Alpine Washington

I’ve been itching to get up to Green Ridge since I first saw it on the topo maps last fall. This little-known area north of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River is not easy to get to, but it’s the gateway to over 10 alpine lakes, not to mention the high summits of Mount Garfield, Treen Peak, and Galleon Mountain. The trail is a rough mining and fishing path that is infamous for its steepness, in one stretch climbing 2000’ in about 0.8 miles. This rivals such well-known steep ascents like Aasgard Pass, which rises 2100’ over the same distance, or Putrid Pete’s Peak, which has a stretch of 1000’ in just 0.3 miles! Fortunately, I successfully hiked PPP a week ago with no ill effects, so I think I’m ready for this one. I navigate the 4.6 miles of bone-rattling potholes on Forest Service road 5620, also known as the Dingford Creek Road, and park in a pullout just past the trailhead. Not that there is a trailhead, per se - just a path that leads straight into ...

Another recent trip report, another alpine lake hiking plan! I saw a few days ago that two parties have made it to Malachite Lake on the north side of the Alpine Lakes wilderness. Reaching Malachite sounds pretty sketchy, but since I've never been to this area, I figure it's worth a shot. What's more, even if I don't make it to Malachite Lake or nearby Copper Lake, I will definitely reach Trout Lake, since it's at about 2000' and completely melted out already. All of these lakes are on a trail called the West Fork Foss Lakes Trail, which is reached just past the town of Skykomish on US Highway 2. The weather forecast is calling for a mix of rain and sun today; ever the optimist, I hope the sun makes a good showing in the afternoon so I can have some views. The drive up to the trailhead is pretty, though with with the clouds and a bit of rain, I can't see much scenery. I drive past the Tonga Ridge Road, where I hiked with Jea...

My success at reaching Snoqualmie Lake last week has encouraged me to try for some of the other alpine lakes that are slowly, but surely, thawing out. While Rainy Lake is about 650' higher than Snoqualmie Lake, I figure that maybe the third time's the charm. On my first attempt last December , I made it to about 3400' before turning around due to deep snow and lack of time. On my second attempt at the end of March, the snow was far deeper and I didn't even reach 2200' before calling it a day. However, recent trip reports indicate the snow is gone through the tricky rockslide parts near 2200', and based on my other recent hikes, I suspect the snow closer to the lake should be pretty easy to traverse. I start out at Middle Fork Trailhead, which is becoming a regular haunt! I'm not really expecting to see anyone on this trip, as the Rainy Lake Trail is almost always deserted, and it's a weekday to boot. The forest is waking up from its long winter sl...

I've been itching to get back to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness again - the last ALW lake I've been to was Marten Lake in January. Unfortunately, the huge snowpack this year means most wilderness trails are still buried in many feet of snow. However, this week I noticed a couple of trip reports for Snoqualmie Lake, which is about eight miles up the Taylor River, beyond Otter Falls and Big Creek Falls. I haven't prepared yet for an overnight hike, and am a bit hesitant to hike 16 miles in one day. The Snoqualmie Lake Trail provides another option, though - one can bike the first six miles of the trail, from which point it's only about two miles further to Snoqualmie Lake. I pump up the tires on my trusty commuter bike the night before, and toss it in the back of my Forester for the journey. Having just hiked Otter Falls a few days earlier on Mother's Day, I'm familiar with the conditions on the trail. It's a beautiful sunny spring day and I'll ...