Distance: 6.6 mi.
Elevation Gain: 2800 ft.
After hiking to Valhalla Lake and not actually fishing because of the bugs and all the people, I wanted to get back out on Sunday and spend some more time at a lake. It would also be nice to get up a peak too. I had read about some good trips to Lake Louise and Illabot Peaks which had intrigued me for a few years. I was also hoping to check out an approach route to Mt. Chaval as well.
I headed out bright and early toward Darrington and the Suiattle River Road, which always surprises me with it’s smoothness at the beginning. After a few miles I turned left on NF-2640 up Grade Creek. This road is also in surprisingly good shape with almost not potholes or difficulties. It eventually spurs off to the left at 2642, which is actually the main road continuing up to nearly 4400′, easily reachable by any 4 wheeled vehicle.
There is no marked trailhead but the road abruptly ends in a bigger open area where people have clearly camped and burned things. The trail is easy to find on the north end of the parking lot. I started up the trail at 7am and quickly got very wet legs from the dewy bushes. It doesn’t take long to reach some lovely meadows with a few small lakes. I continued on and with minimal effort I found myself at Tupso Lake. It seemed like this might be a nice place to camp but I was the only one in here on this day. I continued on and the trail got a little less distinct but was still easy to follow as it steepened on it’s way up toward the ridge of pt. 5400+. After cresting the ridge I immediately turned east and traversed steep slopes toward the ridge that heads northward. I descended slightly to the small tarns on the map and then more traversing to the north around the next point on the ridge to the 5120′ saddle. From here I had to descend 200′ to a snowfield before heading northwest up gullies to a flat basin.
After the basin there was a slight cliff band to make my way through that isn’t very apparent on the map. I had to ascend steep dirt and pine needles while grasping roots to make my way through. Once above it was more easy grass and heather to the ridge top just west of Illabot Peaks. I had to skirt to the east of some cliffs here and then zig zag myself up a steep area to regain the ridge above 5600′. I eventually found myself on the west ridge of the peak and traversed the south side to where I think others have scrambled up. I was a bit uneasy here and unwilling to commit to some of the harder scramble moves and backed down and looked for options. I eventually made my way all the way around to the northwest side of the summit block on meadowy terrain where there is a gully of kind of crappy orange rock.
I tried to go up this for a bit but it dead ended. I back tracked a bit and noticed a kind of grassy/mossy ramp that headed back to the southwest an up behind some trees. This took a few careful moves initially but then was quite easy with minor bushwhacking. I kept following that southward and after another brief exposed ledge found myself on a nice flat area just west of the summit. From here I had to burrow through some trees but the going was easy the rest of the way. Just below the summit there are some exposed slabs you can climb to the top but again traversing southwest to some trees is again easier and more protected.
I spent some brief time and then back tracked by ascent route, not using the half rope or harness I brought along. I generally followed my path all the way back with a brief exception of heading slightly more eastward on my way back to the snowfield. This was slightly easier I think with more veggie belays than would have been available on the steep dirt and needles I ascended. I eventually found may way to the north side of pt. 5400+ again and decided to descend to Lake Louise.
I eventually found a nice fisherman’s trail and occasional flagging for most of the way down. This lake was pretty amazing and I enjoyed fishing here for quite a while. There were lots of fish I could see in the very clear water and they seemed to take interest in the flies I was tossing them but they just didn’t seem that interested in feeding. I did get one bite from a very large trout I could see but my old line decided to snap on me….I should have started fresh for this year. It still had a lot of fun fishing here and would love to come back when they seem hungrier. I saw some of the biggest alpine trout I have seen in all of Washington.
I eventually made may way back up the rough trail and back down to Tupso Lake encounting the first people I had seen all day, encouraging them to at least go all the way up the ridge where the views were. I briefly fished, seeing a few swim by. It was a similar experience to Lake Louise so I didn’t spend long and headed back to the car.
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Recommended brew: Omnipollo Agamemnon Imperial Stout
Gear:
- Day pack
- Fishing pole
- GPS
- Helmet
- Trail runners
- Trekking poles
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