Length: 10.2 Miles round trip
Elevation Change: 1800' Elevation gain/loss
Season: Summer thru Fall
Difficulty: Challenging
Permit: NW Forest Pass Required
Features:
This delightful hike up Stagman Ridge brings a large variety
of floral displays in season, and a large variety of vistas.
The trail begins at a parking area developed at the end of
an old logging road. The trail follows the old road for
about a quarter mile before entering the Mt Adams
Wilderness Area.
This hike never gets very steep if you take it clock-wise.
You will hike over one ridge, drop a bit to a small valley,
then climb back toward Mt Adams. At about 2.5 miles you
break out into an open meadow with a spectacular view
of the mountain. A short distance later, you will
come to an intersection of the trail that takes you
to the PCT. You will return to this intersection when
you complete the loop after visiting Looking Glass Lake.
The trail climbs for the next mile until it meets
the PCT #2000. At that point you follow the PCT
toward Mt Adams until it intersects Trail #9. Trail #9
was originally created to be the Around the Mountain Trail
for Mt Adams, but since the boundaries have changed,
and because of Mother Nature, it is difficult to try
to encircle the mountain.
Anyway, at this point bear to the right and follow
Trail #9 south and east until you come to the
intersection of Trail #9-A. Follow Trail #9A
downhill to Looking Glass Lake. The trail
crosses a couple of streams that can be a
challenge during heavy run-off.
Just before you reach Looking Glass Lake,
you will pass an intersection of the trail
that will take you back to Trail #12 on
Stagman Ridge. You will need to return
to this point after visiting the lake.
Looking Glass Lake is a beautiful little
lake nestled against the southwest side
of Mt Adams. Trees surround most of the
lake, but Mt Adams is visible from the
southwest side of the lake. When you
are ready, climb back to the intersection
that you passed earlier on the way to the
lake.
Upon reaching that intersection, bear left
and follow the trail across a couple of
streams back to Trail #12, which you will
follow back to the trail head where you
began.
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