Elevation Gain: Approximately 3600 ft
Time: 9:30 am - 6:30 pm
Weather: Foggy morning turning to a hazy, sunny day. Warm, almost hot.
The loop Creighton and I attempted last Sunday was going to bring me down from Iron Cap Mountain into the West Fork of the Foss River drainage, but we did not make it. One of the reasons I wanted to do the loop was to return to Big Heart Lake for the first time in 105 weeks. It was the destination of my second weekend hiking back in September of 2010. I remember only a little about the hike. It was cloudy, overcast, and cold. The hike was a bit of climb, and I got my butt kicked on it. In a way, it was really great to hike to the lake the same way I did over 2 years ago, out and back. Creighton and I went together, but we also brought 5 students in the Outdoor Club from our school with us.
The hike is a really beautiful way to spent the day. You hike for about an hour, climbing a little, but nothing to steep when you come to Trout Lake. From here the thighs and calves get a real workout as you climb up to Copper Lake. The climb is constant, but you are rewarded with a beautiful lake. The color is a dark green, resembling the patina that forms on bronze. I guess that is where it gets its name. We took about an hour to rest, snack, and a few even jumped in.
From here we climbed a little to Little Heart Lake, then it starts quickly climbing again up to 4900 ft. Another good steep section, with a few switchbacks, but the trail gains a nice little ridge with amazing views, even on a hazy day. The trail begins dropping into the lake basin, and within minutes you are seeing one of the most spectacular lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Big Heart Lake is large, cold, beautiful, and with a deep blue color unmatched by any lake I have seen in 2 years.
We found a great rock that gave us plenty of room to jump in and bask in the sun. We hung out for about an hour and a half. The hike down was quick and uneventful. it hurt the knees a bit, but the day was so incredible it was hard to be upset by this.
Orchid: Jumping in Big Heart Lake 3 times.
Onion: I couldn't find one.
Picture:
Google Map
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