Failure at Lost Creek Ridge
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Plans don’t always come together like you intend. For me, I had planned on a five day exploration of the five mile long Lost Creek Ridge within the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Subalpine meadows, lakes and constant views of Glacier Peak sounded like a great combination for photography. It stands to reason that you have to GAIN the ridge to enjoy these sights. Several years ago, I day hiked up to the ridge so I already had some familiarity with the trail and what to expect.
The trail starts at 1800′ in the North Fork Sauk River Valley and, for the first half mile, affords a very rich forest understory. Water is common during the first half mile but only early in the season (bone dry during my trip). After the first half mile, the switchbacks begin and just don’t seem to stop. The steepest portion of the ascent does end with your arrival at Bingley Gap, a forested ridgeline 3 miles in at 4400 feet.
From Bingley Gap, additional switchbacks and 500 vertical feet finally reward you with your first unobstructed views of the Sauk River Valley. Leaving the forest, the trail contours the steep slopes and enters the subalpine meadows. About five miles in from the trailhead, you reach a fork in the trail which leads you to Round Lake, a beautiful lake tucked away in a bowl below the ridge. Excellent camping exists at the lake but they must be accessed by a steep 0.7 mile long trail down into the bowl.
My plan was to access the ridge on day one, hike across to the east end on day two, spend day three exploring the area around Lake Byrne, hike back across the ridge for day four and then hike out on day five. Forecasts called for sunny conditions (including a brief warm up during the week) the entire week. Unlike previous summers, I would be doing this trip solo (a first for me). My backpack seemed heavier than normal this year and weighed in close to 60 pounds. Unlike last year, I expanded my camera gear to 3 lenses along with other accessories.
The full pack, constant barrage of bugs, and underestimation of the trail with a full pack wore me down and I arrived at Round Lake much later than I would have originally expected. This trip was one of commitment and by the end of my first day, I knew that I just “didn’t have it” to make the full trip as I had planned. The wilderness is no place to be foolish and so I headed back out the next day. Disappointing to be sure, but there’s always tomorrow. Here are a few additional shots from the ridgeline overlooking Round Lake..
