West Fork Foss River and Lakes — Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024

I've been sleeping on this trail since it looked on a map like a boring access path for more interesting higher terrain and I'd usually rather hike something that started straight uphill. I was wrong. It is nice interesting trail tread and not a boring old logging road. It has the fattest douglas fir i've maybe ever seen on this side of Puget Sound a short ways up the path. At this time of year, and in this grey weather, it has many lovely moody views of the sheer rocky peaks all around. And after the lake it's waterfall after waterfall. It was a lovely rainy ramble.

I went up to 3000 ft where there was a 5ft diameter log across the path + it was my turn-around time + I didn't like the traction on my boots to scramble it. but it did look climbable for the determined, with some well-placed limbs a bit downhill for footholds. However at this point there is a decent view uphill of what must be Malachite Falls? so I considered that a satisfactory Destination.

0-5 inches of inconsistent wet slush above the first lake. Raining. No ice. Brush was barely starting to weigh down and lean over the trail. An intrepid party could probably still make Malachite Lake with more daylight than me (started after 1pm). Carried and did not use snowshoes and microspikes. Snow cover wasn't consistent enough for them to be anything but tripping hazards.

Road: a bit slippery with mud and slush, some potholes to dodge, but currently suitable for all vehicles to TH. there was a skinny rotten tree blocking the road but I kicked all the branches off so I could drag it mostly out of the way.