The hike up to Monogram Lake is both tough and rewarding! Up, up, up, the trail goes. It was rainy all morning. We didn't see too many people on the the trail.

We had planned to go to Lookout Mountain first, but opted for the lake, due to the rain, which we figured would not be good for views. The lake alone was enough for one day.  The forest trail is gorgeous--classic North Cascades.

Once we got above the treeline, things really opened up. Expansive, green hillsides. The wildflowers are still in bloom--a great assortment. Some of the patches of lupine and paintbrush were particularly abundant. I could've spent all day eating the blueberries.

We didn't see the lake until we were almost right on top of it, due to clouds and fog. But once things cleared up, it turned out to be really special, with cliffs all around it. I could spend many hours there.

I really liked this hike because it is relatively close (the trailhead is a few miles past Marblemount on the Cascade River Road); the climb is very tough and not to be underestimated, like I kind of did (ugh); the solitude; and the trail above treeline is open and wild.

I came into the area looking for a short hike for the day and stopped at the first trailhead and started climbing. The trail is steep but in very good shape except for some overgrowth in the avalanche chute area where I brushed up against a number of nettles. The weather was good, the forest was quiet and I passed two hikers going in for an overnight. Other than that the trail was all mine. I found bolete mushrooms at all elevations but most were well beyond their prime.  The views were beautiful on the upper ridge and the meadows were still carpeted with wildflowers (lupine, monkey, paintbrush, bistort, elephant heads, asters, yellow violets). 

I forgot to mention that this wasn't an easy or short hike at all  Over 4000 ft elevation gain makes it quite difficult, but well worth it in my book.

Short summary: Stayed Friday night at the lookout and Saturday night at the lake. Trail muddy at parts but in good shape. No snow. Few blowdowns but easily passable. Bugs light-medium. One bear sighting in meadow descending into monogram lake. Wildflowers are in full bloom. Fishing is SUPERB at monogram lake. For a sunny weekend, I was stunned at how few people were on this trail. 10/10 backpacking experience.

In my opinion this hike is EASILY capable of rivaling some of the best and most popular hikes in the cascades. Do this hike if you are looking for a little more solitude, a good workout, and an unforgettable backcountry experience.

Day 1 at the lookout: My buddies and I (party of 4) departed from the trailhead around noon on Friday 7/19. There were only two other cars at the trailhead despite the terrific weather. Two of us reached the lookout in about three hours, and the other two took about four and half hours. As you probably know, this trail goes straight up the entire time and will have you physically depleted by the end- but boy is it worth it. Be sure to fill up water at the river 2.5mi in if you are staying overnight at the lookout, as there are not many good options beyond it. After finally emerging from the dense tree cover, you are offered a very distance glimpse of the lookout- its depressing to say the least. We didn’t find it to be much of a “tease” as WTA describes it- it looks REALLY FAR away the first time you can see it! At least now have beautiful meadows bursting with wildflowers to take your mind off the aching legs and endless switchbacks. Once at the lookout, we saw only one other party. They were a couple traveling from New Zealand, and were generous enough to repeatedly offer to share the lookout space with us, but we opted to pitch our tent on an area of dead grass below the lookout instead. Props to the person maintaining this lookout, it’s in pristine condition with several cool artifacts and books to flip through- I will certainly be donating some $$$. The sweeping panoramic views from the lookout (and the accompanying sunset), in my opinion, is better than the nearby Cascade Pass/Sahale Arm and Hidden Lake. Simply stunning. There’s a good chance you will have the lookout to yourself on a mid-week day, I simply don’t understand why this isn’t a more popular hike.

