Big Heart LakeRecent Trip Reports
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Multi-night backpack
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Overgrown | Water on trail | Snow on trail | Bugs
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Two-night trip to Big Heart Lake. Trail is mostly snow free past Copper Lake, then a few larger patches on...
Two-night trip to Big Heart Lake. Trail is mostly snow free past Copper Lake, then a few larger patches on the way up the ridge between Little and Big Heart Lakes. One area is a tad tricky, with a choice of rockfall or snow (where a slide would put you into the rocks). Eat your Wheaties - the elevation gain, rough trail, and snow navigation make it a challenging trip in. We were alone at Big Heart the first night. Lake is basically melted out, with a few ice patches left floating around for good effect. Saturday morning three guys arrived from Little Heart - they did a short day hike, turned in early, and left before we woke on Sunday. So we felt we had the place to ourselves all three days.
On Saturday we spent most of the day hiking the ridge between Big Heart and Angeline Lakes then up to Chetwoot Lake. Lots of snow travel here. Huge thanks to the person who left occasional cairns all the way out to Chetwoot. It really adds confidence that you're headed the right direction. Gorgeous views down to Big Heart and Angeline (fully melted), then totally on snow past the south end of Big Heart up the ridge and across to Chetwoot, which is still totally frozen. Chimney Rock and Overcoat Peak played peekaboo for our hike on Saturday, but showed themselves in their full glory on Sunday morning. We traveled with ice axes but didn't need them, as the snow made for solid walking - 2" of corn on a firm bed. Trekking poles were perfect for the conditions. The snow south of Big Heart isn't going anywhere soon I suspect, but the snow on the trail between Little Heart and Big Heart will be melting quickly. Post-holing and snow bridge collapse opportunities will increase, then be gone. Bugs were bad, but more maddening than biting (though they did some of that too). Guys fishing in rafts on Copper said that they didn't get any bites. Quite a few parties at Copper and Little Heart. There are definitely some blowdowns to contend with, but nothing too taxing. We timed our trip just right. I think that the reports of snow and rough trail conditions kept people away. I don't imagine we'll have Big Heart to ourselves on a sunny summer weekend again anytime soon!
West Fork Foss River, West Fork Foss Lakes, Big Heart Lake, Trout Lake
— Sep 12, 2010
— whatheck
Day hike
Features:
Ripe berries
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Mudholes
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We were looking for a long strenuous day hike and the trek out to Big Heart Lake fit the bill!
We...
We were looking for a long strenuous day hike and the trek out to Big Heart Lake fit the bill!
We arrived at the trailhead at 9:00 after a refreshingly smooth drive down Forest Road 68. There were about 5 cars already there, but they all turned out to be from people who were overnighting at the lakes up-trail. Overall, we saw 4 parties who were heading into the mountains for the day. We were moving by 9:15. A sign at the trailhead advised that the bridge over the Foss River was out and that route finding skills would be necessary for the re-route along the river's gravel bar. 'Route finding skills' turned out to be much overstated. There was pink flagging or cairns every 5 feet or so along the entire re-route. The river crossing turned out to be easy - the foot log that used was a wide log with a flat top. About 1 mile from the trailhead, be sure to stop and gaze at the huge tree that the passes right by. We reached Copper Lake by 11:30 and took a quick lunch next to the log jam. We shortly got going, left Copper Lake, hiked past Little Heart Lake, and made it to Big Heart Lake by 1:15. When descending into the Big Heart Lake basin, be sure to keep an eye out for the huge waterfall from nearby Angeline Lake. At Big Heart, we fired up the camp stove and enjoyed some hard-earned hot chocolate! On the way back past Copper Lake, we took a quick detour up to Lake Malachite. (If it's a rainy day, be sure to put on rain gear if you're heading up that way. Otherwise, brushing up against all the overgrown bushes will get you wet in a hurry!) Made it back to the car by 6:00. Overall, it was a long but enjoyable hike - 5 beautiful lakes in 13 miles! Since it was a wet day, the trail was muddy in spots, so be prepared to get a little dirty! Overnight
Features:
Fall foliage | Ripe berries
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Overgrown | Mud/Rockslide | Washouts | Water on trail | Snow on trail | Bugs
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My destination was Big Heart Lake - I planned on staying until Sunday 10/11, but the trail was more strenuous...
