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Alpinejo.tripod.com: Backcountry Trails Guide
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Washington Backcountry Trails

Looking down Delta Lake from southern cliff

Crossing the outlet from Malchite and Copper Lakes

The logs you can shimmy across the Malachite and Copper lakes outlet on

Delta Lake

Delta Lake Loop

Delta lake

Definition of terms below
Location: Alpine Lake Wilderness 
Directions: Head up Hwy 2 on the west side of Stevens Pass, take the No 68 Foss River road, then continue to the trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous bushwhack to lakes
Elevation +/- 6000 ft elevation loss to lake
Distance: 15+  Miles Roundtrip
Rating: 10 out of 10
Fishing: Awesome, take a raft these lakes are big
Scenery: Rugged bushwhacking 
Map: Printable Topo Map

 

Delta Lake was a great bushwhack and is well worth a weekend visit. We opted for a 3 night stay in various spots. We were the only ones down there. I had looked down on Delta Lake a couple of times from the Big Heart outlet and always wanted to give it a try.

The trail starts off level but makes up for it after going by Trout Lake. Then just as you start to make the turn to go up a  bunch of switchbacks on your way up to Malachite Lake, you say good-bye to the trail for a couple of days.

Drop down to the West Fork of the Foss River and start hiking up along it, generally on the west side of the river. We bushwhacked up the valley to Delta spent the night, we were the only ones down there. Day two we headed up the valley to Otter Lake, Angeline Lake then spent another night at Big Heart. It was Otter that has the 'rock oven' I think. Our bushwhack from Otter to Angeline was the hardest -side hilling with a full pack, raft, oars. Day three we hike all the way out via Big Heart Lake, Little Heart Lake, Copper Lake, Malachite Lake and Trout Lake trail.

But as I look back on it, the beauty of this area ranks up with the Wind River Range in Wyoming and Glacier in Montana- plus we did not see another person until our 3rd day up at Big Heart Lake.

Otter and Angeline Lakes are enormous and I hope to get back up there, maybe a through hike to Salmon La Sac and have a car there to drive home.

Fishing-- Awesome numerous 10 + inch fish, try fishing by the outlet and where the upper stream comes in.

 Do it again? you bet!



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Although Alpinejo.tripod.com provides backcountry trail reports, you are responsible for your own safety. We will not accept any responsibility for injuries or rescues that may take place after reading this information.


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