Last year, a group of us went out to the Enchantments to get away from all the crowds, heat, and fireworks.  We wanted to continue celebrating the holiday with the tradition of adventure.  Goat Rocks Wilderness has been on my to-do list for quite sometime, as I continually hear about it's beauty and grandeur.  Add lack of permit requirements and it's equi-distance between Portland and Seattle made it an irresistible destination.  My good friend Tia picked out the route: a shuttled loop starting at the Lily Basin trailhead, hiking through Lily Basin, down to Snowgrass Flats, on the Knife Blade section of the Pacific Crest Trail, and back out to the Packwood Trailhead.  After work on Thursday, Kevin and Tia met me in the town of Packwood and we headed out to the trailhead.