I have really been into hiking this past couple years and my brother in-law decided he wanted me to take him and my nephew on a hike. There were a couple to choose from, so I decided to do a medium type hike and thought Lake of the Angels in the Olympics would be good. We also decided to camp there for a couple nights as well and hopefully make it a couple miles more to Hagen lakes which holds bigger trout and is secluded from most hikers.

As it turned out the hike to Hagen was a little over my nephews comfort zone (with snow still covering the trail and part of the headwall to climb down), so we decided to stay at Angel for the weekend. I was proud that my nephew knew his limitations and decided to play it safe. Overall it was a good experience for both of them and got a father and son outdoors. Now, hopefully they will do it more often.

We started hiking around 6:30 to 7 friday and arrived at the lake at 10. The trailhead is 1600ft and the lake is about 5300ft.

first morning


first night freeze


morning visitors




Long johns and boots kind of morning



saddle to get to Hagen and bigger trout



The climb without packs was a little to steep for them.



They didn't mind though

















Great Weekend

So cool!

Pretty cool stuff right there.Looks kinda nippy though.Good luck,
SZ

Really great stuff. Makes my planned hike to Peet Lake look like a stroll in the park. One of the few times I wish I was younger.

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

Nice photos.

It is amazing to think that such beauty exists typically without witness.



"Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."
Thomas Gray



Your pictures are stunning and make me wish I had more time

Great report and nice pics.......

I hiked in to Cougar lake in William O Douglas wilderness last weekend and broke my damn rod on the way in. Sat there and watched about a 100 trout jumping per each minute-Doh.

Always enjoy your top-shelf hiking photos dude

Thank you everyone.

Awesome photos. Nice to see you showing your nephew that sanity can be found in western wa.

That brings back some good memories! Nice photos and good report.

I've been up there a couple times, such a great place. The hike up the saddle to Hagen isn't too bad if you follow the trail, which is hard to see in the snow... If you want to get to Hagen another way you can access it above Upper Lena Lake if I recall, pretty steep climb but there is a good trail.

Did you use the Putvin trail to get up to the lake? If so, can you drive up to the trailhead now? There was a washout on the forest road, I don't know, 15 years ago which added 3-4 miles of road hiking and a steep drop into the washout in order to access the Putvin trailhead.

Good stuff.

Beautiful.

Awesome pics - thanks for the share!

If you don't mind me asking, how far did you have to hike up the road to get to the Putvin trail trailhead? I haven't been up there in years, and have heard conflicting reports about how far up the road you have to hoof it to get to the trail.

Thanks.

Wow. I love the pictures with the goats. And so close.

TedR and Dan S., as someone said you can go to the end of the road now. We have been able to for the past few years. It used to be by truck only, due to boulders and washout but cars have access now.
Also, we started at Putvin.

Thanks.

I was thinking I might go up there this summer, but your pics reminded me that I'd probably die, so I may have to reconsider.

Lol, Its not that bad.

Quiet you - if you'd have tried it a year ago, you'd be laying dead at the tree line right about now.

I actually prefer the Mildred hike for the change in elevation while hiking(ups and downs). Its easier on the knees and legs. Angel is all up and then all down. The last incline going to Mildred has no comparison though. But once you get there its nice, I caught all my bigger trout at the middle lake.
Also, Mildred is all about fishing and Angel is exploring with little bit of fishing (to me anyways)

This is my friends fish


I took the float tube

Hey new guy,

I've been to Mildred lakes about a dozen more times than you have - just not in the last month - or 10 years.

Chances are, you aren't seeing anything up there I haven't seen before - keep in mind that at one time, I had a buddy with a Schweitzer 300C that liked to explore up there, too.

It's about time you left Bellevue and came out where things aren't all about the city.

Royal Basin is about the coolest hike I've done. The basin above the lake is awesome!

With sequestration has anyone ran into backcountry rangers? I'm thinking this might be the year I can sneak my pup into ONP . I'd love to spend more time in the Park but it's not pup friendly

Lovin' the pics you guys. Good Stuff

I haven't been to Mildred in years. The last time I went we camped 3 days and had a fantastic time. I caught the most fish in the one to the North, not sure if it is upper or lower.

I used a clear line and would throw it off a rock outcrop and just sort of watch some wooley-bugger or something down there until someone came to inspect, then I would move it a bit. Caught lots of fish, but vowed to come back with a float tube.

spent my honeymoon in Royal Basin... 15 years ago last month...

3 days in a tent, in the pouring rain, thunder and lightning... when the rain wasn't pouring and we ventured outside, the mosquito's would swarm...

Couldn't ask for a better honeymoon, but, I should'a known then that the marriage was doomed!!

Typo.

John,
Pick a weekend and give me a call.............

Been in hiking mode trying to get in shape for hunting season. Well some version of less round shape that is

White Pass in Glacier Peaks Wilderness.....


Cougar Lake in William O' Douglas Wilderness

Now he's resorting to short jokes.

It would be a shame for you to be crippled before your big hike you know. You can't get a wheelchair up most of those trails.

much, much, less. I set a date in Sept. to hike past there and into Hagen lakes for the (supposedly) biggest back country trout.

Stunning scenery

Great thread and pics Bota.

Brings back a lot of memories for me as I spent many moons in that part of the country during my youth, though our stomping grounds were Upper Lena and Scout Lake.

Interesting to hear about the road to the trailhead being fixed. Back in the day the road was there but, as some of you probably remember, was washed out down low so it was a mile or 2 hike up the road past the washout to reach the Putvin trailhead. Sounds like it's getting more use these days. Last time I did Putvin it wasn't much more than blaze marks on trees and a few ribbons.

Great pics everyone!

Thanks for sharing. I'm planning on a 2-3 day backpacking trip next month with an out of state buddy. We'll fish some, but I rather show him some awesome scenery as a priority.

Any recommendations? I'm open to any areas, including the North Cascades. I'd like to get in some high alpine ridges/passes. What do you think are top notch scenic routes for a couple days?

Last few years I've done trips to Tuck/Robin area just outside the Enchantments, Maple Pass area of the North Cascades and the Pasayten Wilderness...all awesome.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

KK , have you done the Jupiter trip yet?

a not so strenuous "trip" is Devils Lake if you havent been there either, its down the dirt road before you hit the hard corners before Cove Park RV...

Why are you going back to the same place KK?

KK "did you see those goats !?"

Sweet pics KK, with water that clear you can see the take. That far rock slide looks fishy. Haven't done the high lakes in a while, have done Nordrum, Snoqualmie, Dorothy and Crystal (golden trout) on Snoqualmie Pass and Ethel and Eileen on Stevens...always an adventure.
Snake

Nice pics.

Nice pics John