Forum Index > Trip Reports > Upper Falls Lake (9/19/2019)
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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 3:26 am 
I've always been intrigued by the lakes at the end of the Illabot Creek Road. Back in 2007 one could to drive to the Jordan Lakes trailhead where the road was gated (albeit no match for dynamite). Eventually the road was bermed at the Slide Lake trailhead, and in 2012 the Illabot Creek Road was slated for closure. Many thanks to Kim and others who mounted a legal challenge to keep the road open. Hopefully it will stay that way for future adventurers. Left the house around 8 AM and after a pit stop in Darrington turned onto the Illabot Creek Road by 10:30. It's another hour ride to get to the Slide Lake trailhead but I always enjoy the scenery on the way up with sweeping views down to the valley and pee-a-boo views of Illablot Peaks (alas, too fleeting today to snap a picture). Reached the Slide Lake Trailhead by 11:30 where only one other vehicle was parked. I wished I had remembered to bring a few garbage bags to pack out the imfamous trash pile.
Valley
Valley
Views
Views
Fire truck
Fire truck
Illabot Creek
Illabot Creek
Slide Lake TH
Slide Lake TH
Parked a little further up
Parked a little further up
Garbage pile
Garbage pile
Berm
Berm
The bike ride up was longer and more exhausting that I had anticipated. The road is bikeable until it washes out at the last creek crossing around 4400' elevation. Stashed the bike here and walked the last portion.
Mossy road
Mossy road
I remember driving under this back in the day
I remember driving under this back in the day
Road
Road
Cut
Cut
Shroom under cut
Shroom under cut
Droplets
Droplets
Mossy ride
Mossy ride
Jordan trailhead
Jordan trailhead
Former gate
Former gate
Narrowing
Narrowing
Washout
Washout
Logs
Logs
I won't say too much about route - it's pretty obvious if you look at the topo (ignore any dotted lines, not sure who comes up with some of this stuff). There is heavy flagging at the to start but quickly fades through a myriad of blowdowns. If in doubt bear climbers left. Eventually the slope eases and flagging leads down to a hanging valley. Never seen so much talus covered in moss. Pretty cool stuff.
Heavy flagging
Heavy flagging
Blowdowns
Blowdowns
Big logs
Big logs
Peek-a-boo views of Marten Lake
Peek-a-boo views of Marten Lake
Ridge easing
Ridge easing
Heading down
Heading down
Meadow
Meadow
Mossy covered talus
Mossy covered talus
Mossy carpet ride
Mossy carpet ride
I was planning to head down to Lower Falls Lake and raft over to the outlet but the sun hadn't made an appearance and I was running late on time so decided to check out the upper pot and pull out the fishing pole at Upper Falls. The first few fish slipped my barbless hook and didn't seem interested in what I had to offer after that so decided to head over to the other side get some views down to Lower Falls. Very pretty lake but steeeeep to get down. I definitely plan to return to explore more, with with an earlier start or as an overnight.
Arriving at Upper Falls
Arriving at Upper Falls
Upper pot
Upper pot
Inlet to upper pot
Inlet to upper pot
Campsite at Upper Falls
Campsite at Upper Falls
Traversing
Traversing
Lower Falls
Lower Falls
Headed back for a snack and eventually had success reeling in a cutt (no, he wasn't as big as he looks) before leaving the lake around 4:45. On the way out I went high on the saddle to get some views down to Marten Lake and was rewarded for the effort. Made it back to the logging road by 6:30 as rain started to fall. The bike down seemed to take forever (sure glad I wasn't walking it) making it back to the vehicle around 7:30 as light faded, followed by a long 3 hour ride home.
Back to Upper Falls
Back to Upper Falls
Smaller than he looks
Smaller than he looks
Must have been popular back in the day
Must have been popular back in the day
Leaving Upper Falls
Leaving Upper Falls
Views down to Marten Lake
Views down to Marten Lake
Incoming weather
Incoming weather
Mossy talus everywhere
Mossy talus everywhere
Possible route down to Marten
Possible route down to Marten
More mossy rocks
More mossy rocks
Pool
Pool
Reflections
Reflections
Fog rolling in
Fog rolling in
Back to washout
Back to washout

reststep
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Gil
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Gil
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 6:33 am 
That trout is at least 14 inches.

