Descending through forests for several miles from Hidden Hand Pass, the trail reaches the shores of Ross Lake and continues with fine lake views and opportunites for swimming, camping and fishing along the way. Access to the northern end is via Canada: Take Canada Highway 1 to just west of Hope, BC, then follow the Silver-Skagit Road south for 40 miles (64 km) to Hozomeen Campground. From the East Bank Trailhead, it is a short descent to a bridge over Ruby Creek. Use trail reports to comment on trail conditions. 3969.13 m Down, 11.6 mi My original plan was to park at the East Bank Ross Lake TH on Highway 20, and then run 6 miles west along the bottom of the lake via the Happy Panther trail to the Ross Dam water taxi stop (see map below). A few miles beyond this junction are Freezeout Creek and Nightmare camp. Photo by Andy Porter/NPS. (LogOut/ Also, loved the rest of your trip pine marten!

Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine the last time a trail was ridden. Mountaineers Books is a registered trademark of The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We were back at the cars by the mid-afternoon and were soon on the road back to Canada via the scenic overlook at Diablo Lake, a convenience store for disgustingly wonderful American Doritos featuring so much red dye and the Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham for beer (oh and dinner). 3,933' Up I decided to turn it into a fastpack. Three miles (4.8 km) before the north end of the trail, a short side trip takes you to Hozomeen Lake, with views of craggy Hozomeen Peak reflected in its clear waters. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Trip Report: Spider Meadow PhelpsBasin. NOT OKAY! 2,263' Down At basecamp Aspire will serve up appetizers, drinks, and a delicious evening meal. I love all the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustelidae family. 1198.53 m Down, 7.2 mi This whole section of trail next to the lake was the reason we had come on this hike. Cute Doggo! Situated in North Cascades National Park, the Ross Lake Rally offers a set of runs that blend early season mountain access and spectacular trails along the shores of Ross Lake. A few more pics below: Really nice write up Jessica. A few signs of these activities can be found today; look for sites and interpretive plaques near the bridge. 1198.64 m Up I finally reached the East Bank Ross Lake TH around 1 pm. Lowland forests and lakeside views makes this an excellent choice for family day hikes, an extended backpack or a stock trip. The log trapper's cabin here is maintained as an historic structure and is not open for public use. 934.74 m Up At first, Maggie jumped up and started whining, but eventually she realized they werentgoing to bother us. The trail next passes by two very beautiful and different lakes. Create Recommended Route or This guy really didnt give a shit, and it was refreshing. The bridge spanning the creek was huge and so was the gorge it crosses. These areas are covered: North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Big Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek, Desolation Peak, Hozomeen, Cat Island, Diablo Lake, Mt Spickard, Silver Lake, Jack Mountain, Ruby Arm, Skagit River, Lightning Creek, East Bank Trail. 1366.86 m Up Please explain. Trails Illustrated North Cascades National Park. So lucky to see a Pine Marten! The resort will transport you by boat to a variety of drop-off points along the East Bank Trail or Ross Lake. I ran west along the pleasant, flat Happy Panther trail to the place where the taxi would meet me. 25K, 2,800 of Elevation Gain:Boat shuttle to Lightning Creek where runners pick up the East Bank trail for 15 miles of rolling lakeside trail and spectacular mountain views.

It's 12.4 miles and 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and involves a water taxi and car shuttle. All Rights Reserved. The loons wailedoff and on all night, waking me every couple hours, and I didnt mind one bit. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 2,058' Down They waved but didnt stop. A short spur trail to Ross Lake and designated campsites goes west, and the steep Little Jack Mountain Trail heads northeast. Around 11 pm the loons started wailing. I was up by 430 am, took my time packing everything up, and was on my way at 530 am. Friday, Day 1: Meet at Colonial Creek Campground. For topographical route information, elevation profiles, and a downloadable GPX file of the route, visit our Caltopo Ross Lake Rally Map. It was after 7pm when we finally rolled into our campsite at Rainbow Point and we were hungry, tired and a bit damp from the drizzle that came and went all afternoon. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Change). Ive spent a fair amount of time by myself in the backcountry, but its usually a gradual process. Jack Mountain is named for Rowley.Descending through forests for several miles from Hidden Hand Pass, the trail reaches the shores of Ross Lake and continues with fine lake views and opportunites for swimming, camping and fishing along the way. Early season mountain runs are hard to come by in early June, but the East Bank of Ross Lake delivers some much-needed early season leg shakes to kick off the summer season.

