Specific Location: Approx. 55 miles East of Everett, WA on Hwy. 2.
Total Trip: 7.5-8.0 miles, depending if you can get down the the second lake
Amenities: Low/None
Peak Elevation: Approx. 4600 feet
Difficulty: Moderate/Advanced (Weather dependent)
So after a waaaarm shower, I have completed my journey up Mt. Wet to Lake Blanca :)
First off, let me warn you that this is a drive... I mean, I seriously underestimated how far this was out into the park (90 miles from my house one way), so be ready to leave early. Also, the last 15 miles of the drive out to the trail is gravel, and the last mile of that is gravel that may or may not have used to be a mortar field, so bring an all terrain vehicle or tread lightly.
Once I managed to get out to the trail, I was glad I brought my Coldgear. This late in August is around the time that most of the Mt Baker trails start to get soggy, and with sogginess be prepared to get cold and wet. Then again, this is Washington... you should already be used to it! I also have to mention that, in contrast to the previous trail, there is nowhere to pay for parking at this site... go online before your trip and either purchase a single day forest pass, or get a seasonal pass if you plan to trek more than one trail in a Washington State National Park.
The trail begins with a registration box (basic hiking safety... put your name, time started, time expected to finish, and zip code minimum! I also put my blood type, but I'm exceptionally paranoid). After that, you proceed into the forest itself.
The first three miles of this hike are by far the greatest challenge of the entire thing. If you can get through this, you will have no problem with anything ahead of you. However, the first three miles is pretty much a steady 30-50 degree incline the entire way up. The trail is well maintained and defined, but littered with roots, so watch your feet (they get particularly slick when wet). A helpful tip is to spend this time enjoying the nature around you... there isn't much of the rest of the park available for viewing until you get to the top of the mountain. However, there are some neat old-growth trees and some unusual growth patterns in the newer trees, so if you are a nature buff you will enjoy it.
After what seems like the 5000th bend in the trail, you will see a large clearing to the west giving you a pretty good view of the forest. Unfortunately, by the time I reached this point it was fairly foggy out there, but if you get there earlier than I did you will likely get some good shots.
At mile 3 you will run into a clearing. There are several meadows at the top of this hill that have a lot of different growth in them, and one spot in particular has been cleared out for camping purposes. It appears big enough for at least two or three tents, so if you want a good staging point without having to camp before the hard climb up, this is your best bet.
As you proceed about another 500 meters forward you will come to the first small lake along this path. This was the only lake I was able to view in my hike due to some NASTY trail conditions ahead (I'll explain in a bit), but it was still very interesting. It appears there might be a few small fish in this lake, but certainly nothing you wouldn't throw back anyway.
As I previously mentioned, I was unable to make it down to the main lake. This was a decision I made primarily because I was alone. The trail leading down to this lake is only about a half mile, but you will cover a 600 foot vertical decline in this time, making this trail exceptionally steep. In addition to this, the trail is poorly defined and very slick when wet, which means that if you did not come with proper gear you are risking your safety even attempting it under less than excellent conditions. I had the proper gear with me to safely navigate the trail but chose not to because a) it was getting dark and b) there was nobody else on the mountain. Overall, this trail is a buddy system one... I wouldn't consider it difficult, but the company would just give one peace of mind.
The climb back down the mountain is really easy, but the wet weather made the need to be meticulous about where I stepped even more apparent. As always have a flashlight or three on you... had I made the descent even 15 minutes later it would have been necessary to use one, as the canopy blocks a lot of light even in the late afternoon.
Overall this was a moderate trail in terms of difficulty, but that could have been attributed to the weather. It gave me a good chance to test the limitations of my gear and made me think about investing in some thermal gear for the months ahead. If you have the time to make the drive, I would recommend this trail :)
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