TLDR: Long, often times rugged, trail with amazing views high up.
Road: Any car can make it, it's a mix of paved and fine gravel (It's dusty, though. Consider a good car wash after 😉)
Trail Conditions:
- Some areas are overgrown and brushey.
- Trail felt consistently rocky and rooty, so would recommend good sturdy shoes and poles. Did not see much of your typical "cascade grade highway" here.
- I am honestly shocked at how many times I got off trail going up to Rachel Lake. I consider myself to be focused, but I lost the trail a couple times and had to backtrack (nothing too serious, but again, surprising).
- No snow, unless you attempt the Rampart Ridge scramble.
- There is snow in the gully that is quickly melting.
- Ample water sources along the trail, excluding the trail the Alta Mountain
- Bugs: I got eaten alive by mosquitos. Swarmed everytime I stopped, but not a problem while moving, or when on the high ridges of Alta and Rampart. Bug net and repellent advised.
Trip Stats:
- TH to Rachel Lake:
- 3.5mi, ~1900ft of Gain (WTA is wrong!)
- ~2.5mi of this is a flat-ish, ambling forest walk, than it shoots straight up. Be prepared!
- Rachel Lake to Rampart Lakes Junction:
- ~.4mi, ~430ft of Gain
- Junction to Rampart Ridge Peak (Scramble)
- ~1.4mi, ~830ft of Gain
- Junction to Alta Mountain
- ~1.3mi, ~1000ft Gain
Trail Plan:
Hiked from Rachel Lake TH to Rachel Lake, then went to Rampart Lakes, then scrambled up to Rampart Ridge Peak. Descended, then hiked to Alta Mountain. Descended back to Rachel Lake, and then back to TH.
Takeaways:
- First time doing this trail - the trail to Rachel lake is a beautiful shaded forest walk
- On the way up, it went by really quickly
- On the way down...holy cow, it felt like it went on forever. Be mentally ready. 😂
- Some water crossings that require attention, but are easily navigable. Kept things interesting.
- The ascent to Rachel Lake is very rocky, rooty and brush-ey. It started to annoy me, but that's just me.
- The meadows above Rachel lake is the highlight. Beautiful tarns and lakes. Worth the additional mileage and gain (if you have time and energy to explore). I am envious of backpackers who stayed overnight!
- The scramble to Rampart Ridge was great - very straightforward, and was pleasantly surprised to see a trail going 3/4 of the way to the actual peak. Amazing views from up top.
- The are multiple ways to get to the high point, I chose the exposed slabs, but descended along the ridge-line using 2nd class moves. Experienced scramblers will have no trouble negotiating this. I wore my helmet, and wore my mountaineering boots. Probably overkill, but best to be safe.
- The snow made for an easy quick descent. Good water sources to filter along the way down.
- Alta Mountain is beautiful, but sheesh, SO MANY FALSE SUMMITS - make sure you have energy, water.
- I'd say: even if you stopped mid-way, not sure if the final views are much different. Anywhere along that ridgeline is a worthy stopping point. 😀
- If Alta is your main objective, start early to avoid being baked under the sun. My mistake was doing Rampart Ridge first, then Alta. Got cooked out there, which made the going slow.
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