break in the rain.
Everyone was so happy to get out in the sunshine, to not have a drop of rain or wind, and to enjoy the beautiful wilderness. After having to cancel my previous 2 Mountaineers trips due to inclement weather, it was an absolute delight to have this trip succeed. I couldn't have asked for a better group of participants. Happy New Year!