Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake - Central Cascades

Hiked: June 12, 2021

I will begin with the first major obstacle: the dirt road to the trailhead. As many of the trip reports have stated, the road is filled with pot holes and some of them are truly water-filled craters. We were driving a Honda Element and had no issues (just some minor whiplash), but lower clearance vehicles looked like they were struggling a bit. Just take it slow and be courteous to other cars navigating the space around you. We arrived at the trailhead around 9:30am and snagged a parking spot right next to the trail as someone was leaving. The lot was very full though, with people parking all along the dirt road.

The trail itself up to the ridge/saddle had no obstacles and was in very good condition. Flowers and young blueberries were starting to bloom as we climbed higher, and the views were spectacular. Mt. Rainier showed herself as we were coming back from Mason Lake.

Once you pass over the saddle to hike down to Mason Lake, snow covers many portions of the trail but it is not impassable and you don't need any special gear to get through it. Those who are worried about slipping may consider bringing poles just for extra balance. Snow melt has made sections of the trail quite soggy, so take that into consideration when choosing your footwear. There are also sections with thin snow bridges and slippery, snow-covered logs, so be careful when crossing them.

Mason Lake is still half covered by snow and ice. We found a beautiful, sunny lunch spot and enjoyed the gentle wind and bird songs.

Overall, this trip was a perfect day hike. We want to go further along the trail later in the summer, but with the snow conditions we decided to stop at Mason Lake.