Lake of the Angels Trail Guide - Exotic Hikes Wilderness Experts

LAKE OF THE ANGELS
TRAIL GUIDE
EXOTIC HIKES
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LAKE OF THE
ANGELS
Few trails are more difficult.
Few trails are more beautiful.
Experience this world-class, high-alpine lake in the
Olympic National Park.
LAKE OF THE ANGELS
Nearly 5,000 feet above the Hamma Hamma River, Lake of the Angels sits against the prettiest mountain backdrop in the Olympic National Park. With smoothed-out boulders from glacial activity, rugged
peaks, beautiful waterfalls and an abundant mountain goat and marmot population, this destination is going to be the next big thing for
hikers in the State of Washington.
Situated beneath the gorgeous Mount Skokomish, Lake of the Angels, is a crystal clear lake fed by melting snow. Called “The Valley
of Heaven,” the area around the Lake of the Angels really does feels
like a hikers heaven. Sitting on a large rock, or camping at the base
of a snow and scree field, life does not get much better than experi-
encing a good day at the lake. The trail up here is not for everyone;
but for those advanced hikers needing a fantastic view or moderate
hikers up for a challenge, this is the trail.
This trail and this lake look more like they belong in Glacier National
Park or in Canada’s Banff region. The lake is considered by many
the most gorgeous, pristine high-alpine lake in the Olympic National
Park and should be seen at least once in your life. For me, seeing
the lake as I came over the last hill and around the last corner nearly
brought me to tears. This is the lake of my dreams, the place where I
hope I go after I die. This lake is the Lake of Angels; and for an afternoon or a few days of camping, you can feel like an angel too.
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Lake of the Angels Trail Info:
Distance: 7.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,358ft
Highest Point: 4,888ft
Average Time Up: 3.5 Hours
Hiker Level: Advcanced
Rating: AWESOME
Section 1: 1.30 Miles, 900 feet of elevation
gain
In the first 1.3 miles, you will climb about 900
feet. Enjoy this part as it is one of the easy sections. The trail starts out mostly flat, with a quick
stop near the site where Carl Putvin, a 21 year
old trapper, died in 1913. The trailhead is even
named for him. Please stop by here and pay
your respects to one of the many who died exploring this area. After paying your respects,
continue upward and onward. During the first
stretch, you meander through forests with huge
moss-covered boulders and a few impressive
ravines, which serves as a reminder to the
harshness of nature. This section is the easy
part, meeting with an old logging road, now
overgrown.
Section 1 Tip: Take your time here. Make sure
you are stretched and start hydrating.
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Section 2 Information:
Distance:1.10 Miles,
Elevation Gain:1,100ft
This is where things start to get interesting. The
next 1.1 miles start to climb, with over 1,100ft
gained in that short distance. With no real
switch backs, the trail can be full of loose rock
and dirt, so tread carefully. 2/10ths of a mile
from the road, you enter the Mount Skokomish
Wilderness. The trail goes up, up and more up.
There are breaks in elevation gain in this part of
the trail. One of the more enjoyable spots is a
small section with thick ferns and wildflowers.
On a clear day, views of the Cascades and
Hood Canal are possible. Section 2 isn’t bad at
all and should be enjoyed for the beauty it possesses.
Section 2 Tip: If you have an altimeter, take a
short break every 250ft of elevation gain. Just a
short rest will allow you to power through Section 3.
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Section 3 Information:
Distance: 0.60 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,000ft
This section will challenge moderate hikers. A
positive attitude and proper pacing can make
this a more enjoyable section, but that is all up
to you. This entire section can be difficult. Not
only does the trail become a climber’s route instead of a trail, but it quickly climbs up steep,
loose terrain before leading to a section where
you have to scramble up roots and rocks. Other
guides describe this as difficult, and for novice
hikers, it would be hell. However, if you take
breaks in-between each section, it can be done.
The “Headwall” consists of two awkward scrambles after an incredibly-steep dirt path. The first
part of the “Headwall” is pretty easy. Climb up
the root in the trail, and you will be fine. The second part of the “Headwall” can be dicey for
those with vertigo. There is a drop off of a few
hundred feet, but the rock does slant toward the
hillside. The climb isn’t technical at all, but you
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This section is incredibly steep.
do need to be able to use your arms to pull yourself up in a few spots. Generally, the “Headwall”
is manageable if done slowly and smart. If it is
raining or icy/snowy, I wish you the best of luck.
Section 4: .7 miles, 388 feet of elevation gain
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The Valley of Heaven
After you get above the Headwall, the trail becomes mostly flat, offering fantastic views of the
Hamma Hamma River Valley and the nearby
peaks. Along with sections of chest-high ferns,
Mount Pershing is behind you, as is the Hood
Canal and the Cascades mountain range; but
for once, the vista isn’t what will catch your eye.
As you hike the trail, you weave through a
magical-feeling meadow with a pond full of
frogs, a stream cut into the lush green land-
scape and mountains all around. This section
alone is worth the hike up over the headwall, but
even this gets dwarfed by the awesomeness
that is the Lake of the Angels. Look for bears,
deer, fox, mountain goats and marmots. Soon
after the awesome meadow, the trail enters the
Olympic National Park (signs are visible) and
will climb a short, but quite steep hill. This is the
last climb, and it is completely worth the effort.
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The path to The Lake of Angeles
Heads Up: The trail is hard to follow, as many
well-used animal and camping trails have been
made. Continue Northeast and you will find the
right trail.
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Welcome to the greatness of the
Olympic National Park
Section 5: The Lake of the Angels
As you climb the last hill and walk the last few
hundred feet along Whitehorse Creek, you get
the feeling that you are going to be rewarded
with something awesome. Your weary legs take
the final few steps, you raise your head and before you, in all its glory, is the Lake of the Angels. About the size of a football field, this gorgeous high-alpine lake, flanked by waterfalls,
giant boulders and the rugged Mount
Skokomish, is everything and more than you
can read about. Mountain goats, marmots and
hawks are common sights, so be prepared to
get overwhelmed. This is where you can explore, camp and fall more in love with the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park.
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Directions:
From Shelton, head North of
Highway 101 until you reach the
Hamma Hamma Recreation Area
Sign.
Follow the signs to Lena Lake,
The Putvin Trailhead is located
about 3 miles past the Lena Lake
Trailhead.
Trail is on the right side of the
road.
Recommended for this hike:
Trekking poles
Camera
Altimeter
The 10 Essentials
Plenty of Water
Determination
High calorie food
Map
Compass
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The view from the base of
Mount Skokomish
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Olympic Peninsula
Marmots above the Lake
of the Angeles
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Mountain Goats are a
common sight at the Lake
of the Angels
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A small pond surrounded
by fog along the Lake of
the Angels Trail
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This trail-guide is dedicated to Carl Putvin, who
lost his life trying to live
off the land. He passed
away while trying to get
supplies for his family. A
fast moving winter storm
took his life.
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