Mount Pilchuck
Intermittent snow and ice
12 this month · 164 reports
North Cascades
The road to Boardman Lake is currently in good condition, with most reports from September indicating it's suitable for all vehicles, though October 25 notes high clearance is recommended past the Boardman-Pinnacle junction and mentions potholes. The trail itself is generally clear of major blowdowns, with September 16 confirming logs have been cleared, though some roots are present. Water crossings are not an issue, and there have been no reports of snow. Parking at the trailhead is limited and was about half full in mid-August.
Generated from 23 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 2 weeks ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
As of October 25, the road is fine from the highway to Boardman with small, avoidable potholes, but it gets significantly worse before the Pinnacle Lake trailhead, requiring high clearance. Earlier reports from September, such as September 11, described the road as being in excellent shape and suitable for all vehicles.
Reports indicate minor obstacles such as roots and a few blowdowns. However, September 16 states that down logs mentioned in earlier reports have been dealt with. October 25 notes that obstacles pose few problems and are easily managed.
The parking lot is described as small and limited. In mid-August, it was about half full on a Friday afternoon and also half full around 2:30 PM on a sunny afternoon. There are no bathrooms at the trailhead as of October 25.
No bugs were reported by hikers in September 16 and September 11, and only minimal bugs were noted on September 6. However, August 8 mentioned some bugs and also spotted dragonflies and a garter snake. There have been no recent reports regarding wildlife sightings.
Intermittent snow and ice
12 this month · 164 reports
Packed snow above mile 2.5, gear recommended
6 this month · 104 reports
Snow-covered at times, snow likely deep
6 this month · 68 reports
Intermittent snow on trail and boardwalk
5 this month · 197 reports
Fall colors visible on surrounding peaks
5 this month · 41 reports
Snow is arriving in the basin
4 this month · 104 reports
Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
I linked the Boardman Lake and Pinnacle Lake trailheads by taking a forest road walk between the two. Not much to see on the forest road, but it was easier on my feet than it would have been on my car...
We hiked to Boardman Lake this beautiful morning. There was a NFS trail crew at the lake, working on a new trail segment bypassing the old stairway between the logjam and the camping area. They had al...
Due to the rainstorm scheduled to move in Sat afternoon, I pivoted plans and settled for a quick one night of bliss and relaxation.ROAD: In the best shape I’ve ever driven it! WOW! Seriously any ca...
Roots across the trail in several places.
Road and trail are in good condition. Road has some potholes but is in much better shape than I’ve seen in a long time. There’s 2 logs down across the trail… one can be stepped over with care and the ...
The trail was in good condition
Short, easy hike, would be perfect if not for the shooting range in ear shot until you actually reach the lake. The road is unremarkable- well maintained, easy gravel road. Trailhead parking is limite...
Arrived around 2:30 PM on a sunny afternoon, and luckily there was no smoke in the area. The trailhead is about 5 miles down a rough gravel road with potholes, although most are avoidable. It also get...
We measured about 0.7 miles to the lake. Couple of fallen trees you need to step over but not a big deal. Bugs were a bit annoying but mostly small flies with mosquitos mostly sticking to dawn/dusk. T...
Great trail, quiet. Several large blow downs. One required going under, the other two over. Terrain is technical in areas, but not strenuous. Watch your step!