Friends help the miles go easier. Klahini
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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 8:45 am 
Ha, here's a another perspictive without cropping my fingers.

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Backpacker Joe
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Backpacker Joe
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 12:25 pm 
Nice work Thomas. Its nice to see the area again. I need to get an e-bike so I can do the same thing. The camp site to the left of the outlet as you head down to Upper Falls is where I had the Bear encounter. Were my directions accurate enough? Before the Illabut road was built people would hike in to Falls and Jordans from Marblemount. Here's what the Upper Falls Pot looked like ten years ago.
Upper Falls Pot (2)
Upper Falls Pot (2)

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 3:23 pm 
Thanks for the pics. Yes, the pot looks much prettier when it's filled with water.

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kitya
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kitya
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 6:06 pm 
Tom wrote:
Droplets
Droplets
this cool picture is a cool example of what is called gutation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guttation it is not actually water, and for mushrooms people actually don't know how mushrooms do it https://weirdandwonderfulwildmushrooms.blogspot.com/2014/08/read-it-and-weep-fungal-guttation.html

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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 6:30 pm 
Thanks, I had no idea. By the time I finished biking I was a little soaked from the occasional wet brush along the road. There was a lot of dew that hadn't burned off and I assumed those were just water droplets.

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kitya
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kitya
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 8:20 pm 
Tom wrote:
Thanks, I had no idea. By the time I finished biking I was a little soaked from the occasional wet brush along the road. There was a lot of dew that hadn't burned off and I assumed those were just water droplets.
It is a really cool effect. On a wet day it is easy to assume they are just water, but try noticing the same mushroom on a super dry and hot day in the middle of the summer next time - and you will still see same water everywhere on the mushroom, even when everything outside of it is completely bone dry.

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Brushwork
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Brushwork
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PostFri Sep 20, 2019 10:13 pm 
Gutation also occurs with leafy plants (think trees). I don’t recall enough botany so can’t tell you the conditions... Nice pictures!!!!!