Make this a longer, more challenging hike by hiking north on the East Bank Trail or exploring more of the trails on the east side of Ross Lake. There are even a multi-day loop backpack options that takes you through the Pasayten Wilderness if you'd like to spend many days in remote areas of the North Cascades. Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants. the Avenza Maps app on iOS and Android. (If youve never heard a loon, go hereand skip to 0:30.). The trip back to camp was quick and soon we were back on the beach at Rainbow Point enjoying the afternoon sun. For more information and current conditions, contact the trail manager (listed below). At Highway 20 runners are shuttled back to base-camp. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension. I believe your flower is Candystick. It is a beautiful trail especially when the sun is shining the the mountains are freshly dusted with snow. 98284 (360) 854-9415 [emailprotected] http://www.pnt.org. Spam?

7.99 $ Log in and send us Apparently Good Friday isnt a statutory holiday in America so we hoped it wouldnt be crowded. Benefits of designation It turns out when you camp on a point on a large lake, it gets windy! The intended direction a trail should be ridden.

USD, Activities: Hiking, Hunting, Horseback Riding.

Maps purchased here can only be viewed in Helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. I made it back to the car just after 2 pm and was home in time for dinner on Friday! Then I would run the 31 mile (50k) East Bank trail southbound from Hozomeen Campground back to my car. Counties: Whatcom Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to support. A few signs of these activities can be found today; look for sites and interpretive plaques near the bridge. Instead of pressing on further we decided it would be better to lay in the sun and eat lunch at the bridge. By the time dinner was done we were all ready for bed. Runners are welcome to arrive at Colonial Creek anytime after 4pm. I reminded myself it was good mental training, and pushed on. Our group of seven hikers drove down in a convoy of two cars on the morning of Good Friday with a couple brief stops for groceries and camping permits. Lightning Creek camps are reached 16 miles (26 km) from State Route 20. Sedro-Woolley There are no resources for this route/place. It was exhilarating. http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/allotropa_virgata.shtml. Took this picture in our yard this morning, trying to remind myself that beauty is everywhere. Green Trails Maps show the most current trail, road, and access information to national forests, national parks, state and local parks and other public lands. At the crack of noon we set out on a day hike to the closest landmark: the suspension bridge over Devils Creek. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Being a jerk / offensive? 627.39 m Down, 10.1 mi We quickly started cooking dinner and setting up tents as well as a tarp to serve as a windbreak. Copyright 2022 Happiest Outdoors.

All in all, some great miles in the legs, and a fun overnight with the pup. I dont think I ever went more than five miles without a water source. Id rather be hiking, backpacking, or exploring back roads. Apply for designation Photo by NPS Photo/Deby Dixon. Two miles (3 km) north of Willow Lake is a short side trail to Hozomeen Lake. Longer side trails that are accessed via the East Bank Trail include: Little Jack, Desolation Peak, and trails that lead into the Pasayten Wilderness to the east. https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/#b_start=0&c5=Map&c11=Green+Trails+Maps&c7=Northwest%2FWA, Price: updates, images, or resources. From here a side trail heads toward Desolation Peak. This is about an injury or accident A few miles beyond this junction are Freezeout Creek and Nightmare camp. no videos have been added for East Bank Trail yet, Directions to east-bank-trail-412045 trailhead, Ross Lake National Recreation Area Trails, Ross Lake National Recreation Area Trail Map, Ross Lake National Recreation Area Trail Reports, embed East Bank Trail trail on your website. The trail was empty. All with heavy packs on in the intermittent drizzle. 3,067' Down Pacific Northwest Trail Association 24854 CJ Memorial Circle #4 Sedro Wooley, WA The main trail turns east into the valley of Lightning Creek, switchbacking steeply upward and affording excellent and final views of Ross Lake before dropping into the secluded valley. A favorite place to enjoy this lake setting is from the high bridge across the mouth of Devil's Creek Canyon.

