First and foremost it was beautiful and peaceful.
Getting to Boardman is easy. Getting to Island takes some work.
Before you get to Boardman take one of the offshoot paths heading up the mtn to the right to go up and around Boardman Lake. Don't be tempted to get back down to the lake too soon (about halfway across Boardman).
I relied on a predownloaded map on my Smartphone "Backcountry Navigator Pro". At about the end of Boardman it lost us and never regained our position(not the first time it left me unguided). Regardless the predownloaded map allowed me a topo to navigate by. We were mostly able to follow the trail until it came to the scramble up to the lake. I didn't find the root ladder. I more expected it to be similar to most lake paths that follow the outlet creek. Don't get fooled into this.
Note you will be entering the lake on the East. We missed it and walked further South and East than needed; we were able to travel cross hill at the approx elevation of the lake and access it from the East. The is the only accessible side of the lake.
We enjoyed the day swimming to the island ate our lunch it was perfect. We brought fishing poles and and spent about 4 hours without any activity and any reason to believe that there are any fish. None feeding swimming or anything. Don't waste your time bringing a pole.
When we left since I didn't find the trail on the way in I assumed the trail would follow the outlet creek. This was incorrect. The entire Northeast face toward Boardman is a sheer rock face. Take careful note of the JPEG shared by the previous reviewer.
It would have made an awesome overnight trip assuming you pack light. We still loved it but wished it would have been planted 30 years ago when it was possible by helicopter.
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