Troop 24 - The High Adventure Troop

Bridge over Devil's Creek

The Ross Lake Mini-Miler was a four day, three night backpacking trip up and back the East Bank Trail along Ross Lake in the North Cascades National Park. Normally, the highway is gated four miles from the trailhead, but a light snowpack and a mild winter led to the early opening of the highway so that we could do this trail in early April.

In late summer, the water under this bridge would be about 15 feet below this bridge. All winter long, the water level in the lake is lowered in anticipation of the runoff from the spring and summer snow melt. So in April, it's about 90 to 100 feet to the bottom of the canyon. They have signs saying "No Jumping" which seem a little funny but are really intended for when the lake is full.

East Bank Ross Lake Trail

In some places the trail is literally blasted out of the face of a cliff, as shown in the above picture. In late summer, the water level is just a few feet below the trail, but in early spring the trail is not for the faint hearted as it is a sheer drop from the edge of the trail to the lake far, far below.

Bridge over Lightening Creek

This is the bridge at Lightening Creek far up the lake. We camped the second night at Lightening Cr Camp just to the north of the bridge.

View of Ross Lake from Lightening Creek Camp

From our camp was this spectacular view looking south down the length of Ross Lake. This photo shows the extent of the lowered water level and the number of trees that are normally buried later in the summer. This is very beautiful country, and reminds one of a fjord in Norway. It is very crowded in summer with hikers competing with boaters for camp spots. We had it to ourselves on this trip.