Hog Lake - Eastern WA
Nov 28, 2009 |
I picked up Brian and Tammy at Tanya's house at 7. With Kimmi the Wonder Dog and all the day packs, the little Yaris was at its limit.
We headed west on a slippery I-90 and got off at the Fishtrap Lake exit. We used the Desert Hikes book as a guide for the approach but found that just following the road all the way to the lake was the best option because the route at that point was more scenic as it stayed along the edge of the lake.
The trailhead was littered with shotgun and rifle casing. The restroom was all shot up and we had a bullet casing lodged in the tread of the tire. The parking area was a trash heap. I refused to display my parking permit out of protest. The money for maintaining this spot must have been lost in the big gaping suck hole called "The West Side" or perhaps used to fund Acorn or the Sin City Express.
Once we got 50 feet up the trail, the trash became more sparse and the view of the lake helped calm me. Only the constant shooting in the distance detracted from the otherwise peaceful area.
We enjoyed the hike and kept a slow pace - mainly due to the very slippery footing. At the far end of the lake, the inlet stream was dried up giving cool views of the rocky steps that must make for some great little cascades in the spring. Some cross-country travel got us back to the trailhead. |
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