West Fork Foss River and Lakes

 

Left: Green Insect on Angelica; Right: Google Earth Hike KML for West Fork Foss River


Hike Notes

Length: 15* miles roundtrip (WTA reports it as 13.0)
Duration: 9.25 hours
Elevation Gain: 5,841 ft (starting 1,658 ft, max 4,938 ft)
Location: Central Cascades, Stevens Pass West

* We recorded 15 miles because we took the detour to Lake Malachite, and we walked a bit further around Big Heart Lake. Our measurements come from a Canon GPS logger.

Our third day hike of the 2014 season and a tough one at that. We had sunny skies, warm temperatures, lakes, incredible terrain, and relatively few mosquitoes, what’s not to like about that. On the hike, we visited five lakes, in order: Trout Lake (elev. 2,000 feet), Lake Malachite (4,098 feet), Copper Lake (3,961 feet), Little Heart Lake (4,204 feet), and Big Heart Lake (4,545 feet). In our opinion, Copper Lake is the prettiest and most accessible.

Plants and Fungi
[Family] Genus species (Common name)

[Pteridaceae] Adiantum aleuticum (Western Maidenhair Fern)
[Asteraceae] Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting)
[Apiaceae] Angelica genuflexa (Kneeling Angelica)
[Cladoniaceae] Cladonia macilenta (Lipstick Cladonia)
[Orchidaceae] Corallorhiza mertensiana (Western Coralroot - Orchid)
[Ericaceae] Elliottia pyroliflorus (Copperbush)
[Rosaceae] Geum macrophyllum (Large-leaved Avens)
[Ericaceae] Hypopitys monotropa (Pinesap, Dutchman’s Pipe)
[Liliaceae] Lilium columbianum (Columbia Lily)
[Caprifoliaceae] Linnaea borealis (Twinflower)
[Lobariaceae] Lobaria pulmonaria (Lungwort)
[Scrophulariaceae] Penstemon serrulatus (Cascades Penstemon)
[Lamiaceae] Prunella vulgaris (Self-heal)
[Rosacaea] Rubus lasiococcus (Dwarf Bramble)
[Rosaceae] Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry)
[Rosaceae] Rubus spectablis (Salmonberry)
[Adoxaceae[ Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry)
[Asteraceae] Senecio triangularis (Arrow-leaved Groundsel)
[Rosaceae] Sorbus sitchensis (Sitka Mountain-Ash)
[Liliaceae] Stenanthium occidentale (Mountainbells)
[Rosaceae] Spirea douglasii
[Rosaceae] Spirea spendens (S. densiflora)
[Saxifragaceae] Tiarella trifoliata (Foamflower)
[Melanthiaceae] Xerophyllum tenax (Bear Grass)

Butterfly: Parnassius clodius (Clodius Parnassian)


Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting)

A Bug’s Single Bar: Kneeling Angelica

Trout Lake


Malachite Lake


Copper Lake


Little Heart Lake


Big Heart Lake

Viewing Malachite Lake Behind the Photographer (miniature effect) and a Tree Hugger on the West Fork Foss River?


Corallorhiza mertensiana (Western Coralroot - Orchid)

Left: Adiantum aleuticum (Western Maidenhair Fern); Right: Vaccinium ovalifolium?


Left: Elliottia pyroliflorus (Copperbush); Center: Geum macrophyllum (Largeleaf Avens); Right: Sambucus racemosa (Red Elderberry)



Right: Hypopitys monotropa (Pinesap, Dutchman's Pipe); Right: Lilium columbianum


Penstemon serrulatus? (Cascades penstemon)


Left: Rubus lasiococcus (Dwarf Bramble); Right: Prunella vulgaris (Selfheal)

Left: Rubus parviflorus (Thimbleberry) Immature Fruit; Right: Rubus spectablis (Salmonberry) Flower

Senecio triangularis (Arrow-leaved Groundsel) Leaves and Flower


Left: Sorbus at Lake Malachite; Right: Thistle Trailside


Left: Spirea douglassi (hardhack); Right: Spirea spendens (by Lake Malachite)


Stenanthium occidentale (Mountainbells)


Tiarella trifoliata (Foamflower)