Trout Lake via Jack Trout Trailhead, Jack Creek & Jack Ridge — Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015

Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area

The smoke had been bad around the area for a few weeks, thankfully it was clear this weekend, so we stuck around. I had never been to trout lake and the direct approach seemed a bit too short for a day hike, so we took the hard way... Jack Creek, to Jack Ridge trail, up and over to the lake. Jack Creek trail is a great condition, it gets a little less warn after the trout lake trail breaks off. Ran into a couple of high country elk hunters who were packing stuff up to camp. Other then that, didnt see a single soul all day. Where the old bridge used to cross Jack Creek, there is a sign and a faint trail that is the Jack Ridge trail, it has been logged but it has not been brushed... the morning we went through it had rained pretty good, so we were soaked within a few hundred yards. The brush on this trail is tolerable and does give up a bit as you get to higher elevations and picks back up on the way down the Trout Lake side of the ridge. The Wenatchee River Ranger District put some work into this trail earlier in the year logging everything out, so it is free of obstructions and in good shape, just a bit of brush along the trail. Found a few large instances of bear crap on or near the trail as we climbed up to the ridge. Trout Lake is an interesting little lake, unlike all of the others in the area. Not much access to the lake, from where the trail ends, its just mud and muck. I am sure if you wanted to bush wack around the lake a bit you could find a place to get in and swim or fish. The trail out is interesting as you wander through a couple of old clear cuts from the 80s that havent grown in yet, which allows for very nice views of icicle ridge and the surround area. Then it drops back into dark old growth the rest of the way to the junction. ~14 miles and 3k and change in climbing on this one, great training hike.