Hiking up to Heather Lake: the longest 2.3 miles ever

Heather Lake

This weekend Jeff and I ventured further north past Granite Falls, Washington to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest for a day hike to Heather Lake. Since our dog Frankie is always up for an outdoor outing we brought her along as well. Heather Lake is a lower elevation high lake (or valley bottom lake) at the base of Mt. Pilchuck. It’s also part of the larger Alpine Lakes system of the Cascades. Because it's a popular destination we crossed paths with dozens of people along the way.

I liked the idea of hiking uphill first because it meant we’d be getting the hard part out of the way first. I was a little nervous about just how steep it was going to be but I pushed my concern aside. The distance to the lake is 2.3 miles from the trailhead and I thought to myself “I can do this.” Armed with determination, excitement and my rescue inhaler (I'm asthmatic) we ascended up the trail. Just when I needed a flat stretch of land I got a much needed reprieve. We stopped, I caught my breath and kept moving forward. Little did I know at the time, the trail was only going to get more challenging.

Rocky portion of the trail. Seriously, LOOK AT THESE ROCKS.

Several trail websites list the hike to Heather Lake as moderate. I don’t want to get close to ones they deem difficult. Clearly their rating wasn't made with the novice like myself in mind.

The gnarled terrain proved strenuous to navigate. It quickly goes from a well-worn path to one filled with rocks of varying sizes, endless exposed tree roots and large sections of shale rock to maneuver over (or around depending on the section).

The higher we climbed the tougher it got for me and I needed numerous breaks. Those moments of rest coupled with my slower pace led to the hike taking significantly longer than I anticipated. Mentally I was all in but my lungs had other plans. I liken the experience to the time I completed a half marathon in Myrtle Beach. The hike felt like mile 11 and 12. It’s all mental at that point.

Along the trail there’s an abundance of scenery to marvel at. We were engulfed by towering trees hundreds of years old, crossed small creeks, and moss covered many of the trees. The forest felt old but the new growth signaled it was very much alive making it lovely and peaceful. Even though we encountered others it still felt remote. While taking a break a cute little chipmunk got close to us. It was obvious Alvin (yes I named him) was used to being given treats by humans along the trail.

Alvin.

Finally we made it to Heather Lake and it was absolutely worth the journey. The lake is gorgeous and personifies tranquility.

Patches of snow that hadn’t melted stood out against the lush green mountainside. One person floated on a raft while others chatted with one another. After doing some exploring around the lake we sat down to drink water and eat a few snacks. Jeff set up his fishing rod and after a few casts caught a small rainbow trout then released it back into the water.

 

We relaxed a bit then headed back to the car. The trip downhill went considerably faster. I slipped a few times but thankfully I didn’t twist an ankle or break a bone. Yay for small victories!

Frankie had a great time on the trail. She met lots of people, dogs and even got a couple treats from strangers.

Overall it was great hike. Sure I was passed by 7-year-olds and a woman with a baby on her back but it's not about comparing myself with others. I'm looking forward to hiking another local trail.

"If we surrendered to earth's intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees."

-Rainer Maria Rilke