Desolation Peak — Friday, Sep. 3, 2004

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

I went with a friend half way up this trail - cloudy weather made views not-so-hot, so we came down after lunch at a spot with a nice view. For those who want to hike the trail by lake access, note that there is no landing at the trailhead like the ones at many campgrounds along the lake, just a small semi-sheltered area where you can tie up to some logs. We found the trailhead by seeing a sign for it that faces the water. A topo map helped get us in the vicinity to look for it. The trail itself is steep but in excellent condition. If you have a boat, be sure to float up some of the tributary inlets to the lake in this area - Lightning Cr, Devil's Cr, and places with waterfalls near the lake. Beautiful grottos to hang out and avoid winds/waves on lake.