Trip Date: August 11-13, 2017
Purvis Lake Hiking & Scrambling Trip
Maloney Ridge
Baloney Lake
Rock Lake
Panorama Lake
Purvis Lake
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Miller–Foss Mountains
Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Rock Lake Trailhead near end of Maloney Ridge Road #6846 (Elev. 3800 feet)
Way Points: Baloney Lake & Maloney Ridge & Rock Lake (trail hike)
Campsite: Rock Lake
Sidetrip: Tarn 5245 & Panorama Saddle & Panorama Lake bowl & North Malachite Saddle & Purvis Lake (off-trail hike & rock scramble)
Approximate Stats (total trip): 8 miles traveled; 4500 feet gained & lost.
Full Trip Report
On a weekend of unsettled weather, I joined Deb F., Steve, Sandra, and Deb H. on a lake-bagging trip to Rock, Panorama, and Purvis Lakes in the Miller–Foss Mountains just south of Skykomish. These lakes are not particularly well known but they do offer a fine destination for a day hike or a backpacking trip. We opted for a three-day schedule in order to give us ample time at the lakes.
Day 1: Trailhead to Rock Lake
The others got an early start on Friday morning, whereas I came in later in the day. I parked at the end of Maloney Ridge Road #6846 (approximate elevation 3800 feet) and walked back down the road 75 yards to find the unmarked Rock Lake Trailhead.
The trail (really just a well-trodden fisherman’s path) ascends steeply up the forested ridge crest in a west-by-southwest direction, passing unattractive “Baloney Lake” at 4700 feet and topping out on a knob at 5300 feet. From this knob, the trail curves southward and heads down a different ridge at a gentle angle, then descends more steeply in a southeasterly direction below a talus slope until reaching beautiful Rock Lake (1.5 hours + 2.0 miles + 1600 feet – 800 feet from TH).
I set up my tent at the northern end of the lake where the rest of my group was camped. The afternoon had been overcast and muggy, so it felt good to take a swim in the cool water before dinner.
Day 2: Panorama Lake & Purvis Lake Excursion
In the morning, we all hiked around the western shore of Rock Lake and up a talus gully to Tarn 5245, then we went southeastward up a grassy draw to Panorama Saddle, a 5600-foot low point in the ridge crest. From here, we could look down at Panorama Lake, which sits in an elongated rock bowl perched high above the West Fork Foss River valley. Our morning weather was gray and somewhat rainy, so we couldn’t see much else.
We dropped down 100 feet or so toward Panorama Lake and then traversed southward below the cliffy ridge until able to ascend to a 5900-foot saddle just north of Malachite Peak. This traverse was a bit tedious in the wet weather but not difficult.
From the high saddle, Purvis Lake was visible down to the west. We then made a 600-foot descent of rocky slopes and heather benches to reach the lakeshore (3.5 hours + 1450 feet from camp). The weather was not conducive to swimming, but we could appreciate the interesting shoreline and surroundings. This would be a wonderful place to hang out on a hot summer day!
We retraced our route back to Rock Lake, which was in full sun by the time we reached camp (3.9 hours + 700 feet from Purvis Lake). Our entire group spent the rest of the afternoon paddling around the lake and checking out the little island.
Day 3: Rock Lake to Trailhead
After a night of steady rain, we packed up and headed out. We all got completely soaked by the wet brush on our way back to the trailhead. This is clearly not a good trail to do during or after a rainy day!
Route Maps & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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