When I grow up I wanna play.
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Tom
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Tom
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PostThu Aug 06, 2020 5:42 pm 
Decided to take care of unfinished business yesterday and paid a visit to Lower Falls Lake. Got a fairly early start, leaving the house around 7:30 AM and reached the Slide Lake trailhead area around 11 AM. Was nice to see the infamous garbage pile gone and the cool mushroom living on.
Views along road
Views along road
Parking area
Parking area
Trash is gone
Trash is gone
Biking the abandoned road
Biking the abandoned road
Mushroom under log cut
Mushroom under log cut
In spots the abandoned road was more overgrown than I recall and I regretted not putting on long pants as well as forgetting to bring gloves. Passed 2 young guys on a quad just before reaching the former Jordan Lakes Trailhead. They asked were I was heading and I indicated Falls Lake. They said were just coming back from there which seemed odd as it was still quite early in the day. One of them seemed to fancy my bike a bit too much, so after reaching the washout a few miles later I decided to lug my bike across and hide it on the other side.
One of many downed logs along the former road
One of many downed logs along the former road
Quad
Quad
Former Jordan Lakes Trailhead
Former Jordan Lakes Trailhead
Logpile
Logpile
Views from logpile
Views from logpile
Bugs were ferocious so didn't stop to take many pictures on the way in:
Not sure what caused this
Not sure what caused this
Small meadow
Small meadow
Takes a licking but keeps on ticking
Takes a licking but keeps on ticking
Hanging valley
Hanging valley
Upon reaching Upper Falls Lake I decided to head counter clockwise to the pot. It was much prettier this time around and took a cool picture of the pot and lake in the same image.
Arriving at Upper Falls Lake
Arriving at Upper Falls Lake
Upper Falls Lake
Upper Falls Lake
Approaching Upper Falls Pot
Approaching Upper Falls Pot
Upper Falls Pot
Upper Falls Pot
Upper Falls and Pot
Upper Falls and Pot
Leaving Upper Falls Pot
Leaving Upper Falls Pot
Upper Falls Lake from Pot
Upper Falls Lake from Pot
Continued on counter clockwise to the outlet. I don't think this is the easiest way to the outlet but I planned to come out and up the other side on my return so figured it would add some variety and it was a bit more scenic:
Upper Falls Lake Pano
Upper Falls Lake Pano
There is initially some boot path down to Lower Falls Lake on the right side of the outlet but disappears once it starts to get brushy. At this point I hopped the talus down to the beautiful inlet where I found a large raft cached.
Approaching Lower Falls Lake
Approaching Lower Falls Lake
Lower Falls Lake
Lower Falls Lake
Lower Falls Lake inlet
Lower Falls Lake inlet
Lower Falls Lake inlet area
Lower Falls Lake inlet area
Cached Raft at Lower Falls Lake
Cached Raft at Lower Falls Lake
After having a snack I figured I had enough time to inflate my Curtis raft and venture over to the outlet. The lake was quite warm and if I had more time I definitely would have gone swimming. Upon reaching the inlet I noticed there were 2 large tents. I assume these were cached by the same party that left the raft. Didn't have much time to spend to poke around so rafted back to the other side after taking a few pictures and a video.
Ideal launch site
Ideal launch site
Approaching Lower Falls Outlet
Approaching Lower Falls Outlet
Lots of sunken logs along the shore
Lots of sunken logs along the shore
Logjam at Lower Falls Outlet
Logjam at Lower Falls Outlet
Sunken Logs
Sunken Logs
Lower Falls Lake logjam
Lower Falls Lake logjam
Lower Falls Lake outlet area
Lower Falls Lake outlet area
Cached tents at Lower Falls Lake Outlet
Cached tents at Lower Falls Lake Outlet
Cached items
Cached items
Lower Falls Lake from outlet
Lower Falls Lake from outlet
Leaving Lower Falls Lake
Leaving Lower Falls Lake
Before leaving I decided to throw a line in the water as I hadn't seen any fish rising. After a cast or so I had a fish following the lure and on the next cast reeled an 8" cutt. Left Lower Falls Lake around 5:30 PM and made it back to the logpile a little after 8 PM. Reached the car around 9 PM and made it home a little after midnight. In hindsight I should have made it an overnight with more time to savor the area.
Looking back to Lower Falls Lake
Looking back to Lower Falls Lake
Waterfall
Waterfall
Views from cliffs above Upper Falls Lake
Views from cliffs above Upper Falls Lake
Upper Falls Lake from Ridge
Upper Falls Lake from Ridge
Back to logpile
Back to logpile
Dusk falling while biking back
Dusk falling while biking back

slave524
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timberghost
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timberghost
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PostFri Aug 07, 2020 6:00 am 
Nice write up!! (albeit no match for dynamite). You have access to the fore mentioned?

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Tom
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Tom
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PostFri Aug 07, 2020 12:10 pm 
Ha, no, but it did seem the gate at Jordan had been dynamited 13+ years ago. Mike posted a picture in this TR but the large size is gone. www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7960852

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sooperfly
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sooperfly
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PostFri Aug 07, 2020 4:24 pm 
Tom wrote:
Not sure what caused this
Not sure what caused this
Tom, that's caused by bears pulling the bark and off and scraping into the cambium layer with their front teeth. A sweet tasting yogi treat!

brokein2
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ChrisSJI
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ChrisSJI
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PostTue Aug 11, 2020 9:47 pm 
What is it with people leaving crap out in that area like it's their personal playground? It's like the "bushcrafters" that chopped down trees and built that horrid shelter at the inlet to Slide Lake. Glad to see the road up to the Falls and Jordans is still bikeable.

