A frosty peaceful hike. Yes, you read that right. We encountered one other party on the way to Copper Lake, glimpsed another two, and counted one more car than that; no one appears to have gone beyond Copper Lake since this week's snow fall. Is that what scared everybody away' It was a beautiful day. Trail conditions ranged from good to excellent, if you discount the runing water in many spots due to snow melt, and the nice frost in spots. (There's a steep climb on a rock for a short bit leaving Copper Lake which would be fine except for the nice coating of ice!)

Getting there: Drive to the W. Fork Foss River trailhead just past the Skykomish Ranger station on your right (south side of road). The Trail: The trail is in very good shape up to Big Heart Lake. From here the way becomes a little sketchy with numerous cairns to help mark the way up to a high point (between Angeline and Big Heart Lake) at a little tarn in a granite basin. The route then continues down to Chetwoot Lake. At the outlet of the Lake bear to your left up meadows and boulders to the ridge above Chetwoot. Once on the ridge follow it south than eastward toward the summit. There is a beautiful unnamed lake just below the summit with a permanent snowpatch on one end. There is a summit register but this peak doesn't get climbed very often and not at all in 1997. I made a little loop on the descent down the north ridge and on down to the outlet of the little lake and then over the ridge and on back down to Chetwoot Lake. This is a long day trip 8+ hours and some sections of the trail are difficult to negotiate in the dark, until back to Big Heart Lake (at one point I stumbled right into toilet at Little Heart Lake, it was around 10:00 p.m. and there are many way trails around these lakes; it can get confusing trying to determine where the main trail may be!). I got back before mid-night so it was still techincally a day hike, I guess next time I think I'm going to hike 20+ miles that I should start before 3:00! Take care and see ya on the trail, Pilar.

There were very few bugs, and the trail is generally in very good condition, with ongoing work in a few poorly drained areas. Flowers are mostly gone. Many jumping fish, though these are mostly very small (<4"" long) in the less distant lakes. The ascent to Copper was very hot, as usual for this time of year. The Foss lakes area is busy; even mid-week there are quite a few people on the trails, though the numbers decline substantially beyond Copper Lake. Big Heart Lake (midweek) was gorgeous, and nearly deserted. Alex (age 5) liked *all* the lakes (his first backpack!)

The trail is in good condition. Only one windfall was encountered 0.1 miles past the crossing of Malachite Creek. There are a few muddy spots, but the trail is mostly dry and dusty. Water sources are scarce between Trout and Copper Lakes and between Little and Big Heart Lakes. Some snow patches were encountered on the route above Big Heart Lake at 5200 feet. This is not the trail to go looking for solitude on - try shopping at the Sherman Oaks Galleria instead; but one trip on this trail and you'll know why it's so popular. Coral root, columbine, beargrass, Canadian dogwood and heather were seen. There are four full-size trees growing side-to-side next to the trail above Little Heart Lake. All sites at all the lakes are snow-free and dry. NO CAMPFIRES permitted at any of the lakes along this trail or above 4000 feet elevation. Owing to the condition I found the campsites in at Big Heart Lake, I decided to pass on Chetwoot and settle for the ridge instead, knowing that my time would be better utilized at Copper and Little Heart. Good guess; Copper Lake was trashed - little poo piles abounded and there was much litter. This was a cooperative tour in the Skykomish Ranger District. No, I'm not tired of North Bend; it's just nice to see how the other half lives.

started early morning. 1st.1 1/2 to trout lake was dry and easy going. first 1/2 mile after trout lake was ok. after that the trail could use some folage clearing. We saw a ranger ahead of us but did no haking of vegitation at all. Kind of a wast of resorces. rained all day lightly. couldn't see anything. got as far as little big heart lake. took a two hour nap and came back down. pretty long day hike with a full pack.