Fisher Lake #1058,Tonga Ridge #1058

After a several week layoff, the Hike-of-the-Week Club sprang back into action with a jaunt along Tonga Ridge to Fisher Lake. Some huckleberries are ready for picking, but the blueberries aren't quite ready yet. Fisher Lake was great, with at least four separate parties enjoying the water. Glorious views of Daniel, Hinman and the rest of the Foss River basin on the way in.

We did encouter hikers along the way who were having difficulty finding the trail, so here are the tips to finding the trail: Once you reach Fisher Pass on the maintained Tonga Ridge trail, head for the approximate high point, then look for a ""social"" trail that parallels the main trail in a east-to-west direction about 300 feet to the south of the main trail. Search along that trail for a somewhat overgrown trail departing into the woods to the south. (There were orange flags marking it, but they come and go, so don't rely on them.) That's the fisherman's track to Fisher Lake (don't look for a USFS trail -- there isn't one). Follow it for about a quarter of a mile as it twists and turns to avoid trees and brush in a generally southerly direction to a base of a hill. The trail then follows a step creek bed that is dry by the end of summer up about 250 vertical feet to a first long skinny meadow area. Proceed along the west side of the meadow about 300 feet then follow the trail to the right up a little hill to a second long skinny meadow area with a pond. Cross that and up another little hill to a very large park-like area, covered with low blueberries. The trail heads south through the meadow to the toe of a ridge. The obvious trail (people voting with their feet) goes to the right along the toe, then up and over the ridge and down (about 3/4 miles) to the lake. A less obvious trail turns left and takes a shorter end-run around the ridge, saving the effort of climbing the ridge. Pay attention to where the two trails join again so you can follow the easier way back as well.