The trail goes up for the first mile or so, in the woods. Then the slope eased, until the pond at one end of the racetrack. The trail goes around its north and east side, without cutting through the long meadow. Quite nice here.
The trail goes south and disappeared soon after. A trail junction sign east of the trail, which you have to tread on the grass to get to. Here we picked up the Red Mountain trail, and goes into the woods up. The slope is gentle at first and then gets quite steep towards this baldy slope. Good view of Mt. Adams. 
The trail emerges from the trees onto a rough road. Followed the road for 10 minutes to the increasingly red butte. Some ugly looking structures, solar panels, antennas. A real lookout (locked), which is supposed to be manned in summer. View is quite nice, albeit the thick low clouds. Mt. Adams was now half covered, no St. Helens, nor Hood. A group of 20 something sat on the rocks at the foot of the lookout. We had lunch here.
Once back at the junction at the racetrack, we headed north (right) towards PCT. In less than half a mile, we turn south on PCT, until Green Lake. It's a small and shallow pond, not really worth a visit. But at this cool temperature, without any pending long miles to go, this is a good extra. I found a single tent site with established fire ring on its west slope.
On the drive back, we stopped at Panther Creek Falls, since the rain hadn't dropped yet. Barbara and I scrambled down to the creek. Avinash is more prudent, didn't follow our suite.At Carson, Barbara wanted to stop for drink/food, which I vetoed. Well, it's my hike. I like getting back early. Some accident on 84 between Gateway and Hollywood. Then the rain started. Back at home at 6.