Donate, Browse NRT Map more information on current conditions Hozomeen Lake is closed to entry and camping from April 1 - May 31 to protect nesting loons. 53.0 km Just across the bridge is a junction with the Canyon Creek Trail (USFS #736); bear left to stay on the East Bank Trail.At 2.8 miles (4.5 km) there is a trail junction. The trail parallels the lake, with a spur trail down to a camp at the west end. Your FREE account works with all Adventure Projects sites. Day 1 - Set up the car shuttle at Ross Lake Dam and Ruby Creek trailheads. Driving directions are not available for this trail. Gray wolves have been observed in this area. According to miners' stories, Jack Rowley was guided by a pointing hand through this route in 1879 to find gold on Ruby Creek. updates, images and resources. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Search by Trail Type, NRT Home Page Many people return here for vacations year after year. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. The lake is home to nesting loons, and thus is closed to entry in early summer. Trailforks users anonymized public skilogs from the past 12 months. This quiet place was the scene of a gold rush in the 1880s, with every foot taken up in placer claims. A favorite place to enjoy this lake setting is from the high bridge across the mouth of Devil's Creek Canyon. Lightning Creek camps are reached 16 miles (26 km) from State Route 20. Ticks gross me out a lot, but with the proper precautions, hiking in an area that has ticks doesnt have to be stressful. Things to do on Northern Vancouver Island. Colors indicate trail is missing specified detail. For details about the trails, itinerary information, packing and gear lists, menu and dietary information, safety protocols, and trip policies weve prepared the. Just across the log bridge is the junction for the Three Fools Creek Trail into the Pasayten Wilderness. The NRT Database is a free service provided by American Trails (a non-profit) and we need your support.

It was a sunny Friday, but I didnt see anyone at all until Roland Creek (7 miles out from my car), and even then it was just 2 other parties both single guys that appeared to be heading out for a weekend of backpacking. This is truly a place to protect and appreciate. We strongly encourage each runner to purchase 3rd party trip insurance that will reimburse the cost of registration in the event that you are unable to participate in the event. For questions, suggestions, and corrections to information listed on the website, contact American Trails. Take the water taxi to Devils Creek, hike 5.9 miles south to Roland Creek and camp. The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This meant I was looking at 20 miles just to get to the starting line at Hozomeen Campground (6 miles on Happy Panther, 14 miles from Lightning Creek to Hozomeen).

May, June, July, August, September, October. I can see your joy for writing expanding. Longitude: -121.06646Latitude: 48.77491. Trail. Lightning Creek camp was empty. (Spoiler alert: it wasnt!). Speaking of early season, if you choose to do this trip in the spring like we did there are a few things to be aware of: The trail receives little (or no) maintenance before Memorial Day in late May so you will have to deal with blowdowns or washouts. Year Designated: 2002. I think you are correct re: the Candystick.

You look like a huge dork but then you dont get gross tick bites. Primary Surface: Soil There was even a bear box no need to deal with a bear hang. We had 15 kilometres of hiking ahead of us so we were a bit dismayed to find that the trail was covered in blowdown. That meant we we walking through the forest (albeit on a fairly flat trail) for about 11 kilometres before getting our first view of the lake! That night we had a more leisurely dinner and a campfire (and some whiskey too) but still headed to bed on the early side since even without the wind of the previous night, it was cold.

Flathead River kinda blew our minds today. Glacier-covered peaks rise above the blue waters of Ross Lake. Along the way I stopped at the Mountain Loop Books and Coffee,where I had a nice chat with the owner, Tony. Today in the Teanaway: the water was cold and the air was warm and I was happy. Great place to grab a snack and/or a good book! Taking other people's content (text, photos, etc) without permission is a copyright violation and I made a game of counting the blowdowns that still blocked our way; the grand total was nearly 50! Thanks for that! Hozomeen was not officially open for the season (I got permission from a ranger to camp there before I left), which meant I had the entire campground to myself.

It will be possible to carpool with other runners or to arrange ride into camp with the Aspire crew from Burlington WA. Contact us below: The NRT Database is a free service provided by American Trails (a non-profit) and we need your support! Can you provide this missing data? Information contact: Climb and descend Desolation Peak and follow the East Bank Trail to Highway 20. We moved as quickly as we could while still trying to clear as much of the brush as we could.

WA Camp at Colonial Creek campground Friday night to avoid waking so early Saturday morning. The woods were dark and deep and I could only catch an occasional glimpse of the mountains through the trees. no photos have been added for East Bank Trail yet.

It was Minute Rice that they had actually bought in the States on another trip, but that didnt stop the border guards from inspecting it!

