Conquering West Fork Foss Trail #1064

West Fork Foss Trail #1064

I knew from the day I walked out of the Alpine Lake Wilderness that I would return to see it through. Again, I took the time and planned ahead, reading trail and weather reports. I invested in new gear, an inflatable mattress, a warmer sleeping bag, and an inflatable pillow just to name a few. I was prepared and I was determined. I planned my trip in mid August, nearly six months after my initial trip to the same wilderness. It was later in the season so I was worried that I might have missed something. This would be my longest and highest trip to date. My plan was to make it the distance to Big Heart Lake and then climb one of the highest ridges in the area which sat at 5,359 feet. That would put me some eight hundred feet above Big Heart Lake. My buddies and I set out early on a Friday with the same plan as before, head in and pack out on Sunday. There were three of us Ben Shapiro, Mark Mitchell, and myself. We got to the road leading to trail head once more but instead of snow we had clear roads and good weather. We made it to the trail head with no resistance. Once we got out and threw our packs on I saw that the trail was exposed and easy to follow. A few minutes into the trail we met the river and saw the trail end. We looked around and found some surveyors tape leading to a new crossing since a bridge was out. A downed tree crossed the river and had become a natural bridge. Once we crossed the bridge we continued on and found the trail again with no issues. It seemed like an eternity but we eventually reached Trout Lake.

Trout Lake

Realizing how far we'd come, I knew how far we'd been off on our first trip. We stopped for a brief breather at Trout Lake to take in our surroundings and check the map on our location. Our next stop was Copper Lake, from the topographic lines I could tell that we were in for a climb with an abrubt altitude change over a short distance. We decided we'd rest once we reached Copper Lake since we'd be at about half at that point. We set out towards Copper Lake and very shortly discovered what we were truly in for, switchback after switchback. It was difficult, like climbing stairs for miles with forty pounds of gear strapped to your back. It was an amazing experience but it was exhausting. Half way up we ran into openings in the woods ewhere we could see a huge waterfall. The waterfall, from our best guess, had to be hundreds of feet tall. 

Waterfall seen through the trees

We made the waterfall our goal since we knew we were going to the top of it. The woods continued to play tricks on us bringing us close to the waterfall then back away from it. It made us think we were getting closer than we actually were. After a few hours of climbing we reached the top of the waterfall and we were beat down. 

Me at the top of the waterfall

We continued on after a brief stop at the waterfall and continued to our designated rest stop at Copper Lake. We arrived in a few minutes and stopped Copper Lake. We adressed our situation at this point since the sun was low in the sky. Our knees and backs were tired and sore but we wanted to get as far as possible. We looked at the map again and saw Little Heart Lake was close and we would make that the stop for the night. A slight climb stood between Copper Lake and Little Heart Lake that we were dreading. The rest stop filled me with determination that quickly faded as my joints ached as I climbed up to Little Heart Lake. We passed a few people who were heading out that said we were extremely close which fueled my determination. I passed an old couple which made me really push foreward, if they could make it so could I. We caught the river between Copper Lake and Little Heart Lake and knew we were close. Soon Little Hear Lake came into view and it was amazing. We found a suitable location and set up camp for the night. After being there for bit we realized that the mosquitoes were going to be a problem. They were fierce and relentless since they were multiplying in the puddles of stagnant water all around us. We made a fire that kept them at a distance. We retired to our tents for the evening and woke up early Saturday refreshed and ready to trek the remaining distance. Once we headed back on the trail we ran into our worst nightmare, snow. The trail faded into oblivion and snow took its place. We made a choice at that point to map and compass our way to Big Heart Lake since we were close. We trekked through the unforgiving snow and made it to Big Heart Lake with little trouble. Once we arrived we realized good camping sites were few and far between. We saw a nice ridge directly next to the downslop to the lake as our only opportunity. There was already an older couple close to it so we made sure we asked if they minded our presence and they had no problem with it. Our old friends the mosquitoes quickly returned. I put on as many protective layers as i could and rolled a beenie down over my neck. We set up our camp for the night and ate some food to rejuvenate our systems. We then set our sites on the ridge, our true goal. We had brought some cheap box wine, enough for each of us to have a cup, with us for a celeabration at the top. We packed some food into smaller packs and brought water just incase. We headed out for the top of the ridge. The whole way was covered in snow and there was no trail to follow. We climbed over rocks and ledges in favour of the longer ways around. It took us nearly an hour of climbing but we reached the top. It was worth the climb as we sat "on top of the world" with our box wine. It was an amazing backpacking trip, the next day we packed up and hiked out. Even though it was a success I still learned a few lessons like bringing insect repellent. In the end we were safe and moved together as a team. We took the time to learn and explore so we survived and returned home with no injuries. It's up to you to make sure you make your decisions wisely and safely. 

Ben Shapiro enjoying his celebratory wine

 What's a sensible item like insect repellent that you've learned to never leave home without? Leave a comment.

Learn. Explore. Survive.

Composite image of Big Heart Lake as seen from the ridge, 800 feet above the lake