Sun Top Lookout

On a mission to get in hopefully a few more snowshoe day trips, along with the desire to finish what I could not last December in deep, fresh snow, I arrived at the Suntop SnoPark just after 7 AM on Sunday. The lot was bare- of snow and cars, the porta potty is gone, too.

By 7:30, pack loaded with snowshoes and microspikes I was on my way up the road, hoping to beat the predicted incoming snow that afternoon. The morning was warm and bright, the sun peaking through the thin stratus for a while.

The road remained bare until about 3400 ft, but the snow was not consistent enough until 3700 ft for snowshoes. Because it was hovering at low 30 degrees-ish, the snow was crusty but just soft enough to make snowshoes desirable.

When I arrived at the top gate, where the boot trail heads straight up to the summit, the sky was darkening and beginning to snow.

I opted to swap the snowshoes for microspikes and poles, heading into the woods along the boot path. The lower section, under tree cover was icy, but approaching and above the tree line the snow was in excellent condition for fast travel.

I was on the summit 11:30 AM, just as the snow was truly beginning to blow. I snapped a couple of quick photos and headed back down the way I went up.

Arriving back at the parking lot at 12:50 PM, I marveled that on such a decent Pacific Northwest Day (no rain gear donned!) I had the entire route to myself. Well, I did share the road with an owl and a couple of elk.