Mildred Lakes — Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021

This is one of the most incredible hikes I have ever done. It is also the most difficult hike I have ever done - which is part of what makes it so incredible. The other reports on this site do not overstate the difficulty of this trail and the importance of having hiking experience route finding experience, a GPS, and the Green Trails map to successfully reach the lakes.

A GPS is absolutely essential for this hike. I have never hiked Lena Lake, down the road, but I believe it is safe to say - THIS IS NOT LENA LAKE. You need the ability to see where you are so you can know and predict your next steps. DO NOT take this hike without a GPS. The trail for the most part can be clearly followed, but you will need to hop over or under logs from time to time, and you need to be able able to learn how to see it in the midst of the thick foliage - and once you get away from the navigational maze at the top of the first ridge with a view - but you still need a GPS. Get the picture? We used the Gaia app WITH the Green Trails map (I found it helpful to compare the location on the GPS with where the trail is "supposed" to be as it is shown on the map). 

The road to the trailhead is good and should be passable by even low clearance vehicles (as of 10/13/21). There are potholes from time to time. 

The hike is moderately steep right away, starting at the trailhead. It will ascend through an old cut that has grown back nicely, passes briefly across an avalanche chute, and then into a beautiful old growth forest that ascends on ridge that culminates in fantastic, in-your-face views of Mt. Pershing and other mountains in the area. Drink them in. You may not be able to go any farther than this if you cannot find the right trail to continue from. 

It is around the area of the "first view" that the navigational difficulties begin and remain, to some extent, throughout the hike. Someone has persistently flagged a trail that at least to our relatively inexperienced eyes led to nowhere. We spent about an hour following these flags on a faint trail that almost immediately descended from the ridge to the first creek, but was quite a ways downstream from where you are supposed to cross. After you cross the creek in that spot, there is no trail to speak of. We had to retrace our steps to the "first view" (thank heaven for Gaia GPS and the fact I was dropping waypoints frequently so we could retrace our steps) and then work to find the trail. If you are on the correct trail, you will be on a trail that more gradually follows the ridge to its natural end to cross the creek. As I told the one other hiker I saw, once you get to the first view and pass it, think "left" relative to your ascending position. If you descend quickly, you are on the wrong trail even if you are following flags. 

After you cross the creek, you begin the brutal ascent, literally hand over hand over roots and rocks. This trail is also flagged fairly well and accurately at least right now. Many have written how brutal this climb is, and they are not joking. The only thing worse than ascending is descending - fighting the gravity that wants to push you downhill - and if it is slippery, you have to watch it. I am not kidding - one slip could lead to serious injury. 

The ascent tops out on a second ridge with incredible views of the surrounding mountains. Again, stop and enjoy this view - you have earned it. The trail then works back down the second ridge toward a number of ponds to navigate around, and then ends at the outlet of the first lake, which you will follow to the shore of the first lake. The trail is barely existing but still can be followed around at least the first lake, where we stopped due to clouds that moved in and obstructed the really good views. It was still beautiful, quiet, and peaceful.

Take your time coming down. We had about an inch of snow to negotiate starting about 3/4 way up the steep ascent all the way to the lake. But even if not icy or wet, take care. 

Plan for a full day. We started at 7 AM and ended at 3:30 PM and took about a 15 minute break at the lake - 5 hours up, including the hour attributable to straying from the main trail, and 3.5 hours down.