Willow Lake is a long shallow basin, a perfect habitat for marshy plants, mammals, birds, and insects. I reached Hozomeen Camp with plenty of time to set up my tent and getsettled. 11.5 km This time of year, there is plenty of water along the trail. Despite our best intentions, we didnt get to the trailhead at Ruby Arm at the south end of Ross Lake until the early afternoon. In addition to its many natural features, the trail also provides recreational opportunities including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross country skiing, Width: 24 inches. This means that the shoreline looks weird, the docks are out of the water and getting drinking water from the lake is a bit of a trek. I also got suckered into a strawberry smoothie from the Cascadian Farm roadside stand. An Adventure Projects staff member will review this and take an appropriate action, but we generally don't reply. The trail parallels the lake, with a spur trail down to a camp at the west end. 5,765' Down Secondary Surface: Soil Running, biking, hiking, packrafting, backcountry travel. Log in and send us Permits are limited. Runners will need to provide or rent a personal tent, sleeping bag, pad, etc. If youre coming from Canada its best to do pretty much all of your grocery shopping once you are in the US since import of food is tricky. Photo by Andy Porter/NPS. Access: To access this trail from the south, travel State Route 20 to milepost 138. Featured NRT Articles for all ages and levels in the Pacific Northwest. So gross! Map scale 1:69500 with 80 foot contours.

On Sunday morning we packed up and headed out on the trail for 15km of forest walking back to the cars. The entire East Bank trail is in excellent condition. Day 2 - Hike to the Ruby Creek trailhead and shuttle back 4 miles to the Ross Lake Dam trailhead. 810 State Route 20 Heatmap of where riders jump on trails. Before we knew it we had reached Devils Creek. Just across the bridge is a junction with the Canyon Creek Trail (USFS #736); bear left to stay on the East Bank Trail. The East Bank Trail entails very moderate elevation gains. At one point we heard murmuring along the shoreline and were shocked to discover a voyageur canoe with 12 paddlers inside slowly paddling past us.

The main trail goes north, climbing gradually through the forested notch of Hidden Hand Pass. At 2.8 miles (4.5 km) there is a trail junction. 50.0 km Didnt realize they were so rare until after I published the post and someone commented on FB. Search by Activity It was many miles of wooded valley floor, which can be beautiful in its own right, but I had been hoping for some vistas. The road is generally gated at the U.S.-Canada border from October to May each year. updates, images, or resources. 50K, 5,500 of Elevation Gain: Boat shuttle to Hozemeen Camp at the far north end of Ross Lake. Another issue for early season travellers is that this trail is accessed by highway 20 which is gated in winter at Ross Dam about 5 miles west of the trailhead for this hike. The farthest north they could take me was Lightning Creek. Thankfully no one was actually bitten, but Greg and I did find about a dozen ticks on our clothing!

Avenza Maps is a trademark of Avenza Systems Inc. 31.1 mi At Highway 20 runners are shuttled back to base-camp. Since the water levels in the lake were low (the lake level is controlled by a dam), the drop off down to the water was quite dramatic. You can get more info about tick bite prevention and tick removal from Healthlink BC. The water levels of the lake are lower in the winter and spring (they fill up the lake like a giant bathtub so that everyone can play on the 4th of July). The only highlights of the hike in were the creek crossings: an unbridged crossing of Roland Creek that required a boots-off ford or creative rock hopping and a log bridge with a missing railing over May Creek. I found your post while looking to identify the peaks above Ross Dam for an old photo from a trip to Ross Lake. , Unfortunately, Ross Lake is still too low for the water taxi to get all the way to Hozomeen Campground. Do you see a problem with this trail data? One minute I was on a loud boat zooming across the water.

One word of caution: lots and lots of ticks. While registrations can be transferred, Aspire does not issue refunds. Willow Lake is a long shallow basin, a perfect habitat for marshy plants, mammals, birds, and insects. There are no activities scheduled at this location. Trailforks users anonymized public ridelogs from the past 6 months. I found 2 in my tent, 3 on my dog, and 1 crawling up my leg (I brushed it off before it got me). Photo by NPS Photo/Deby Dixon. 934.92 m Down, 32.9 mi Not long after leaving camp the trail rounded a corner, passed under a fallen tree and emerged on a ledge next to the lake. 2,022' Up Save the current map location and zoom level as your default home location whenever this page is loaded.

98284, Download the official NPS app before your next visit.

Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. 13,022' Down It looked just like the one shown here: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/allotropa_virgata.shtml. A part of a continuous 1,200-mile trail route that links the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (NST) and Pacific Crest NST with the Pacific Ocean. At mile 16 (26 km) the trail leaves Ross Lake to follow Lightning Creek into a remote mountain valley. The East Bank Ross Lake trail, while not the most stunning route in the North Cascades, is appealing in part because its almost exactly 50k from end-to-end (a common ultra distance), and also because its relatively low-elevation and therefore tends to melt out before many other trails in the area. The log trapper's cabin here is maintained as an historic structure and is not open for public use.

