East Bank Ross Lake — Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2016

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

With Fridays reopening of the North Cascades Highway, we wanted some of that areas fresh wilderness air and a trail to refresh our hiking legs, but was below the snow line. East Bank Trail fit the bill. This trail has several minor creek crossings. After dropping 200 ft from the parking lot located between mileposts 138 and 139 on Highway 20, it crosses Ruby Creek, where you come to a junction. Turning left the trail gains 900 feet in 6.8 RT to Hidden Hand, with its beautiful vistas of Ross Lake and Sourdough Mountain. It was our turn around point but the trail does continue on to Desolation Peak. The trail was mostly duff with some blow downs. We saw no others.