Dense forest drapes the lower trail, keeping hikers cool on the hottest August afternoons. At trail's end, a deep lake waits to kill off the last of the summer heat--for those brave enough to dive into its icy waters. Between the thick second-growth forest stands and the high alpine lake, the trail rolls along Humpback Creek, offering tantalizing views now and again of pretty waterfalls along the tumbling creek.

The trail begins alongside the Asahel Curtis Nature Trail but continues to climb to the right when the gentle Asahel Curtis Loop goes left. You'll follow an ancient old logging road (mostly reclaimed by the fertile forest).

At about 1 mile out, you'll pass under a high-tension powerline and 0.25 mile later will cross the wide track of the Iron Horse Trail (the old railroad right-of-way). From this point, the trail gets serious. Serious about scenery, and serious about climbing.

The path switchbacks up the Humpback Creek valley for more than 1.5 miles until the last steep pitch puts you at about 3600 feet elevation. For the next mile, you'll traverse the slope above Humpback Creek, with occasional views across the valley to Humpback Mountain. The trail ends at the shores of Annette Lake, which lies in the cirque between Humpback Mountain, Abiel Peak, and Silver Peak.