It is completely snow-free, and there were exactly three blowdowns in 31 miles. Another option for access to this trail is via Ross Lake Resort water-taxi service. We also found that the latches on two of the three bear lockers at the campsite we stayed at were broken (something that the rangers will likely fix once the busy season starts). Awesome, glad the TR helped and that you enjoyed the critters. Ross Lake is often considered to be a great boating destination but I think on this trip we discovered its a great shoulder season backpacking destination too. 3,932' Down I actually saw TWO pine martens. Privacy and Cookie Policy, https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/#b_start=0&c5=Map&c11=Green+Trails+Maps&c7=Northwest%2FWA. During Covid, well be encouraging pods and social distancing in camp and on the trail.

From here a side trail heads toward Desolation Peak.The main trail turns east into the valley of Lightning Creek, switchbacking steeply upward and affording excellent and final views of Ross Lake before dropping into the secluded valley. Hardcopy paper versions of Map 16 are available from Mountaineers Books. The story goes that three young prospectors were well up that canyon when they realized that they had been duped by a "hot tip" which caused them to leave their claim on Ruby Creek. Email us to set one up abram@aspireadventurerunning.com. Gray wolves have been observed in this area. Backcountry Camping: A backcountry permit is required for all overnight stays. The boat-in sites are the most popular and therefore the busiest. (LogOut/

Finally, I know I already mentioned it, but I gotta talk about it again: the ticks. Join me as I share my adventures and empower you to feel as comfortable in the outdoors as I do. Log in and send us On Saturday morning we all slept in and then made a huge breakfast of pancakes and bacon around a smoky campfire. Walk the Wildside Trail on Flores Island: Trip Report.

*Payment plans are available for every trip. They are the worst in sunny areas that are brushy. View of the North Cascades. Camping in the North Cascades. Since Ross Lake used to be a river valley before it was dammed, the beach was actually a forest of sun bleached stumps exposed at low water. Im used to more questions about where Im going, how long will I be out there, am I alone, how far am I going, etc. Both the 50K and 25K distances will be limited to groups of 11 runners for a total of 22 in our basecamp. The water taxi drop-off was different. This trail is called the East Bank trail since it follows the east bank of Ross Lake, but we soon discovered that even though the trail follows the shoreline, it is often a few hundred meters inland from the lake.

document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); and I'm Happiest Outdoors. This is an enchanting place.

Shuttle back to base-camp. Gooood morning. A short spur trail to Ross Lake and designated campsites goes west, and the steep Little Jack Mountain Trail heads northeast. 10,892' Up Avenza Systems Inc. 2022. In spring and summer the ticks come out. 689.72 m Down.

Too idyllic to pass up.

Every year we have at least one runner who due to injury, illness, or personal/familial circumstances can not participate in their registered trip. The run/hike towards Hozomeen Camp was fine, although I definitely hit a low point when the trail cut away from the lake. The next minute I found myself in complete silence, 16 miles up Ross Lake. Tax ID: 27-3009280. After an initial evening dinner, orientation, and overnight at the Colonial Creek Campground, runners are shuttled via water taxi to the trailhead, and run their way, lakeside, back to a well-stocked basecamp finish. This is truly a place to protect and appreciate.A three mile (5 km) gradual descent brings the hiker to trail's end at Hozomeen Campground. Because its early season, there was absolutely no one else around but me and Maggie. My book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia, is available now. There are numerous designated camps along this trail, including stock camps and boat-in sites. It was a bit faster than the way in since our packs were a bit lighter and since we had already cleared a lot of the brush. (LogOut/ This is a favorite vehicle access camping and fishing area on the north end of Ross Lake at the US-Canadian Border.

The trail twists and turns with the curves of the lake for over a kilometre. Its low elevation makes it a good early or late season hike. I'm at the tail end of covid and going slightly stir crazy. This quiet place was the scene of a gold rush in the 1880s, with every foot taken up in placer claims.

1757.22 m Down, 9.5 mi One might wonder about the implications of these names. May you find somebody who loves you as much as Sadie loves snow zoomies. The trail crews that originally built this trail blasted away sections of rock and shored up the footbed of the trail with rocks and timbers to make a ledge right along the lakeshore.