We backpacked up to Rachel Lake in the afternoon and set up camp at the lake. We didn’t have too much trouble following the trail (only checked the GPS a couple of times). It was very windy at the lake and the wind continued overnight BUT it turns out that was a very good thing because as soon as the wind died down this morning there was a swarm of mosquitoes at the lake. We’re lucky that we only really dealt with them while packing up but even so I got a dozen bites so definitely bring repellant and dress appropriately! I hiked up to Rampart Lakes the first evening and there were no mosquitoes up there. Definitely worth the climb up not only for the views of Rachel but the views of Mt. Hibox behind Rampart Lakes are stunning! 

I arrived at 7:00 am this last Monday and was the third car in the lot. I shouldered my pack with photo gear and headed up. I encountered three groups of overnight hikers and their dogs, carrying doggy packs, as they descended. I was otherwise, alone until my descent. The temperature was cool in the woods and when passing by waterfalls, even cooler. My goal was to hike to the Lila Lake overlook and take photos to create a spherical panorama. I came close but did not quite make it. I took one viewpoint shot above the tarns that sit on a bench above Lila Lake. I was so close to my overlook destination but did not know it, was exhausted from the hike up, and was out of time having reached my turnaround time. I suppose I will have to come back.

Roots, Rocks, Mud, and Waterfalls: The delights of the Rachel Lake Trail. The WTA hike description accurately portrays the character of the hike. The first miles through the forest have a gentle uphill gradient with a few sections of steeper rocks and roots and several muddy areas. The first two miles gain only 500 feet. The next mile, another 500 feet, and the last section to the lake, another roughly 830 feet. And that would not be so bad but the steepening trail is rough, climbing up and over gnarly tree roots and boulder-strewn streambeds until the lake. And the subsequent section up to the Lila Lake – Alta Mountain split does not ease up either.

Allow plenty of time for this hike if you plan to make a day hike beyond Rachel Lake to either Rampart Lakes, Lila Lake, or the summit of Alta Mountain. There are some lovely waterfalls on the way up but the nature of the rough trail means that you will likely spend a lot more time than usual for this distance and elevation gain. And it is easy to get off the main trail, which I did on the way down. On the descent, I discovered a waterfall I had not seen on the way up and knew I was off trail. I clambered over some rough vegetation and tree roots to regain the main trail. The woodland hosts a healthy crop of Devil’s Club, which is something you do not want to spend time with.

The Rachel Lake Trail can be at times very tedious and annoying. This hike is more difficult and time-consuming than the stats suggest. The redeeming quality is that it is quite beautiful with both the scenery and sounds of the trailside creek and tumbling waterfalls. In addition to large ants and many ground squirrels, I encountered a Ruffed Grouse above Rachel Lake and saw several Fritillary butterflies along the trail. And, the morning clouds were amazing, until the afternoon sky became enshrouded with gray.

My overall hiking distance was a bit over 10 miles with an elevation gain of 2,850 feet.

On the way down I took photos for two more spherical panoramas. Take a virtual tour! Links to the panoramas I took are below. Be sure to click the full-screen icon as you roll over the upper right of the photo for the best viewing.

Alpine Tarns, Lila Lake Trail, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA: https://www.360cities.net/image/alpine-tarns-lila-lake-trail-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa

Rachel Lake from Lila Lake Trail, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA: https://www.360cities.net/image/rachel-lake-from-lila-lake-trail-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa-usa

Box Creek Canyon Waterfall, Rachel Lake Trail, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA: https://www.360cities.net/image/box-creek-canyon-waterfall-rachel-lake-trail-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa

Summary.

An overnight trip to Rampart Lakes, with a side trip to the top of Alta Mountain.  A surprising amount of solitude – coupled with breathtaking scenery – greeted me on Saturday morning.  By the afternoon, the hiker population swelled, though there was still plenty of room to roam.  The over 3,000 feet of elevation gain may make thighs burn on the ascent.  Likewise, knees might scream on the descent.

That said, the trip got me into the crystal clear waters of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  I was able to bag a peak, enjoying panoramic views of the Cascades.   The hill climbs provide constant views, with lakes and waterfalls surprising hikers ever-so-often.  Not a bad way to spend a weekend.

Land Acknowledgement

Each community and every ecosystem owe their existence to the generations past who made the history that has led to this very moment.  The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is on the cultural, ancestral, and traditional land of the Snoqualmie and Yakima first peoples – past and present.  As visitors, we honor the resiliency of the original stewards, as well as the resiliency of the land itself.

Part one: trailhead to Rachel Lake

I arrived at a near-empty parking lot at 7 AM on a Saturday.  The 14 miles of Forest Road to the trailhead is a bit bumpy, though there were some sedans at the top.  The trail to Rachel Lake is well-maintained and easy to follow.  The trail grows ever-so-steeper as you approach the lake, with some creek crossings and small scrambles.

Because Rachel Lake is at the bottom of a large bowl, the winds can be quite strong.  I only spent moments here because it got chilly, and I was far too lazy to find another layer.  All together, I only saw about five other parties – a surprisingly sparse number for a bright & sunny weekend.

Part two: Rachel Lake to Rampart Lakes

I entered switchback city the second I left Rachel Lake.  The burn was worth it, as every turn provided an opportunity to gaze at the lake and scenery from hundreds of feet up.  Once I reached junction to Rampart Lakes & Lila Lake, the elevation gain eased up.

About a half mile past that junction, the extensive trails meandering around the many lakes create a maze. There are several ways to get from the northern tip of the lakes to the southern extent, and finding my way out was a recurring challenge.  Visitors here should absolutely have some wayfinding chops.