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Tom
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Tom
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PostWed Jul 21, 2021 3:15 pm 
Not sure why I decided to repeat this hike again, perhaps the lure of the bike and hike, or having felt rushed the last 2 times doing it as a day hike, or just wanting to share the experience with a friend. I convinced Mike to tag along this time for an overnight to Lower Falls Lake. It didn't take much coaxing after mentioning how delightfully warm the water was last time for rafting and swimming. We got a fairly late start and started biking up the road around 1 PM. By the time we made it to the former Jordan Lakes parking area I could tell Mike was toasted from the hot ride. We stopped at the stream to cool off and hydrate. Mike indicated he wasn't feeling that well and pretty sure he wouldn't be able to continue biking up the road, much less have enough left in the tank to make it to the lakes. He graciously offered to come back for me the next day. I suggested biking back down for an easy stroll to Slide Lake, but that didn't sound very appealing as the flies were starting to swarm us.
Ready to Ride
Ready to Ride
Daybike Mike
Daybike Mike
I reluctantly took Mike up on the offer to meet at the trailhead the next day and continued biking up the road. It was hot, as was the hike up the ridge, even in the shade. I knew Mike had made the right call. Made it to the pass above Upper Falls by 5pm or so. To save time I skirted some cliffs and took an ill advised veggie belay shortcut down to the upper pot where I was surprised to find and older gentleman and 2 kids camping. Had a quick chat and continued on. By 6:30 I was rafting the lower lake, now in the shadows, but still a warm ride to the other side. I regretted not bringing my head net as the bugs were relentless. Set up camp by 7:30, and after filtering water, cooking dinner, and taking a picture, I escaped to the tent and bed.
Chaval? from Road
Chaval? from Road
Illabot Peaks? from Road
Illabot Peaks? from Road
Buggy Meadow in Hanging Valley
Buggy Meadow in Hanging Valley
Ascending Talus to Pass
Ascending Talus to Pass
Mt Baker in Clouds from Talus
Mt Baker in Clouds from Talus
Cresting the Pass Above Upper Falls
Cresting the Pass Above Upper Falls
Skirting Cliffs
Skirting Cliffs
Arriving at Upper Falls Pot
Arriving at Upper Falls Pot
Upper Falls Pot and Lake
Upper Falls Pot and Lake
Navigating Upper Falls
Navigating Upper Falls
Chasing Shadows on Lower Falls, Chased by Bugs
Chasing Shadows on Lower Falls, Chased by Bugs
Rafting to Lower Falls Outlet Camp
Rafting to Lower Falls Outlet Camp
Waxing Gibbous Moon and Dusk from Lower Falls Outlet
Waxing Gibbous Moon and Dusk from Lower Falls Outlet
Broke camp the next morning at 11 AM and bid farewell to my kamikaze hosts. After dispensing of some stowaways I enjoyed a leisurely raft back to the inlet where I was greeted by a nice breeze. Enjoyed an hour or so letting the raft dry off and throwing a line in the water without being assaulted too bad. It was so nice to just be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery at the inlet. I noticed some trout spawning in the inlet stream, pretty cool.
Packing up at Lower Falls Outlet
Packing up at Lower Falls Outlet
Bon Voyage!
Bon Voyage!
Looking Back to Lower Falls Outlet
Looking Back to Lower Falls Outlet
Rafting to Lower Falls Inlet
Rafting to Lower Falls Inlet
Docking at Lower Falls Inlet
Docking at Lower Falls Inlet
Lower Falls from Inlet
Lower Falls from Inlet
Lower Falls Inlet
Lower Falls Inlet
Beautiful View from Lower Fall Inlet Stream
Beautiful View from Lower Fall Inlet Stream
Left the inlet around 1 PM, reached my bike by 4 PM, and had a blast biking down the road for a half hour or so to find Mike waiting in the car.
Leaving Lower Falls
Leaving Lower Falls
Looking Back to Lower Falls
Looking Back to Lower Falls
Leaving Upper Falls
Leaving Upper Falls
Dropping down Talus to Hanging Valley
Dropping down Talus to Hanging Valley
Dinner would be fish and chips at the Train Wreck in Burlington (Mike had the Philly cheese steak). Loved the jalapeno ketchup, had just the right amount of kick for the fries, but not too much. What a fun joint to stop for dinner, right next to the tracks with an occasional train passing by to add ambiance, I'll be back. My 55 year old knees swelled up pretty good after my last trip so decided to try some knee compression sleeves on this hike, and made sure to ice them intermittently on the drive home. So far so good, crossing fingers!
Train Wreck
Train Wreck
Fish and Chips
Fish and Chips
Post hike knee refreshment
Post hike knee refreshment

ChrisSJI, slave524, fffej50, reststep
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