Trip Reports

All Mountains Visible! Blue sky, fluffy white clouds, snowcapped peaks, and water, what more could you ask for in a hike? We 'just dropped by to see what condition our condition was in' (not very good). This is a great tune up hike for the average humble hiker. There is elevation to gain and lose and you can string together enough trails to get a decent workout. We started at the trailhead at the beginning of Mt. Erie road. We strung #215 to 225 up 226 to Sugarloaf, then back down 226 to 230 to 207 then up Mt Erie trail 216. Good views of the N Cascades and Olympics from Sugarloaf. Mt. Erie has several lookout platforms and a nice concrete bench for lunch. Good views of Baker( overlook the refinery) and the San Juans, and to the south, Rainier could be seen. We walked the road back to Sugarloaf trail 215 for about a 5 mile loop. You will need a map of the Anacordes Forest Lands, purchase in Anacortes or GT 41S. This hike showed me I need to ramp up the excersize routine, though.

Timed it perfectly to actually get a few views from the top. Trail was in great condition with just a couple muddy spots.

A perfect hike for our two children (ages 6 and 3): enough of a climb to make the views feel earned, but short enough to avoid the whining of "are we there yet?" Had a snack at the top where we watched eagles soaring on a thermal and watched boats in the sound, and then scampered back down to the car. No issues with trail conditions.

Finished our day with this hike. There is an out crop on the way to the top that have great views. Trail in good condition.

The Anacortes-Bellingham area abounds in hikes that are a welcome alternative when the Cascades are snowy, sloppy, avalanche endangered, or just plain too wet. The Whistle Lake area south of Anacortes includes Sugarloaf and Mt. Erie along with other small hills, deep forests, and lots of lakes. It's just an hour from Seattle, so really no further than Snoqualmie Pass, and lots of fun. Be sure to stop at Lake Erie Grocery or in Anacortes for maps! This place is laced with trails going all which ways. They are all very well signed but in numbers so you have to have a map to know how to get from 215 to 238 then down to 226 and over to road 21, but don't go up 313 but instead take 320. Get the idea? The map is your friend.

We took Campbell Lake Road to Heart Lake Road and parked at the main lot which is where the road up to the top of Mt. Erie starts. You can drive all the way up to the top of Mt. Erie on paved road. We chose instead to hike from the parking lot up to the top of Sugarloaf mountain. It has elevation gain of only 500 ft. Trail 215 is clear and dry and climbs right up with no dilly dallying.

The top of Sugarloaf is charming. A large open space of moss covered boulders, stately trees, and views over Anacortes and the Sound. Mt. Erie next door is 750 feet gain and a favorite of technical rock climbers. There are many trails up the back side but we did not think the views were any better than Sugarloaf. Trail 230 in the valley took us to Whistle Lake. It is muddy. The lake is unimpressive. The trails here are open to hikers, horses, and mountain bikes and the road/trails are open to motor bikes as well.

This area deserves a lot more exploration.

This hike was a great season starter for the Wilderness Women Hiking Group. The climb up to Sugarloaf can be a bit steep but the payoff at the summit is worth it. As we stood atop the mossy rocks taking in the views of the San Juan Islands and beyond we were treated to several eye level eagle sightings. Give yourself time to soak in the beauty of this 1044 foot summit before descending to Whistle Lake. The forested trails take you by boulders covered with licorice ferns and an occasional old growth Cedar and Douglas Fir that will make you stop and pause. The trail meanders in and out of lake views so pick a nice mossy rock and take in the serenity this hike has to offer in April. We hiked about 6 miles, but you could make it a longer or shorter as over 20 miles of trails exist. You will want a map to explore this area as different trails and parking lots can make it a challenge.

You can download a map by going to this sight http://www.pnt.org/maps/Whistle%20Lake.pdf Or you can buy a map from area merchants. Go soon if you want to see the Fawn Lillies blooming.

Why there aren't more people out enjoying the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, I don't know. Perhaps they're turned off by the idea of multi-use trails. I only passed two people along the way (one mountain biker, one trail runner) until I reached the summit of Erie which, of course, was more populated (but still not overly and it seems I was the only person who wanted to enjoy sunset from the fine Western lookout - okay by me) since it's possible to drive to the top.

I started by making a loop of the unnamed hill West of Heart Lake Rd. (and just South of Heart Lake) since the Green Trails map promised a view. It lied, but the 1.78 mile loop with summit was a good (and quick) warm up for what was about to come. Only one major blowdown on this trail; surprising considering the windstorms we've had in the past couple of weeks.

Next, back to the East side of the road to tackle Sugarloaf. You get about a 1/4 mile to warm yourself up before the trail starts to gain elevation fairly rapidly. The tread is in pretty good condition, a little muddy here and there (not surprising for this time of year), but overall not bad. The trail network, however, can be a little confusing and the Green Trails map doesn't adequately display all that's going on. While it's a bit more difficult to read, I recommend getting the map series published by the ACFL. (Stop at the Mt. Erie Grocery on your way to pick one up.) Still, I didn't mind my confused wanderings atop Sugarloaf as the forest and the views were both spectacular. Also didn't hurt that I had the whole hill all to myself. Eventually, I had to tear myself away from Sugarloaf (sweet as it was) as the goal was to include a summit of Erie (I'm trying to stay in shape, ya know).

The decent off the Southwest side of Sugarloaf was quick and easy. There's a short (about 1/10 mile) road walk to reach the Mt. Erie Summit trail. Now the Mt. Erie Summit trail is not as wonderful as the Sugarloaf trail. The forest here didn't have the same sparkle or lively vibe. Hard to explain, but I disliked it so much that I chose a road walk for my descent. Quite a bit more mud on the ME Summit trail as well. The views from the top, of course, are spectacular and if you don't hike to the summit, I recommend a drive to the summit. I did both, driving back to the top after my hiking descent to view sunset from the Western lookout.

All in all, it was a brilliant day. Blue skies, mild temps, calm winds, wildflowers, views, beautiful sunset, solitude. What more could a girl ask for?

There was unbelievable weather for hiking in February! The sky was completely clear and no wind to speak of. We hiked first up sugar-loaf, which is a steep climb but it quickly pays off with two spectacular views of the Islands. We then dipped back down and followed the west shore of Whistle lake back to Mr Erie's steep climb up, meeting a handful of bikers. We saved Mt Erie for lunch and saw lots of climbers out. There are a lot of trails in this area, so be sure to bring a map and pay attention! We saw lots of bald eagles out as well.