Intro to Backpacking Field Trip - Lost Lake & Noble Knob

Join us and adventure dog Danger, for a relaxing and rewarding three days near Greenwater, a small town nestled in the foothills of Mt. Rainier. Highlights include hiking high along a river gorge, crossing log bridges, wildflowers, mountain lakes, and an opportunity to hike to Noble Knob, a former fire lookout site on one of two optional day hikes. If you’re yearning to experience classic Pacific Northwest mountain landscapes with minimal effort, come hike with us and find your outdoor self!

Anticipated Itinerary and Trip Stats:

• Day 1 – Trailhead to Lost Lake: 5.5 miles, +1500'/-125'
• Day 1 Optional side trip to Quinn Lake RT: 1 mile, +/'200'/-200'
• Day 2 – Optional day hike Lost Lake to Noble Knob RT: 6 miles, +/-2000' 
• Day 3 -  Lost Lake to Trailhead: 5.5 miles, -1500'/+125'
• Minimum mileage and gain: 11 miles, 1625' gain/loss
• Maximum mileage and gain including both side trips: 18 miles, 3825' gain/loss

Day 1

We will hike along the Greenwater River through old growth forests and along a gorge with rushing blue-green water that routes us to Greenwater Lakes, a pair of lovely forested lakes. From here, we’ll leave most of the day hikers behind and continue our trip crossing into the Norse Peak Wilderness and onto the Lost Lake Trail. Along our way we’ll take a short detour to an overlook of the small teal-colored Quinn Lake, a worthy side trip for any backpacker on this route. As we approach Lost Lake, we’ll hike through a section of forest devastated by the 2017 Norse Peak wildfire. We’ll experience the beautifully contrasting landscape of wildflowers and charred forest remains as nature works her recovery magic. After 5.5 miles of hiking and 1500 feet of gain, we’ll arrive at Lost Lake, our home for two nights. We’ll get situated and enjoy our camp as well as each other’s company and have our dinner together at our lake side camp site. Ursacks or bear canisters only, no bear hangs please. The lake is swim-able so bring your swimsuit and floaties, if you’d like to cool off.

This trip will be during the summer solstice so we’ll have a lot of sunlight to enjoy. There will be an optional side trip to return to Quinn Lake to see it up close sometime in the afternoon for folks that would like some additional hiking time and adventure. This will add another mile and 200 feet gain to this hiking day.

Day 2  

On our second day there will be an optional day hike from Lost Lake to Noble Knob, a former fire lookout site. You can learn more about what the lookout used to be like here. During this time of year you can expect lots of wildflowers and gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier and even the Stuart Range on a clear day. We will hike 7 miles and 2000 feet of gain round trip with a lunch break at Noble Knob then return to our camp for some group social time and dinner along the lakeshore.  

Folks wishing to skip the optional day hike to Noble Knob can spend their time around camp. Some suggested activities are enjoying the scenery, yoga, bird watching, swimming, reading, nature journaling, and any other self-reliant activity that allows you to remain in or around camp-proper.

Day 3

We will have our breakfast then plan to break down camp, leaving no later than 9am on Sunday. Plan for a post-hike stop at Wapiti Outdoors in Greenwater for a huckleberry ice cream cone or other treat to celebrate our successful trip!

Travel and Cost Considerations

• Travel to the Lost Lake Trailhead is expected to take about two hours from Tacoma. You should estimate about an hour of travel time from Tacoma to the Enumclaw Ranger Station, our meet up location, then another hour to the trailhead outside of Greenwater.  
• Drivers will need a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass to park at the trailhead.
• Review good carpooling practices and expect to reimburse your driver if you plan to carpool.

Hiking Considerations

• Our goal is for you to safely experience the area and places that have been volcanically shaped tend to be sharp and angular. Camp shoes like Crocs or Tevas are acceptable footwear for time spent in camp but are not acceptable footwear for hiking on this trip.
• Isolated small patches of snow may exist but we don't expect microspikes will be needed or that the presence of snow on the trail will present significant challenges or safety concerns for participants on this trip.
• This trip will be during bug season and the bugs can be a real damper if you’re a bug magnet like me. If you tend to attract bugs, we encourage you to bring bug protection that works for you. This could include a bug spray or wipes that work for your body type, a head net, and/or full body bug suit for protection.
• Our hiking route crosses many log bridges. Some are wider and more substantial than others. Folks that are sensitive to single file log crossings with rushing water underneath or that experience vertigo easily should skip this trip. Our longest log bridge is about 100 feet long.
• The route we will be hiking is frequented by equestrians (horse and rider). It is a treat to see them and we ask that you practice good equestrian etiquette. Additionally, you should expect that there will horse poo on our hiking route and you may not be able to avoid stepping in it. Please be comfortable hiking under these conditions if you decide to join this trip.  
• This trip requires that participants be comfortable and have patience for backpacking with a dog. If you prefer a trip without a furry companion, we ask that you skip this one.

