Cast Creek trail is boring. Trees are thin. No view for the first 5.5 miles. It took us some time to find the trailhead beyond a decommissioned road by the Riley Horse Camp (2050'), saw two cascade lily in the process. The trail is in good shape. Many long zigzags, and it's not always going up. The first good view is shortly before the junction of Zigzag trail (5.7, 4550). Rhododendrons and view of Hood, Adams, Rainier, St Helen. More flowers cling to the cliff below. I sat here and read a Moon guidebook, waiting for my companions, almost fell asleep.
At the junction head right, and downhill to Cast Lake, about half a mile and ~200' down. Some avalanche lilies and a bit mud. The lake is foresty when you reach it, hard to take a photo. All of us and 2 other guys huddled in a small water access point. Upon hearing that there's a use trail to "the island", I decided to check it out. It's not an island, a small and semi-swampy stretch connects it to the lake shore. I found a site fit for 2-3 tents in the middle. Not a lot of room. Very overgrown. It does have a nice waterfront access facing my companions. They are in the water! So I decided to get into the lake too. Since I have a "private" shallow water access by the swampy connection, it's easy to strip. I didn't see any fish, like my companions did in the deeper side of the water.
Back up at the junction, one lady decided to turn back. The rest of us continued up along Zigzag trail to East Zigzag Mt (just shy of 5000'). It's short, maybe only 1/2 mile. 
Before the flat top, there's a ridge, which I like the most during this hike. Tons of summer flowers (mariposa lily too), Mt Hood dead front (east), St Helen, Rainier, Adams to the left (north) and Jefferson to the right. Then you hit a sizable campsite. There into and up the trees is the top, with many rocks to sit on. But the views are obstructed by the trees. Continue a bit further is the trail to Burn Lake. A nice ridge full of flowers, and 2 hikers.Nothing to report on the way down. I had to wait for them again for over half an hour at the trailhead. Got 2 mosquito bites while waiting. Total we encountered 2 runners, 4 hikers, and many fresh horse droppings in low elevation. My phone registered almost 40K steps.
Only an hour drive to Gateway. However, it took me a long time to get home. Trimet problem: no power in downtown, but most buildings had power. There were shuttle buses to ferry people from Rose Quarter stop to Providence Park.
