Trip Reports

Trail up Lost Creek Ridge is in very good shape-just one big ole tree to get up and over-not a major concern. Trail down to Round Lake is snowfree except for one small patch. Steep drop of 600 feet to the lake. Beautiful location but be prepared for the biting flies. The swallows don't mind though.

Left on Saturday for an overnight into Round Lake. Switchbacks to the ridge are fairly steep, particularly in the heat. One large blowdown (four trees together), but not impossible to cross with care. However, views from the meadows make it worth it, with each turn showing another range to admire.

Several icebergs floating in the lake on Saturday, but all had melt by Sunday. The color of that lake from the ridge is spectacular. The hike down looks like it should take 20 minutes, but it took around an hour. Snow is pretty much all gone, with only a few patches remaining. Several nice campsites at the lake; fortunatley we were the only ones there, and saw only one other couple the entire day.

Lots of bugs, both in the trail and at the lake.

Awoke Sunday to heavy fog, so didn't continue East, which I hope to do next time.

I don't have much to add to the Zachster's report of the previous day. Only that I wish I would have gotten a chance to read it before I went. I stupidly left my DEET at home. Fortunately, I met someone (actually the only person I saw all day) and he gave me some of his. I also agree that going down to Round Lake is definitely not worth it. I only did it because I was out of water, but if I would have continued on the trail I would have come to a stream in a couple hundred yards.

Also, I was not as enamored with the trail. It is a while before the trail actually goes on the crest of the trail, and until then has good views, especially to Sloan Peak, but not the great feeling of walking on top of a ridge that I was expecting. I didn't make it to where it gets to the top of the ridge since I was only there for the day. There is a good view of Glacier Peak however, only about a 1/4 mile from the Round Lake turnoff. If you are there only for the day you should definitely go at least that far. Definitely worth a backpack some time to explore the best parts of this trail.

I'm not quite sure why but there is hardly ever anyone here, and it is a beautiful trail. Excellent grade, big old trees (Doug's and cedars), ground cover of every kind, nice views, etc... I't's listed as 5 miles to the saddle looking over Round Lake (though it seemed a bit longer...) and the elevation gain is listed as 3550 ft, though my altimeter read 3700... The lake is very inviting , and while it looks like a hop,skip and jump it is actually 600 ft down by a fairly circuitous route (probably another .75-1.0 miles). Overall the hike in was extemely enjoyable (started at 9:00AM). However, as the day warmed up, so did the flesh eating Kamakazi deer flies, horse flies, mosquitoes, you name it. I must say it nearly ruined a great trip. Next time the headnet comes out... Recommend armor or waiting til first frost.

The trail up from the N Fork Sauk Rd is well cleared, but with many steep switchbacks and quite narrow in the upper parts. Trail is in thick woods for the first 1 1/2 hours, and snowfree. Once on the ridge it traverses upwards, with only patches of snow remaining. I went up to the little knob above Round Lake with a great view of Glacier Peak. Round Lake itself is still snowed in, as is the way down from the ridge. The lake itself is starting to open up. This is a very uncrowded hike: on a day, when Dickerman's parking lot was well filled, I saw only 4 other people on this hike.

A beautiful hike through forest for 2 plus miles and 2000 feet elevation gain, then another 2 plus miles through open ridge tops with great views and then meadows bursting with huckleberries. The flowers were still trying but the berries are fantastic now. From the saddle above the lake we scrambled a few hundred feet up a knob to enjoy tremendous views. The mosquitos joined us for the first time on the knob. We saw one pair of hikers, smelled bear or bigfoot.