Redwic - Sep 1, 2020 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2020
Great peak, great hike, great views!!!
This was a wonderful peak, and is now only a trail hike with no road walk/ride needed. The last 5+ miles of the access road (Forest Road 2703) was closed for many years and nearly decommissioned completely. But during the past seven years, a group in Darrington fought and paid to open the road, which finally happened this year (2020). Despite grass in the middle of the roadway, most street legal vehicles, except for ultra-low clearance, should be able to reach the trailhead. However, at least four notable small seasonal streams cross the road, and the largest such stream crosses the road at three different locations. My recommendation is to go sooner than later.
Also, the TH is easily found at the point shown on topo maps, about 0.2 miles prior to the end of the road. The first 1-2 minutes is steep until the old trail junction, and then take a left turn and the rest of the trail is straightforward to follow. Great hike and very scenic. Highly recommended. It is easy to see why the former lookout site on this peak was proposed as the best location to move Green Mountain Lookout, if it had not be allowed back into its own Wilderness location (but it was).
tcingrum - Oct 5, 2013 11:04 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2013
Circle
Circle sits nicely in the midst of some great scenery
kevinsa - Oct 4, 2013 11:40 pm Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2013
Circle Peak
Road 2703 was open all the way to the end. A nice hike, with a fair amount of fresh snow from 5000' and up. Went up Rat Trap Mountain afterwards for a quick 2fer.
gimpilator - Oct 16, 2010 10:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2010
up with Magellan
The road has been closed now for many years. Magellan and I rode bicycles the 4.5 miles to the trailhead. What a nice hike!
jkuresman - Oct 29, 2009 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2007
New Trail
Kim and I were the first two people on the new trail. It was finished just the day before our trip. Nice trail from Crystal Lake most of the way to the peak. Some rebuilding of the old trail is still needed. The Boundary Bridge is finally repaired as of October 2009. Hopefully one can drive to the old Crystal Creek Road and miss more than half a dozen road miles we walked.
Curtissimo - Dec 20, 2008 4:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 23, 1999
Redwic - Sep 1, 2020 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2020
Great peak, great hike, great views!!!This was a wonderful peak, and is now only a trail hike with no road walk/ride needed. The last 5+ miles of the access road (Forest Road 2703) was closed for many years and nearly decommissioned completely. But during the past seven years, a group in Darrington fought and paid to open the road, which finally happened this year (2020). Despite grass in the middle of the roadway, most street legal vehicles, except for ultra-low clearance, should be able to reach the trailhead. However, at least four notable small seasonal streams cross the road, and the largest such stream crosses the road at three different locations. My recommendation is to go sooner than later.
Also, the TH is easily found at the point shown on topo maps, about 0.2 miles prior to the end of the road. The first 1-2 minutes is steep until the old trail junction, and then take a left turn and the rest of the trail is straightforward to follow. Great hike and very scenic. Highly recommended. It is easy to see why the former lookout site on this peak was proposed as the best location to move Green Mountain Lookout, if it had not be allowed back into its own Wilderness location (but it was).
tcingrum - Oct 5, 2013 11:04 pm Date Climbed: Oct 5, 2013
CircleCircle sits nicely in the midst of some great scenery
kevinsa - Oct 4, 2013 11:40 pm Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2013
Circle PeakRoad 2703 was open all the way to the end. A nice hike, with a fair amount of fresh snow from 5000' and up. Went up Rat Trap Mountain afterwards for a quick 2fer.
gimpilator - Oct 16, 2010 10:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 16, 2010
up with MagellanThe road has been closed now for many years. Magellan and I rode bicycles the 4.5 miles to the trailhead. What a nice hike!
jkuresman - Oct 29, 2009 10:25 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2007
New TrailKim and I were the first two people on the new trail. It was finished just the day before our trip. Nice trail from Crystal Lake most of the way to the peak. Some rebuilding of the old trail is still needed. The Boundary Bridge is finally repaired as of October 2009. Hopefully one can drive to the old Crystal Creek Road and miss more than half a dozen road miles we walked.
Curtissimo - Dec 20, 2008 4:24 pm Date Climbed: Oct 23, 1999
up with Magellangood times with my good buddy!