When it comes to hiking destinations, lakes or peaks, I usually prefer peaks. I like scrambling, or climbing to their summits for the opportunity to view the surrounding alpine architecture and the valleys below. I think of the vaunted halls of the mountain kings. Pure drama from the summits!
For
others, the magnetic destinations are the alpine lakes. Many are not notable, and I do not understand the attraction. However, some stand out, and a few are truly breathtaking and iconic. While I have not seen all that
populate the North Cascades or the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, I have hiked to
many of the icons.
Icons.
What attributes help a place attain iconic status? There is no chart of defining
characteristics to which one may refer. It is a personal thing based on my
aesthetic judgement. And, it would be so for any other wilderness explorer. So,
what is on my list? And why?
Most of them are remote and require a rigorous hike to access them. Despite that, they are quite well-known and popular. They sit nestled beneath or near iconic peaks, which beckon you to stop and absorb the views. They all exhibit a certain je ne sais quoi, a captivating and elusive character that separates them from the rest. You will recognize it when you get there. If you want to savor the places with some degree of solitude, you should arrive at the trailhead early and mid-week
Here are my current top five. Would they be the top five for anyone else? Probably not, but many would. Why do they fascinate me and make me yearn to return?
Lake Ingalls tops my list for many reasons. Not the least of which is that we once camped there before climbing the North Ridge of Mount Stuart in 1974. That was before camping at the lake was outlawed. Accessible from a trailhead in the Teanaway, the lake resides in a rocky bowl beneath Ingalls Peak. The lake is not visible on the approach from Ingalls Pass or Headlight Basin. It only reveals itself after a rocky scramble to the basin above the access trail. Once there, clear skies permitting, you will savor the heart-stopping view across its sapphire waters to a magnificent granite monolith, the south face of Mount Stuart. I have visited on several occasions and have never been disappointed.
Lake Serene has a similar history, as I first passed it on our approach to access our climbing route on the North Face of the North Peak of Mount Index. The three peaks of Mount Index jut abruptly skyward from the west side of the lake. A spacious granite apron, named “lunch rock” sits on the north side of the lake, providing a popular scenic destination for a well-earned snack break. While the hike stats suggest the effort will be moderate, the numbers deceive as most of the elevation gain occurs in the last half of the hike and is quite rigorous. Before the improved trail was established, the approach to the lake was not much better than a steep bushwhack. Now, with three hundred or so wood cribbed steps, the ascent is far less daunting. Still a workout, but without the brushy slide alder.
Colchuck Lake sits beneath the massive North Face of Dragontail Peak in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The peak is framed by both Enchantment and Colchuck Peaks. The first time I ever saw it was on the approach to our climb of the North Face of Dragontail Peak. I have revisited the lake many times since and find the views always jaw-dropping, the scale of the alpine environment simply raw and massive. It is insanely popular these days as Colchuck Lake affords access to Aasgard Pass, a gateway to the Enchantment Lakes. Those lucky enough to score a permit may camp at the lake before ascending the pass. Others simply must be content to visit the lake on a day hike or fit enough to traverse through the Enchantments on one long day. Colchuck is arguably the most popular lake in Washington State (probably more so than Snow Lake) and is a selfie magnet for those who post on the Washington Hikers and Climbers Facebook page. Unless you can go after peak season, mid-week, and early, it is probably best to hike elsewhere.
Blue Lake is a stunningly beautiful destination accessible by a long drive from the Seattle area to the North Cascades and a short hike from the trailhead. It is most radiant in the fall when the larch needles change their color into that mesmerizing and ephemeral gold. Because of its proximity to the insanely popular Maple Pass Loop and Cutthroat Pass larch hikes, you need to arrive mid-week before the sun rises. Or, be prepared to park far down the road from the trailhead and put up with legions of other hikers. Nonetheless, it features breathtaking views of Liberty Bell and Early Winters Spires across its deep blue waters.
Tank
Lakes reside in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, nearly twelve miles
and four thousand feet up the Necklace Valley Trail that follows the East Fork
of the Foss River drainage. The final thrust to the small lakes is steep,
rocky, and exposed to the sun, brutal on a hot day. Back in the day, we hiked to the lakes in one long day, thrashed by the time we arrived. The lakes
reside in small bowls that punctuate a remote, otherworldly granite landscape. These
lakes warrant inclusion due to the dramatic view south to the sharp rock towers
of Little Big Chief, Middle Chief, Summit Chief, Chimney Rock, and Overcoat
Peak, a fierce granite palisade that dominates the southern skyline. In my opinion, one of the most spectacular views in Washington's Cascades.
I could continue and add five more to make a top ten list, and I may do that. But for now, these five amazing lakes will do. I have created spherical panoramic photographs at the first four. Click the links to open the images. For the most immersive viewing, open to full screen and scroll around and up, and down.
Mt.
Stuart from Ingalls Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA State
https://www.360cities.net/image/mt-stuart-from-ingalls-lake-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa-state
Lake
Serene, Lunch Rock, Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, WA
www.360cities.net/image/lake-serene-lunch-rock-mt-baker-snoqualmie-national-forest-wa
Hiker’s
Vista, Colchuck Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA
https://www.360cities.net/image/hiker-s-vista-colchuck-lake-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa
Blue
Lake, Overlook Vista, Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest, WA State
https://www.360cities.net/image/blue-lake-overlook-vista-okanogan-wenatchee-national-forest-wa-state
