Trout Lake

On November 20, an early Tuesday morning, Sue Ann called to get the hiking group together for a hike that day. It was short notice, but at this time of year with this type of weather, it is the only way to fit hiking in. One takes advantage of sunny nice days. It turned out to be our last hike of the year.

Joyce and I had errands to run in the morning so we could not meet Bill and Sue Ann until 11 am.

The Trout Lake trail head is at the NW corner of Lake McDonald. It is on the road that services the private ("inholder") cabins along this part of the lake.

At the point where the road narrows to a single lane of gravel the road was blocked by a "closed" sign. We parked the car and walked along the road. We quickly found out why the road was closed: a half dozen trees had fallen across the road. This part of the forest had been hit hard by beetles that have killed many pine trees. A little wind and over the trees go.

We found many trees across the trail which made travel slow. Some trees had branches broken already by earlier hikers to allow passage; some trees had to be walked around well off the path; some trees Bill and I broke branches to allow passage across the trees and on the path.

Immediately from the trailhead the trail steadily went upwards. My book's description has the section from Lake McDonald to Howe Ridge at 2100 ft and the Howe Ridge to Trout Lake section about 1100 ft. The Howe Ridge to Trout Lake section, while shorter, was mainly switchbacks, and quite steep, for about .8 of the 1.2 miles. The bottom .3 mile from the junction with the Camas Creek trail to the lake was mainly flat. Each side of the ridge appeared to be equally steep.

Due to the steady climb Bill and Joyce hiked slowly. Where the trail crossed a creek bed Joyce told me to not wait for her and Bill, and to hike ahead. I did so eventually catching up to Sue Ann. Together Sue Ann and I hiked to the top.

To give Joyce and Bill a chance to catch up I took time to break large paths through the deadfall or move the smaller trees entirely off the trail as Sue Ann continued to hike up the trail. On the return trip Sue Ann mentioned she wondered if she was on the correct trail as she didn't encounter the same amount of deadfall on the way out as she did on the way in.

Near the top of the ridge there was a light dusting of snow. Just enough to add white to the color palate.

Sue Ann wasn't interested in hiking down to the lake as she dreaded hiking back up from the lake. However I had never been to the lake and wanted to visit it. Joyce and Bill were some time behind us so I convinced Sue Ann to hike down with me.

There were only a half dozen trees across the trail on the west side. Of those I removed three trees from the trail.

Partway down we saw what we thought was Trout Lake. Later as I hiked from the lake back to the top of the ridge the lake confused me as my sense of direction had the lake more to the north.

After checking the maps when I got home I found the lake to be Rogers Lake, a lake to the south of Trout Lake.


Once we got down to level ground near the lake Sue Ann pointed out a large frozen waterfall to our right and back through the trees. I missed it until she pointed it out. Nice.

Trout Lake was much larger than I expected. The fishing lakes in the Park I've seen in the past tend not to be too large, and with a named called "Trout" Lake, I expected a small lake.

The trail arrived at the lake probably near its southern third.

Near the lake was a hitching post to tie one's horses. Apparently people ride up the Camas Creek trail from the Inside North Fork Road as that is supposed to be fairly level, though longer.

The view from the lake was great! On the Park's web site, there are photos of the lake and mountains taken during the summer. Even then it looks nice.

When I visited, the mountains were draped in snow and were even prettier.

Near where the trail came to the lake, logs floated in the lake stretching from shore to shore. It was odd the logs were in the middle of the lake and not along one or other end. Bill had hiked to Trout Lake years ago and he remembered seeing the logs in this same spot back then. He had the same idea as I... "I wonder if one had a good balance if they could cross the lake on the logs?"

The lake had ice on parts of it. No surprise as the temperature was barely above freezing when we hiked.

Sue Ann was concerned about getting back to the car before dark. It gets dark before 5:30 PM now which didn't leave us much time. It was around 2 pm when she and I had first reached the top of Howe Ridge. I was too busy taking photos to ask her the current time when we were at the lake.

Sue Ann decided to start back while I continued to take photos. She said she would go slowly to the top of the ridge to allow me to catch up.

"Fine. Fine. I'll catch up to you after I take some more photos and check out the trail I see along the lake shore."

The trees went right up the lake and a fisherman trail threaded the trees near the shore. I followed the trail much of the way to the southern end. I stopped when the trail got even fainter and when I could see the southern end of the lake.

Back at the 'main' trail I decided to follow a faint fisherman trail north and right next to the lake shore. More great views. After a bit this trail faded out. I found after moving away from the lake and into the trees, the Camas Lake trail which went to Arrow and Camas Lakes. This trail was in very good condition. No tree roots or rocks to trip on.

I decided to go a little further north on the the trail. Then a little further. Then further. I didn't want to turn around and go back. The views of the mountains changed slightly the more I went. I stopped for a while and watched the clouds move across the top of what I believe to be Mt. Vaught. What I think is Heavens Peak could occasionally be seen through a gap in the clouds. Yes, this is the same Heavens Peak one sees from The Loop on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. But now I saw the "backside" of the mountain. I didn't recognize the mountain and never realized it was Heavens Peak until I got home and looked at a map.

I passed an inlet that was completely covered in ice.

Eventually, reluctantly, I stopped. I so wanted to hike further and reach the northern end of the lake. However some time had passed since Sue Ann left and I was sure to get an earful as she does not like to hike alone. And I could see the sun was getting lower in the sky. It is one thing to hike in the dark on a trail in the forest, and another thing to hike on a trail with lots of deadfall to navigate.

I turned around vowing to come again to hike north of Trout Lake.

I moved quickly, but slowly enough, to take in the beauty to last me until next year. I was cold and for some reason my left hand was really cold. I wore a glove and had my hand in my pocket yet it still felt cold.

The switchbacks back to Howes Ridge were steep. Up and up... and up. Before I reached the top I could see the orange ball that was the sun as it went below a mountain.

I forgot the switchback ended about a tenth of a mile below the top of the ridge. My elation at thinking I was at the top was dashed. At I hiked up the last tenth of a mile it felt as if a heavy object was attached to me and I was dragging it up the mountain.

Once I reached the top I moved quicker. I also was no longer cold. In fact I was soaked in sweat from my effort.

In the dusting of snow on the last little bit to the top I had seen Sue Ann's footprints. From the top of the ridge and down I could see Bill and Joyce's tracks. They only hiked to the top of the ridge then went back down.

I ran as much as I could to make up time - and beat the darkness.

Lake McDonald below could be seen in the dusk.

I ran much of the distance only slowing down to cross the deadfall. I was happy I had taken the time to move some of the deadfall as it made the return trip faster.

It was getting dark by the time I reached the car. Joyce had her car's lights on for me to find the car. She and Bill had been back for some time and even walked along the road for a mile. Sue Ann had only returned a short time before I did. Apparently when going around the final deadfall near the trail head she took a nasty fall.

Because of the short notice of the day's hike I had not gathered or brought any food or water with me. I was starving! Joyce shared half of her granola bar with me. Sue Ann had baked and brought cranberry bread and I had a slice. This food had to last me until I got home.

The moon was rising as we drove along Lake McDonald and out of the Park. This is the third month in a row now that we have returned under a full or near full moon from a late hike. But they were all after great hikes.