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Surprise Lake

Backcountry Response Team

Wed Aug 19, 2026 8:30 AM — Sat Aug 22, 2026 3:30 PM

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Region

Central Cascades — Stevens Pass - West

Features: Logout, Earn Northwest Forest Pass

Crew Leader: WTA Chief Crew Leader

A chunky project awaits at Surprise Lake. Photo by Must Hike Must Eat.

Overview

Every tree across the trail is a gift from the forest to the humble trailworker. And if that's true, it's holiday season at Surprise Lake. Join this crew as we brush out and remove a lot of fallen timber on this popular trail!

About the Area

Wedged between craggy Thunder and Spark Plug mountains, this lake is set in a truly electrifying environment, flanked by towering evergreens and slopes of shiny granite ledges and talus.


But even more stimulating than this aquatic gem is the forest that lines the trail leading to it. It's one of the finest tracts of old growth along the Highway 2 corridor.

What to Expect

We'll have fun, work hard and make a difference!

Project Description

We will be hiking back to the Surprise Lake campsite and providing some much needed backcountry maintenance on the area. We will prioritize clearing the trail of timber and other debris left over from an avalanche, and Also work to restore trail tread and enhance the trail's drainage capacity.

Camping and Hiking Information

  • Type: Backcountry basecamp
  • Location: Surprise Lake
  • Weather: Be prepared for variable conditions including heat, cold, wind and rain


  • Initial hike to camp: approximately 4.5 miles with 2300 feet of elevation gain at a moderate pace while carrying your backpack fully loaded with all provisions including camping gear and food, plus WTA-provided tools
  • Expected daily hike to project: 2 miles roundtrip with 500 feet of elevation gain at a moderate pace

Schedule

  • Day 1: Meet the crew rain or shine, then hike in, begin work on the project and set up camp
  • Day 2+: Make breakfast and pack a lunch before heading out on trail with the crew by 8:00 AM. Work at your own pace, take plenty of breaks and enjoy lunch on the trail. Arrive back in camp by 4:00 or 5:00 PM for a relaxing evening. Prepare your own dinner and swap stories with the crew.
  • Final Day: Break down camp, finish trail project, hike out and say goodbye to the crew at the trailhead

For safety reasons, arriving late or leaving early is not allowed.

Planning Information

Get ready for a challenging backcountry adventure!

What it Takes to Do This Work Party

  • A great attitude for working with a team! WTA provides the training and tools you need for the project
  • Backpacking gear and food for multiple nights on the trail
  • Good physical condition to hike with a fully-loaded backpack and be physically active for about 8-9 hours daily on uneven terrain 
  • Backpacking experience including ability to run your own camp following Leave No Trace principles
  • Day work party experience recommended
  • Flexibility to adapt to changes due to unpredictable weather or land manager requests
  • Minimum age: 18

What to Bring

Required:

  • Sturdy closed-toe shoes
  • Work gloves
  • Eye protection (glasses, sunglasses, or safety glasses)
  • Long pants

Recommended:

  • Sturdy work or hiking boots
  • Long sleeved shirt

A hard hat will be provided by WTA if you do not already have a WTA provided hard hat. Additionally, work gloves and eye protection will be provided by WTA if you do not have your own, but when possible we recommend bringing your own. For safety reasons, certain tasks may be assigned based on the safety level of your footwear. Volunteers who do not have long pants, or sturdy closed toes shoes, will not be able to participate in the work party.

Backpacking gear

  • Backpack to carry all of your gear
  • Tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad
  • Cooking gear and enough food (plus a little extra) for the entire trip
  • At least two 1-liter water bottles and a way to purify your water
  • Rain jacket and rain pants
  • Extra warm clothing
  • Camp clothing such as shorts, shirt and sandals
  • Sun and bug protection
  • Headlamp and extra batteries
  • Personal items such as medication, hand sanitizer and toiletries
  • ​First aid kit
  • A sense of fun and adventure for learning new skills and meeting great people!

Trail work gear

  • Boots
  • Long pants 
  • Work gloves
  • Long-sleeved shirt recommended
  • Eye protection recommended such as safety glasses
  • WTA hard hat (provided, unless you have one)

For safety reasons, shorts and sneakers are not allowed while working. Firearms and weapons are not allowed.

More Information

From the Hiking Guide

See what WTA's hiking guide and trip reports say about this area.

This is a preview. Registration will open soon.

Partners

Directions

From Monroe, drive east on Highway 2 to the small town of Skykomish and continue for another 10 miles. After you pass the well-marked Iron Goat Interpretive Site on your left, drive another 0.3 mile and take an unmarked right.

Follow this road for 0.2 mile through the old railroad community of Scenic, though nothing remains of the town but railroad tracks. Cross the tracks and immediately turn right, parallel to the tracks, following a dirt road for 0.3 mile to the small trailhead.

Note: Please follow the written directions above instead of using a GPS device. This will ensure that you get to the correct meeting location for this work party. The location of the pinpoint below is only approximate.

Getting to WTA work parties can involve travel on rough, unpaved roads in areas without cellular service and without street addresses that can be accurately used by navigation devices. Unless specifically noted otherwise, routes can generally be traveled by all types of vehicles. Volunteers with limited experience driving on unpaved mountain roads may want to allow extra time, beyond what is recommended in the directions above, to get to the meeting location.

Required Documentation

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