Washington Cascades || The Alpine Lakes High Route

Three glorious days on the Alpine Lakes High Route (Aug 26-28). Washington's Alpine Lake Wilderness covers a swatch of rugged terrain in the southern section of the North Cascades. The region is most famous for the Enchantments, but the Alpine Lakes High Route covers an entirely different, almost-as-epic section to the west of the Cascade divide. Huge glacial lakes, rugged peaks, alpine meadows, granite wandering, bush-whacking, pristine trout, and beautiful, beautiful swimming... the Alpine Lakes High Route has got it all.
Order of swimming holes and lakes: Middle Copper Falls, Malachite Lake, Copper Lake, Little Big Heart Lake, Big Heart Lake, Tourmaline Tarn, Little Chetwoot Lake, Chetwoot Lake, Iron Cap Lake, North Tank Lakes, South Tank Lakes, Foehn Lake, Emerald Lake, Jade Lake, un-Named tributary.

[@jameshunt1221]

Thanks, good times.

[@tllogan59]

Gorgeous, you animals.

[@evanearhart8847]

Epic! Keep up the vlog, good stuff!

[@unjarredoutdoors5513]

Great adventure with incredible swimming holes! Anyone pass you doing c2c?

[@pinetarsavage]

On Day 1, one person turned around on the boulder field as it got dark! That was it. Only saw three parties between Big Heart Lake and Tank Lakes at all. Definitely awesomely empty back there, unlike the Enchantments. Although weekday Enchantments still isn't too bad. Much more difficult than the Enchantments through-hike.

[@hellogoodwin]

Nice! What month and year was this? I’m planning a trip around weather/snowpack

[@NattyBurr]

August 26-28! There should be a plenty big snowpack-less window. Get psyched!

[@amyuberhaag9499]

Headed here in4 weeks, what did you think about the Bushwack from chetwood to Iron Cap Gap/Lakes and its decent. Your video is the only one that didn't look tortuously hard. Thoughts ...we actually have 6days, and then headed to maybe get a day permit in the Enchantments, unless you have other recomendations. Coming from Michigan.

[@NattyBurr]

Oof, it's hard to say. It's all a matter of perspective. I will say we did an incredible job staying on the correct route during this section. Chetwoot -> Iron Cap is mostly a long but stable boulder field. Iron Cap -> Tank Lakes has some not very fun steep bushwhacks, which I thought were the most annoying/sketchiest parts. However, I spend a lot of time traipsing around the North Cascades, so overall I thought it wasn't too bad. If you're coming from Michigan... yeah I mean it's definitely unlike anything out there I'm guessing hah.

[@NattyBurr]

I could give you a lot of recommendations, but you can't go wrong with Tank, Chetwoot (and the ones leading up to it), or the Enchantments. You don't need a permit for the Enchantments if you are only going up for the day (well, self-issued at TH), and you'll want to make sure to set up a car shuttle if through-hiking (whereas this route can be a loop). The Enchantments is definitely easier than the Alpine Lakes High Route.

[@kunaalabhyankar2768]

Wanted to try over July 5th weekend, do you think the trail would be ready? Thanks for a great video man

[@NattyBurr]

@@kunaalabhyankar2768 hard to say. There will probably be some snow on the boulder field traverse, based on the USFS Snow Levels Map. Check that out. Hard to say exactly how much and how that would affect travel. Doesn't seem like any trip reports have come out this year on AllTrails. Different FB groups like WHC or Peakbaggers sometimes can have up-to-date beta as well.

[@kunaalabhyankar2768]

@@NattyBurr thanks I called the ranger station today and they said to expect snow but for it to be doable. Planning on waiting another week then giving it a go, appreciate it bro!