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Join Whitman alumni from around Puget Sound
for a beautiful hike in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Early risers meet for breakfast with John Zilly, '85, at the Timberline Cafe in Granite Falls at 7:30 a.m. At 9:00, meet at the Verlot Ranger Station and carpool to the trailheads. Choose between the 6-mile Mt. Pilchuck and the 4-mile Heather Lake hikes. Our breakfast conversation leader and guide on the Mt. Pilchuck hike is John Zilly, '85, author of 10 mountain biking and hiking guidebooks including Kissing the Trail: Greater Seattle Mountain Bike Adventures. John grew up hiking in the Washington Cascades and Olympics. Over the past 16 years, he has written about, mapped, and photographed more than 500 trails in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. An Alumni Association representative will join the group hiking to Heather Lake. (A $5.00 Forest Pass will be required for any vehicle parked at a trailhead, available for purchase at the Verlot Ranger Station.)

Mount Pilchuck 6-mile out and back Low point: 3,120 ft., high point: 5,320 ft., cumulative gain: 2,400 ft. 3 to 5 hours, day hike 57 miles from Seattle Mid-July through mid-October Green Trails: Granite Falls 109 NW Forest Pass, dogs on leash, day use only Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Darrington District (Verlot), 360-691-7791, www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/. The hike up Mount Pilchuck is quite popular, and for good reason. Though steep in places and somewhat rocky, it’s a relatively short hike, and the views from the old fire lookout at the summit are simply incredible. The hike begins in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and since they manage most aspects of this trail, a NW Forest Pass is required. However, most of the trail is actually in Mount Pilchuck State Park (800-233-0321). If you bring kids under 9, you may have to carry them part of the way up.

Heather Lake 4-mile out and back Low point: 1,400 ft., high point: 2,500 ft., cumulative gain: 1,300 ft. 2 to 3 hours, day hike 52 miles from Seattle Mid-June through October Green Trails: Granite Falls 109 NW Forest Pass, dogs on leash Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Darrington District (Verlot), 360-691-7791, www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/. Heather Lake sits in a basin surrounded by steep rock that reaches up toward Mount Pilchuck. In early summer, waterfalls cascade down the cliffs across the lake. The snow clears from this beautiful, short trail before most other hikes found off the Mountain Loop Highway. Though popular and well maintained, this trail has some sections that are steep, rocky, and root-strewn. A number of nice picnic spots frame the lake, as well as a few choice campsites.

Space is limited, so sign up today!

No dogs, please. The forest service counts each dog as a hiker, so we ask that you please leave your pets at home in order to leave space for more alumni, friends and family.
Thank you for your consideration.

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Number attending	7:30 Breakfast at the Timberline Café (no-host)
Number attending	9:00 Mt. Pilchuck Hike (meeting at Verlot Ranger Station)
Number attending	9:00 Heather Lake Hike (meeting at Verlot Ranger Station)
Driving Directions	From Everett, go east on US Highway 2, then east on State Highway 204, then north on State Hwy 9, and finally east on State Hwy 92 to Granite Falls, where State Hwy 92 becomes Stanley Street. Pass through Granite Falls (breakfast at the Timberline Café, 116 E. Stanley, begins here at 7:30am), then turn left on Mountain Loop Highway toward Monte Cristo. Zero out your odometer here. At 11.0 miles, find the Verlot Ranger Station on the left. (We’ll meet here at 9am to coordinate carpools.) To get to the trailheads, continue up the Mountain Loop Highway. At 12.0 miles (from the turn in Granite Falls, so only one mile past the ranger station), just after a bridge, turn right on Forest Road 42 toward Mount Pilchuck. This is a dirt road. At 13.4 miles, the Heather Lake Trailhead is on the left. At 19.2 miles, reach the Mount Pilchuck Trailhead. Parking is on the shoulder.