• Folks working on their hiking award badges will be excited to know that Noble Knob is on the Olympia Branch 24 Fire Lookouts badge list,  and Lost Lake and George Lake directly below the summit of Noble Knob are on the Tacoma Branch Mt. Rainier Perimeter Lakes badge list.

Media & Resources

• Read more about our hiking route and trail conditions on WTA here.
• There is good video footage of what our hike will look like through 8:40 here.  Footage beyond about 8:40 is beyond the scope of this trip.
• If you prefer a longer more narrated educational video with more footage of the terrain and surrounding landscape, this one will show you what our hike will be like to Lost Lake.
• Some of the optional Day  2 hike from Lost Lake to Noble Knob is described here. Note that we will not be hiking the burned part of the loop with all the blowdowns that a lot of people talk about.
• Pro tip: When searching for what conditions may be like for this trip, look to previous year's trip photos and descriptions around the same time. This will give you a good idea of what to expect.

About YOUR ADVENTURE CREW

LARA LINDE

I prefer a more social experience and enjoy the company of others on trips. When I'm not socializing, you will probably catch me gazing at the beauty of the backcountry or taking pictures of it. I've been known to swim in alpine lakes, stand underneath waterfalls, and soak my feet in cold water after a hard day hiking. In the evenings I like to sit around the campfire or communal area and drink my tea to wind down for the night and I'm usually up early in the mornings, sometimes to watch the sunrise with a warm drink. If these sound like experiences you would enjoy, I'd love your company!

Ask me about anything backpacking related, I love it! Some of my all-time favorite and memorable trips to talk about are the Loowit Loop, section hikes of the Wonderland Trail, trips along the Washington coast, the Enchantments, Chelan Lakeshore, High Divide/Seven Lakes Basin, Enchanted Valley, and Weavers Needle Loop in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona.

CARY DOUSSETT

My name is Cary and I am currently an assistant leader for hiking and backpacking trips. I’m working on becoming a leader for both activities and my goal is to earn my hike leader badge by mid-June. I’ve been hiking for most of my life and began backpacking more recently. Last year I took the Intro to Backpacking course through Tacoma, learned a great deal, and discovered how much I enjoy sharing that knowledge with others. In addition, I’ve had the opportunity to go on several beautiful and rewarding hiking and backpacking trips with The Mountaineers and private groups.

I’ve been a member of The Mountaineers for 2 1/2 years. During my first year, I primarily participated in Zoom classes and wasn’t very active. That changed after I won a four-day Core Enchantments permit—an unforgettable adventure that pushed me out of my comfort zone and inspired me to seek out a stronger hiking and backpacking community. That experience ultimately led me to enroll in the Intro to Backpacking course.

Even before completing the course requirements, I decided to pursue becoming a hike and backpack leader. Since then, I’ve assisted in both hiking and backpacking trips and have become much more active within The Mountaineers. I truly enjoy being part of this community and contributing to it.

Outside of hiking and backpacking, I’m an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys racing Jeeps and 4x4 trail riding. I’m a proud member of both The Mountaineers and the Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association. I’m excited to give back to both the hiking and 4x4 communities—and to help protect and preserve the natural spaces we all love.

ASHLEY NAGY

I’m excited to get out in the woods to share my love of backpacking and hiking! I love alpine and sub alpine lakes, trees, and most of all birds. A real bird nerd here! I usually hike with my binoculars and occasionally to save weight I bring my monocular. I’m almost always with my favorite hiking bud Danger, my doggy (on the trails he is allowed, of course!). Getting creative on backpacking meals is really fun to me. Over last summer during 10 days on the Wonderland Trail, everyone in my party was in awe of the things I put together!

Joining and getting involved in The Mountaineers was one of the best choices I have made. I love to learn from like-minded people and share what I know as well. Overall, it’s just really fun to make friends who like to go outside too! Hope to meet you on the trail!

DANGER NAGY

I enjoy awesome adventures and love kids, people, and hiking mountains with my mom, Ashley! I’m a 3 1/2 year old Australian Cattle Dog that yearns for his next trip outside and can’t wait to swim in all the water I can find. Come hike with me!

Enumclaw Ranger Station 8am. America the Beautiful or NW Forest Pass required for drivers.