Aug 25th. StartTime: 9:30 am. Distance ~4.5 miles. Descent 500 to Trinity, Climb 700 to Trailhead.
We got up fairly early this morning since we hoped to hike out and get back to Seattle in time to bring the truck in for repairs. The local crop of huckleberries added a nice touch to the usual oatmeal breakfast. We broke camp in time to avoid most of the flies, and quickly made our way to Trinity and the Phelps Creek campsite. Here we ditched our packs and hiked the long gravel road back to the trailhead where we parked.
Along the Buck Creek Trail with less than a mile to go.
This last 2-3 mile leg seemed to take forever, but the 700 ft climb was over before too long and we were left with one last task – getting the truck started and making our way back to the city without a clutch. This proved easier than I thought once I figured out that I could start the truck in 1st. With this realization, I could gas up, get coffee and drive through Monroe as well as Bothell, Kenmore and Lake City without worrying about stalling and not getting started again.
All in all, the last minute change of plans brought us into a new corner of the Cascade Wilderness and I think both of us agreed that this turned out to be a great trip. Each day brought something new, and the views from Spider Gap, Cloudy Pass and Liberty Cap are among my all time favorites (perhaps until the next hike 
). I would recommend this loop trip to anyone, though I would suggest that you should be in decent shape before you embark.
One last word: Thanks to my great hiking partner Ken, who has managed to put up with me for seven straight years as we’ve now hiked the Washington Coast, completed the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, hiked two sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, followed the Chilkoot Trail, canoed the Bowron Lakes and now finished the Spider Meadows – Buck Creek Loop. Time to start planning for 2012!
End of the trail at the Buck Creek Trailhead. Just a few miles of road to hike to close the loop.
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The way you write and your obvious love for hiking makes a non-hiker like me actually wish to take it up! Scarey thought!
The beauty of God’s creation simply takes your breath away, doesn’t it? And it is so easy, even in the city, to find this beauty close by.