TravelMarx: Tuck and Robin Lakes Hike

Left: View of Hyas Lake; Right: Hike Route with Elevation Profile

Hike Notes

Length: 13.8* miles (WTA reports it as 14 miles roundtrip)
Duration: 8.5 hours (9:30 am – 6:00 pm)
Elevation Gain: 3,700 ft (total), 6,273 ft max elevation, starting @ 3,383 ft (WTA: Absolute gain: 2900 ft. Highest Point: 6300 ft.)
Location: Snoqualmie Pass -- Salmon La Sac/Teanaway

Our fourth day hike of the 2014 season and we were off to new hiking terrain in the Salmon La Sac / Central Cascades area. To the west was last week’s hike, West Fort Foss River Hike, and to the east, some of our other Central Cascade hikes (2012 Lake Caroline, 2013 Central Cascades– Colchuck Lake / Aasagard Pass Hike, and 2012 Ingalls Creek Trail - Butterflies and Balsamroot). The hike divided itself into three parts:

The lower part from the trailhead to the turn off to Tuck Lake, which includes walking along Hyas Lake. In this part there are lots of interesting plants to look at as well as views west toward Cathedral Rock.
The middle part is the grind up to Tuck Lake. This trail (1376A), is not well maintained, hot (no breeze), and with not much to look at. We didn’t feel safe or inspired to pull out our camera to photograph anything in this section of the hike. We were too busy minding the trail.
The upper part is from Tuck Lake to Robin Lakes. Yes a scramble in parts (we measured 56% incline at one point), but views and breezes reward you. On the way up to Robin Lakes, over the granite slabs, the plants get much more interesting to look at, including some from the genera Phlox, Lewisii, Veronica, and Polygonum. At Robin Lakes, you’ll find plenty of subapline plants, including some from the genera Antennaria, Dodecatheon, Micranthes, and Kalmia.

Our non-flower pictures are a bit bland because it was a pretty gray day. Thunder and occasional lightening hounded us all the way on the hike. We were rained on twice, once briefly and once for about 10-15 minutes. (Love our rain ponchos!)

Plants

Along Hyas Lake – Lower regions ~3500 feet. Images below list.

[Ranunculaceae] Aconitum colubianum (Columbian monkshood)
[Ranunculaceae] Aquilegia formosa (Red Columbine)
[Pyrolaceae] Chimaphila umbellata (Prince’s Pine, Pipsissewa)
[Caprifoliaceae] Linneae borealis (Twinflower)
[Phrymaceae] Mimulus lewisii (Lewis’ Monkeyflower)
[Scrophulariaceae] Pedicularis racemosa (Sickletop Lousewort)
[Orchidaceae] Platanthera dilatata (White Bog Orchid, Bog Candle)
[Rosaceae] Rubus spectablis (Salmonberry)
[Lamiaceae] Stachys cooleyae (Cooley’s Hedge-Nettle)

Robin Lakes, subalpine ~6100 feet. Images below list.

[Asteraceae] Antennaria lanata (Woolly Pussytoes)
[Ericaceae] Cassiope mertensia (Mertens’ Mountain Heather)
[Primulaceae] Dodecatheon jeffreyi (Jeffrey’s Shootingstar)
[Ericaceae] Kalmia microphylla (Westernn Bog Laurel; Alpine Laurel)
[Montiaceae] Lewisia columbiana (Columbia Lewisia)
[Rosaceae] Luetkea pectinata (Patridgefoot)
[Saxifragaceae] Micranthes ferruginea (Rusty Saxifrage)
[Scrophulariaceae] Pedicularis ornithorhyncha (Bird’s Beak Lousewort)
[Scrophulariaceae] Penstemon davidsonii (Davidson’s Penstemon)
[Polemoniaceae] Phlox diffusa (Spreading Phlox)
[Ericaceae] Phyllodoce empetriformis (Pink Mountain-Heather)
[Polygonaceae] Polygonum bistortoides (Western Bistort)
[Rosaceae] Potentilla flabellifolia (High Mountain Cinquefoil)
[Plantaginaceae] Veronica cusickii (Cusick’s Speedwell)
[Ericaceae] Vaccinium deliciosum (Cascade Blueberry)

Left: Aconitum colubianum (Columbian monkshood); Right: Stachys cooleyae (Cooley’s Hedge-Nettle)

Left: Mimulus lewisii (Lewis’ Monkeyflower); Right: Rubus spectablis (Salmonberry)

Left: Platanthera dilatata (White Bog Orchid, Bog Candle); Right: Chimaphila umbellata (Prince’s Pine, Pipsissewa)

Left: Linneae borealis (Twinflower); Right: Kalmia microphylla (Westernn Bog Laurel; Alpine Laurel)

Left: Dodecatheon jeffreyi (Jeffrey’s Shootingstar); Right: Lewisia columbiana (Columbia Lewisia)

Left: Luetkea pectinata (Patridgefoot); Right: Micranthes ferruginea (Rusty Saxifrage)