This is one of those hikes that heads steeply uphill right from the trailhead and continues relentlessly upward all the way to the end, but with a kicker – to get from Virgin Lake, the high point at 4500’ to Blanca Lake, you have to go down 600’. Of course, on the return, you have to regain that 600’. The total elevation gain is about 3100’ for the whole hike, a good day’s work.
But it’s well worth the effort, as Blanca Lake is unique. I’ve seen many lakes in the Cascades, but this is the only one with the milky turquoise waters that come into view only at the very end of the hike. The amazing color comes from silt washed down from Columbia Glacier (or what’s left of it these days), which sits at the northern end of the lake.
On the return I spent almost an hour trying to find the boot path that supposedly leads up to Troublesome Mountain, where there are views of the lake from above. There is one fairly obvious trail near Virgin Lake, but it quickly disappears under the thick cover of berry bushes. Relocating it is almost impossible due to the large number of game trails in the area. After following numerous false leads I finally gave up.
I was surprised, though I probably shouldn’t be, to see numerous plastic bags of dog offal abandoned along the trail. What’s the point of bagging the doo doo if your’re going to leave it? Better to let it lie, preferably not on the trail, and let the forest reclaim it.
I saw only a couple of feeble mosquitoes, but there are plenty of biting flies. Fortunately they’re the stupid kind that sit there, heedlessly chewing on your skin, as you casually slap them into the insect afterlife.
Bring plenty of water for this hike, as there is nary a drop to be had until you reach the lake. On a warm day, with all the upward trekking, dehydration is a real danger here. Of course, at Blanca Lake, there is all the water you could possibly drink, and with extra added minerals to boot.
FS gravel road 65 is miraculously pothole free, albeit lightly washboarded. But beware when turning off on FS road 63 as there some axlebusters along the way.
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