Heather Lake — Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

This was a great last minute, late afternoon hike! The trail starts off climbing at a moderate grade similar to that of Mt Si but levels out to a railroad grade for a short period of time. The trail is primarily in the forest with sunlight peeking in between the trees. Trail condition is similar to that of Mt Si in that there are exposed roots and rocks much of the way. This trail might not be for you if loose ankles are a concern. The trail again starts climbing at a moderate grade until reaching the lake. It's totally worth the heavy breathing when you get there! Also be prepared for a wet, sloppy trail by wearing appropriate footwear. Your fur baby will most definitely need a bath after this hike! Would recommend against this trail if icy conditions were present as navigating the larger, smooth rocks could get tricky. Hiking poles are useful due to the amount of "high stepping" going up to the lake and taking the pressure off bad knees on the way back down. Once at the lake, the fall foliage was breath taking. The stillness of the lake was also quite stunning. Lots of folks were still meandering around the lake in the late afternoon when we arrived (4:15pm) but the trail didn't feel busy. It took us 54 minutes to reach the lake including time to stop and chat and take pictures. The trail around the lake is quite nice as it allows one to view the lake from different perspectives. Round trip time was 2:08 keeping in mind that this was a leisurely pace including chatting with fellow hikers, taking pictures and allowing my dog to play. Others could finish the hike much quicker. The forest road to the trailhead is a typical one in that there are potholes but none that can't be avoided. Give this trail a try, it's worth it.