Foss Lakes are a fun adventure for late-season, snow-free trek

A hike can turn into a snowshoe trip in early December. If you insist on a hike without snow in it, don't go to the mountains, because the snow level is changing on a daily basis.

Hikers must be flexible when weather can change quickly and snow levels plummet or rise. Hikers can prepare for such climatic uncertainty in a couple of ways -- by turning around when the snow becomes a burden or putting on snowshoes and carrying on.

Sometimes you can pull off a late-season hike or backpack without resorting to snowshoes, since some trailheads are at that fine line between snow and non-snow.

Foss Lakes is such a trailhead. The road to the trailhead was expected to remain snow-free as of Dec. 1, according to the Skykomish Ranger Station, and there was only about 6 inches of snow at Trout Lake. This makes Trout Lake an excellent and easy winter hike.

If the mile and a half to Trout Lake seems too tame, carry snowshoes and continue on to Copper or Malachite lakes.

Later in the year when the snow comes to stay, you'll have to ski or snowshoe to the trailhead. Expect company on the road; this is a very busy place in snow season.

In winter the snow plow stops at two miles and the road is busy with skiers, snowshoers and snowmobiles. The first mile of the road past the winter parking area is a multiple-use winter recreation area open to motorized vehicles, as is the Tonga Ridge Road. Beyond the Tonga Ridge Road junction, the road is closed to motorized vehicles.

John and I were able to backpack into Copper Lake in early December a few years ago with the Scout troop and established a lovely camp near the outlet stream of the lake. After we set up the tents, we hiked a bit further up the trail toward Little Heart Lake before the snow got deep enough to stop us.

Back in camp, we ate like kings (and queens). Spaghetti, garlic bread, strawberry shortcake and the reassuring roar of the stove made the place cozy despite a cold and bitter night.

The trail to Trout Lake is pretty in late fall and early winter, with a few leaves still clinging to deciduous trees, and beyond Trout Lake the waterfalls are magnificent.

Between Trout Lake and Copper lakes you'll encounter an enormous Douglas fir tree, so strong and majestic that it almost seems to stand guard over the switchbacks.

Winter storms did a lot of damage to this trail in past years but trail crews worked hard and by the end of September all bridges were back in place. However, one major storm can rearrange everything, so don't assume that bridges are in place when you start out.

In general you'll find that streams are running high and weather can change quickly, often for the worst. It's something of a gamble to hike this trail in early December but it's a risk worth taking.

Trout Lake is considered an easy hike, but in winter it is more of a challenge and perhaps even more rewarding. Of course you can always come back later in the winter with skis or snowshoes when most of the road is under snow. Many good snowshoe trips and ski routes can be accessed from the Foss River Road, including Tonga Ridge and the East Fork Foss River Trail.

Getting there
Take U.S. Route 2 and drive east to Skykomish. At 1.8 miles beyond Skykomish, turn right on Foss River Road (No. 68). Pass the East Fork Foss River Trail (4.2 miles) and continue to the West Fork Foss River Road (No. 6835, which is shown on some maps as No. 6840). Turn left and drive two miles to the trailhead and the end of the road at 1,600 feet elevation. If there is snow on the road, hike or snowshoe to the trailhead.

Trail detail
The trail to Trout Lake is short and easy, gaining only 600 feet in a mile and a half to the lake. Trout Lake sits right at the current snow line, which is now hovering between 2,000 and 2,500 feet. Cliffs above the lake can be seen through the trees.

In 1991 a major storm created a landslide that rearranged the topography around the lake. The landslide damaged the outlet stream that raised the lake level by about 10 feet. Trout Lake is probably far enough for novice hikers. Camping is allowed only at designated sites.

Copper Lake is more of a challenge to get to, even without snow. It is a steep, two-mile climb to Copper Lake, with the trail gaining about 1,000 feet of elevation per mile.

This is a strenuous climb but rewarding, with views of cliffs, waterfalls and big trees. A half mile from Copper Lake, another trail branches off to Malachite Lake at 4,089 feet. Stay on the main trail to reach Copper Lake at an elevation of 3,961 feet.

Trail data
Round trip to Trout Lake is three miles, 600 foot elevation gain. Round trip to Copper Lake is eight miles with a gain of 2,400 feet.

The lakes are in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. For road and trail conditions call the Skykomish Ranger Station at 360-677-2414.

For more hiking information, refer to "100 Hikes in Washington's Alpine Lakes" by Vicky Spring, Ira Spring and Harvey Manning, (The Mountaineers, 240 pages, $14.95). For snowshoeing options, refer to "Snowshoe Routes, Washington" by Dan A. Nelson, (The Mountaineers, 239 pages, $16.95).

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