This spectacular trail has been made even better by the 1994 completion of the loop trail around Lake Ann. The new section follows the knife edge of a ridge between two lakes, cresting at 7000' atop a rock ledge overlooking Lake Ann. The views from the trail are better than from the ridgetop destination that was once the end of the trail.
Photo: Lake Ann from the original Heather Pass Trail.
At the apex of the loop (visible in the photo, upper right), while I was sunning and snapping photos of the mountain ranges in the distance, I met a hiker in his seventies. When I mentioned the Mt. Baker lodge, a beautiful stone-and-timbers building near the ski area, he responded "Yeah, the CC Boys built that. We built lots of the lodges you see nowadays." He had been with the Civil Conservation Corps during the depression, doing backbreaking work for two dollars a day. "They gave you three dollars a week," he said, "and sent the rest to your family." What a job!
Stats: 7 miles with considerable elevation gain. High point 6900'. You won't find this trail on any pre-1995 maps, but if you take the trail from the rest area to Heather Pass, then continue along the ridge, you'll find the completion of the loop...just look up.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.
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