My destination was Big Heart Lake - I planned on staying until Sunday 10/11, but the trail was more strenuous (and the tread itself worse) than I expected. I ended up staying one night at Copper Lake and turning back (I was first-time-soloing and didn't think it wise to continue.)
The road was in decent shape, with some potholes, but easily passable with my Explorer. On the way out, I followed a grader, which improved the mostly-dirt road even more. As stated in the Guidebook, the first mile is on a dry riverbed (there are surveyor's markers that lead you alongside (instead of on) the riverbed at times. Throughout the trail, it's quite important to pay attention to cairns and surveyor's tape. (This trail is no longer being maintained.) Once you reach Trout Lake, you're back in a thicket of trees - you might take the opportunity to use the potty before continuing on because it's a long way before you can step off the trail to do so. You will find yourself ducking low trees quite frequently while you hike this overgrown and at times barely-there trail. I had Copper Lake all to myself, as I'd only encountered two guys hiking out (they had spent 2 nights at Copper). The pit toilet is in good shape and the trail along the lake is also in excellent condition. I selected the site closest to the creek, which was a lovely, rock-enclosed site big enough for all my needs. The trees were thinned out enough that I had a wonderful view of the stars and, later in the night, the moon. It was a chilly 30-something degrees but well worth the cold to enjoy having my rain fly rolled back! Out and back, you will have to scale fallen trees and root balls. I would strongly advise bringing trekking poles, because the descent is dicey without them. I have a weak ankle and a bad knee and I'm confident in saying that there's no way that I could have made it safely back to my car without them! A word of warning - the river crossing can be sketchy both ways. I trusted what Mangy Marmot said in his trip report and followed the pink surveyor's tape on the way to Copper Lake. On the way back, I admit my mind wandered and I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been. I followed a side trail just after Trout Lake that led me to the riverbed too soon. I was too far down and couldn't backtrack, so I ended up having to climb up and bushwack through the thorny and dense thicket that borders the trail. Bring a map and a compass. It saved me a lot of panic. (You're quite alone out here and it could be days before someone happens through.) The guys hiking out indicated that the rangers aren't requiring permits and there are none available at the trailhead. I left a note with all my pertinent information beneath the windshield wiper of my car before departing for the lake. They also said that there was snow closer to Big Heart Lake, so that should be a consideration (it's much cooler there as well). If you have any questions before deciding to do this trek, please feel free to contact me!
Trout Lake, West Foss Lake Trail, Big Heart Lake
— Oct 01, 2008
— Janice Van Cleve
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Mudholes
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This trail is almost a Sunday walk in the park - after you get to the Malachite junction. Road...
This trail is almost a Sunday walk in the park - after you get to the Malachite junction. Road 68 and 6835 to the trailhead for the West Foss Lakes trailhead is in very good shape. Most of the potholes have been filled and it is free of ruts and almost all washboards. The first half mile of trail 1064 is a cobbled stream bed but it soon emerges onto a nice trail. At one mile is the crossing of the stream. The bridge is history, but a well marked series of cairns directs you across a convenient log. On the other side the trail is very easy to follow. The river has carved out deep swaths of the side of the avalanche slope. Blowdowns are numerous from the trailhead all the way up to the Malachite bridge. The trail up to the Malachite junction is rocky and brushy and there are a lot of blowdowns. From the Malachite junction to Little Heart Lake is very nice trail, some steps, 3 blowdowns two of which are large. The trail to Big Heart Lake is strenuous but very clear and only 3 blowdowns. All in all this is a good hike and worth the effort. The autumn colors are just coming in and mushrooms abound. Trail time was 2 hours to the Malachite bridge, half hour to Copper Lake, half hour to Little Heart and another hour to Big Heart. The Malachite Lake trail is signed but appears to be heavily overgrown.
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Bridge out | Washouts | Overgrown | Snow on trail
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Goal was Big Heart lake. I stopped at the ranger station and they said it was beautiful and there shouldn’t...
Goal was Big Heart lake. I stopped at the ranger station and they said it was beautiful and there shouldn’t be much snow. They told me to go the WTA web site to get trail information. When I got to the trailhead, there was an ominous indication on the sign board that the trail was not maintained and the bridge is out ½ mile from the trailhead…wish the ranger had told me that! |
Big Heart Lake. Photo by Quantum Guru.
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