I set up camp, filtered water, and ate lunch at a beautiful shore between two lakes.  A small waterfall was just 50 feet away, tucked behind some trees.  At this time, there was one other camper and two other groups at the lake.  I grabbed my daypack and headed for the top of the hill.

Part three: Rampart Lakes to Alta Mountain

“It’s always nice to be on top of something,” a fellow hiker told me as I passed them on the way to Alta’s peak.  I couldn’t agree more – especially if that something is 6,275 feet above sea level.  The views from the ridge and mountaintop are breathtaking: reminiscent of Lord of the Rings scenery.  Navigating past the false peak is very tricky, and some past scrambling chops are necessary.  Getting to the true peak is a tad nerve-wracking, with wind gusts blowing as you navigate down a narrow path with steep hills on both sides.

Lila Lake comes into focus and disappears along the ascent, revealing other crystal-clear lakes dotted with snow.  Facing south, Mount Rainier peeks above the hills and clouds.  Rampart Lakes are also visible from the trail to the peak.  In addition, Snoqualmie Pass ski resort is easily visible – fascinating to see the runs and lifts from this angle.

The climb up to the tip of Alta added 1,175 feet of elevation gain over two miles, out-and-back from Rampart Lakes.  Starting at noon, I returned by 3 PM. 

Upon return to camp at Rampart Lakes, the population has swelled.  Over a half-dozen camps dotted the area.  I did some relaxing, drinking, and swimming.  After dinner, I spent the night listening to music and stargazing.  The winds were quite chilly, but no match for any three-season sleeping bag.

Part four: Rampart Lakes to trailhead

It’s official: I’m old now.  My right knee was screaming at me.

The first three-quarters of the hike down involved technical trails, steep descents, and those aforementioned scrambles.  I passed a lot more people on the way down.  Validating that point, the parking lot was full by the time I left, around 3 PM.

Final thoughts

This overnight to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness was a wonderful start to backpacking season.  No shortage of viewpoints, lake and waterfalls are well worth the effort.  I've previously visited Rachel Lake and camped overnight at Lila Lake, and I’m happy to check Rampart Lakes and Alta Mountain off that list.  Fun stuff.

In addition to the photos & videos below, check out this Adobe Lightroom album: https://lightroom.adobe.com/shares/0604a6a9a4a4434695b64e0306c0d44d 

The short of it:
The parking lot was nearly empty at 7am, with only two other cars which had been left overnight.
The trail up to Rachel Lake is sometimes incredibly ambiguous and easy to lose. Make sure you've got GaiaGPS, Caltopo, or some other form of GPS so you don't lose time trying to find the trail.
Rampart Lakes has a tall, but crossable blowdown a little under a mile from the lakes, and had the largest snowfields still. All crossable without traction/special equipment.
Alta Mountain is completely free of snow, and is absolutely gorgeous, though I couldn't find the summit register, if there is one. I was surprised to see that I had service up here!

**Long version:**
Whew what a day. The last trip report for Alta Mountain was three weeks ago, so i mostly just wanted to see what the conditions were up there!

The trail up to Rachel starts easy for the first few miles, then changes character as it turns up toward the lake at the end of the valley. This was the most difficult portion to navigate, and I kept consulting GaiaGPS as it was sometimes incredibly difficult to differentiate the trail from a riverbed. I did run into two backpackers making their way down here. These were the only people I saw during my ascent. The trail crosses many small streams right up until you top out in the lake basin.
I took a break and ate some snacks at Rachel Lake, then turned up towards Rampart Ridge.

The trail leading from Rachel up to the ridgetop is steep, but blessedly clear and easy to follow. At the top, there's a large patch of snow to navigate. I first turned in the direction of Lila Lake, in order to submit Alta Mountain.
Right when I noticed the second ridge rising up on my left, the turn for Alta Mountain appeared, and I followed! It starts out steep as you're climbing mostly hillside soil with some occasional rocks. Nearer to the first false summit, it becomes rockier. The trail here is still easy to follow, and would maybe make a good intro to beginner scrambling, if it were 2 miles closer to the trailhead lol

There are three false summits before finally terminating at the true summit. At the second false summit, I ate half my lunch and reapplied sunscreen before continuing to the summit. Time to top was 3hr 30 minutes.

At this point, I was nowhere near my turn around time, so I decided to make a quick detour over to Rampart Lakes on the way down. Ran into a solo hiker just after getting off the Alta Mountain trail here. Exchanged hellos and kept moving.

The trail to Rampart Lakes was covered in snow for large portions, and had a tall, but small blowdown about a mile from the lakes themselves. I stopped at the shore of Rampart Lakes to finish my lunch and relax before my return to the trailhead.

Coming back to Rachel Lake, I was startled way out of proportion by a hiker and her dog suddenly appearing in front of me, *(which I had a good laugh about)* but the return to Rachel Lake was otherwise uneventful! Stopped again at Rachel Lake to clear debris out of my boots and eat the rest of my grapes.

Past this point, I lost count of the backpackers and hikers coming up.
On the descent from Rachel Lake down to the trailhead, from about 12-2pm, I passed by multiple groups of backpackers making their way up. At least 10 groups ranging in size from 1 to 7.

I did have a really pleasant little chat with two groups. One lady who asked me if I'd hiked this trail before, asking if it's changed in the last few years *(i have not, and i didn't know!)*, and one dad with three kids asking me where i'd gone. Ran out of water about a mile from the trailhead, but otherwise uneventful return!

What an excellent day.