A Lafayette Afternoon

[Becca M]

Lafayette via Greenleaf Trail, 3-24-2012

Started off the day with cheap end-of-season ski tix for Cannon. Mid-day I left the crowds and headed to the tramway parking lot. I wasn’t really sure what I’d encounter for snow on the Greenleaf Trail, but, I was hopeful I would get home for dinner if I could move quickly. Snow coverage started in the outlook near Eagle Cliff. The monorail was difficult to assess: put on the snowshoes or wait… EH, just put ‘em on! It was a little icy and rocky for snowshoes at times, but, for the 500+ vertical feet below the hut, it was pretty efficient moving in the snowshoes. Saw only a couple of people below the hut and then the crowds appeared between the hut and the summit. It was a really great day!!!


The rocky shoulder of Eagle Cliff (on the way up):

Landslide evidence south of the outlook (across from Eagle Cliff):

Snow monorail above the outlook near Eagle Cliff:

View from the top:

Actual people on the summit. It was a little brisk for shirtless, but, one guy was!!!

View towards Washington – so little snow for this time of year!!! Ordinarily there would be crowds skiing there. This year they would be too late!!

A look over to Cannon – pretty dramatic from this side of the highway!

And looking back to the ski trails from the morning – the 2 right trails had decent coverage but, it was unnerving looking down into Echo Lake from the top of the slopes.

It was definitely a shorts day – nice matching souvenirs of mid-ski-season ice – OUCH! Kind of looks like a yin/yang design.

Back down, one final look through the Eagle Cliff outlook towards the west:

 

[grouseking]

Don't worry, I bet the mountains get more snow in the coming weeks! We may be mourning winter in the lower elevations, but the whites will get their chances! I have faith, haha.

Nice trip report. I've been wanting to hike Greenleaf Trail for a long time. Looks like a great way thanks to the Eagle Cliffs!

 

[DMOutdoors]

Very nice! I hiked Cannon on Saturday as you were probably skiing it, and we were looking over at Lafayette and the ridge with our binoculars. That is a nice shot of Cannon. It's almost like your hovering over it, and those cliffs definitely make Greenleaf a must-do for Lafayette next time.

 

[Becca M]

Don't worry, I bet the mountains get more snow in the coming weeks! We may be mourning winter in the lower elevations, but the whites will get their chances! I have faith, haha.

Nice trip report. I've been wanting to hike Greenleaf Trail for a long time. Looks like a great way thanks to the Eagle Cliffs!

Thanks!!!! I'm just whining about lack of snow. I didn't miss the shoveling, tho!!! It'll feel wintry for a while, tho, I hope!!! The cliffs are cool - the top of Eagle Cliff is amazing!!! (I didn't hit it this time, tho).

 

[Becca M]

Very nice! I hiked Cannon on Saturday as you were probably skiing it, and we were looking over at Lafayette and the ridge with our binoculars. That is a nice shot of Cannon. It's almost like your hovering over it, and those cliffs definitely make Greenleaf a must-do for Lafayette next time.

Thanks!!! I was thinking about hiking up Cannon instead-- what a great day for views!!!! I definitely recommend Greenleaf Trail, but, it doesn't allow for the loop, which is the downside!!!!

 

[DougPaul]

Thanks!!! I was thinking about hiking up Cannon instead-- what a great day for views!!!! I definitely recommend Greenleaf Trail, but, it doesn't allow for the loop, which is the downside!!!!

Sure it does...

Choose any other trail between Rte 93/3 and the ridge and close the loop by walking on the bike path. (I went up Skookumchuck and down Greenleaf. The walk along the bikepath between the two trailheads was nice too...)

Doug

 

[Becca M]

Sure it does...

Choose any other trail between Rte 93/3 and the ridge and close the loop by walking on the bike path. (I went up Skookumchuck and down Greenleaf. The walk along the bikepath between the two trailheads was nice too...)

Doug

ooooh, I mean the "classic" (non carspot or bikespot) loop along the ridgewalk which involves going over Lincoln, Little Haystack and greeting the hundreds of people on a nice day up there!!!

(I've done both carspot and bikespot from there and the bikespot is not as fun avoiding running over all the people on the bike path wandering around looking for picnic tables!!!)

 

[ksearl]

Hi Becca,

Wonderful pics and report! I've never been on the Greenleaf below the hut, but looks great. Love finding evidence of landslides like you did! Sorry about the bruises...they look annoying

Karl

 

[DougPaul]

ooooh, I mean the "classic" (non carspot or bikespot) loop along the ridgewalk which involves going over Lincoln, Little Haystack and greeting the hundreds of people on a nice day up there!!!

You didn't specify...

Besides, mine was "classic" too--I walked from the Greenleaf TH to the Skookumchuck TH. I met my hundreds of people on Lafayette and at the hut.

If you prefer you can go up Greenleaf and down Flume or Liberty Spring and walk back on the bike path, but the section of the bike path on my loop would be less crowded.

I have also walked from Lafayette Place to the Flume parking lot, but it was very dark... (Up Osseo, down OBP to car spot at Flume.)

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Wonderful pics and report! I've never been on the Greenleaf below the hut, but looks great.

Greenleaf Tr is well worth a hike... My only complaint is the traverse paralleling Rte 93 as a result of the trailhead being moved. (The rest is very nice.)

Doug

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

... My only complaint is the traverse paralleling Rte 93 as a result of the trailhead being moved.

You can avoid that annoying segment by "bushwhacking" (a few hundred feet ) to the trail from the Old Man viewing lot: Mount Lafayette, June 4, 2010.