Day 2 at the lake: After packing up camp, we enjoyed the views from the lookout one last time before heading to Monogram lake. After reaching the junction, it took us about 1.5hrs to reach the lake. My favorite part of the entire weekend was traversing through the beautiful meadow descending down to the lake. Simply stunning. This is also where we saw one black bear, rummaging in the bushes 40 yards to the left on the hillside right before the lake. In case the meadows, wildflowers, epic mountain views, and wildlife sightings weren’t enough- the lake itself has a lot to offer. Multiple options for day hiking (devils peak, lookout), minimal bugs, and some of the best backcountry fishing I have ever experienced. After backing frequently for several years, I can think of only one other lake that rivaled this quality of fishing. With a simple spoon trout lure, we were catching 10-12 inch rainbow trout on almost every cast. Beautiful fish. Occasionally we would catch a small one, but we were pleasantly surprised overall at how large some of the fish were. We didn’t, but they are totally big enough to fry up and eat if you’re into that. There were definitely more bugs here than the lookout, but still fairly minimal. At sundown, what seemed like 100 trillion gnats came out which was annoying, but they quickly went away when it started to get dark. Not many mosquitos, but some. From the far end of the lake, if you climb up on the rocks you can see the lookout in the distance, it looks majestic and will have you wondering how your legs managed to get you there. A few hammock spots available, but not as many as I was imagining.

Day 3: Took our party 2.5-3hrs to reach the trailhead from the lake. I would highly recommend Birdsview brewing company on the way home. A nice selection of beer, good food, and live music was an awesome way to wrap up the weekend. 

Happy hiking!

One lonely car was parked at the Lookout Mountain parking area when my wife dropped off me and Mike, my bushwhacking companion and former elite rock climber. On the long drive up in the rain the day before she had regaled Mike and myself with tales of when she and Mike's wife 15 years before had camped at Monogram lake and then wandered up easy heather slopes to the ridge and almost to Little Devil Peak. She assured up the swimming in the lake had been great. Due to the rain of the day before Mike and I were on plan B which was to hike up to the ridge above Monogram lake on the easy heather slopes and see but not climb Little Devil Peak. The trail up to the turnoff to Monogram lake was in excellent shape and we made good time . We met one couple who had spent the night in the lookout during the rainstorm. One women they met had been at Monogram Lake recently and sighted four bears. The Monogram Lake trail was snow free but still steep. Following the trail we dropped over the ridge above the lake and looked for the easy heather slopes leading up to the ridge. Instead we saw tall wet huckleberries on steep slopes. As no bears were in sight we pushed off into the huckleberries. After a thrash we encountered some intermittent talus gullies which we followed up to the ridge. We scrambled up some nice granitic blocks to a  6,404 foot bump on the ridge. After eating lunch and watching the low clouds roll in and out over the ridge and lake we decided to upgrade the bump on the ridge to a summit and name it Little Devil's Child. We then headed down to Monogram Lake and actually found the easy dry heather slopes. We were enjoying our descent until the heather slopes stopped 300 feet above Monogram Lake. Again we faced steep slippery huckleberry slopes. With frequent use of backside huckleberry glissades I made it down to  the lake and the trail. A bald eagle flew over the lake to welcome us. On the long hike out I had time to reflect on the amazing women and men who have actually climbed Little Devil Peak in a single day. At the trail head my wife who had enjoyed splendid views at Cascade Pass and seen 15 mountain goats was waiting. How were those lovely easy heather slopes guys she cheerfully asked ?

Had a great overnight solo trip up to Monogram Lake. The sign at the start is no joke, this is a steep hike but manageable with a little will power. Trail was in great condition with the exception of the clearing before the junction right after the switchbacks; here it was a little overgrown and unfortunately stinging nettles were present. On my way up 2 groups had reported seeing a bear in the area, one from the Lookout and another from the Lake; with berries starting to come in near the lake I'd expect to see them more often. The avalanche field, the views coming down into the Lake, and the Lake itself were all gorgeous. I had the whole place to myself the entire time I was up there, with the exception to a local doe that seemed to enjoy hanging around. Fish were biting. This is an excellent alternative to the more popular Thornton Lakes.