While Round Lake, tucked securely in a hidden basin on Lost Creek Ridge, is a wonderful locale, this hike is definitely more about the journey than the destination. After a demanding initial grunt, amble along a mile-high, flower-swaying, peak-packed, view-granting ridge. Savor one of the finest vantages for admiring spiraling Sloan Peak's sprawling sparkling glacier. And if you can ever move your eyes away from this mesmerizing mountain, a multitude of others demand your attention as well.

Start off easily enough on an old roadbed through lush cedar bottomlands. After a pleasant 0.5 mile, get down to business. Climbing steeply, the trail furiously works its way up Lost Creek Ridge. Under a canopy of magnificent old growth, you're at least sheltered from the sun on this south-facing slope. However, the way is dry, so be sure to pack plenty of water.

Cross several small avalanche chutes that give teaser views of Red Mountain and the North Fork Sauk Valley before resuming your arduous ascent up tight, steep switchbacks. At 3.25 miles reach Bingley Gap (elev. 4400 ft), a small forested saddle on Lost Creek Ridge. The trail now heads eastward along the ridge, and though you're still climbing, emerging views assuage your pain. Pugh, White Chuck, and Baker greet you first. Sloan and Bedal soon steal the show. As difficult as it may be to lift thine eyes away from them, hundreds of other summits are yelling out to be recognized: Stuart, Daniel, Del Campo, Morning Star, Sperry, and Vesper among them.

After 1.5 miles of spectacular ridge running, come to an unmarked junction. The main trail continues right for miles and miles of amazing alpine wanderings. Take the trail left to a small gap (elev. 5600 ft) and a great view down to Round Lake twinkling in an open basin. The lake looks like a trek to get to, and it is. If you're spent, there's no shame in not continuing-kick back and enjoy the view.

If you're enticed to soak your feet in that sparkling gem and the trail is free of steep snow patches, proceed, dropping 550 feet in 0.75 mile. Bugs can be a nuisance lakeside when the air is calm. But they're nothing the resident frogs and swallows won't eventually take care of.