[Blister]

I'm not talking about a scramble from the north/west.  I mean anyone use the actual trail out of the icicle system?  There was a fire a couple years back and the trail info on the NFS site leads one to believe it's all but defunct.  I'd like to give it a go next year (late August to Sept).  but I'm not interested in a brush bashing no trail route find for several miles.

Nature takes things back crazy fast and the lack of trail reports doesn't bode well.  I can alwasy pull off and do the chain/Doelle lakes, but I was hoping to do both sets.

Anyone have eyes on last year or even 2018?

[Bluebird]

A friend is a lil' bit obsessed with Square Lake and we found zilch investigating it last year. I agreed to do the brush bash with her if we find the right weather window when we're both free next year. If it happens, I'll post a TR

[Backpacker Joe]

The last time I used that trail was July 1991.  The cabin was still there at the time.  The other times Ive been in there was going over from Deception lakes.  Back in 1991 the trail was clear the whole way, but you had to wade across six different streams that didnt have any way to cross without getting wet.

Here are a couple from 7-1991

Square lk cabin 7-1991

Square lk outlet  7-1991

Here are the same pics from 8-2004

Square Lake via Deceptions 096

Square Lake via Deceptions 064

I believe that pad of for landing helicopters on.

And me having fun in the outlet.

Having fun in the spillway

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"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

[Blister]

Awesome pictures Joe.

Stream crossings, no problem!  2 to three miles trail-less side hilling not as much.  I know you can get there from thunder MT lakes, maybe from  the Lorraine Ridge trail (if it exists).

Don't know if fish there were reproducing but if I can get there I'll surely find out.

[Downhill]

Great pics Joe!!

The last (only) time I have been there was from the Icicle, but back in the mid-late '70s.  Back then there seemed to be more resources for trail maintenance and overgrown or lost trails weren't really a consideration as I recall.

I'm down to join a "clearing party" if one forms next season.  I would love to get my little raft in there and do some fishing as well!

[Pyrites]

Why did someone go to such effort to build causeway or dam?

Best.

[dave allyn]

The dam was built for irrigation many decades ago (30s?). Part of the same group as Colchuck, Eightmile, Klonaqua and several others.

[Backpacker Joe]

Most of the big lakes up the Icicle have man made outlet damns so that they can drain them during drought in the summer.

Rafting the lake you say......

Rafting Square

They cut up the cabin with chain saws and threw the pieces over the outlet damn.

Cabin peices from chainsaw

This is the valve system they use to drain the lake.

The valve system for draining the lake

This is where the drained water goes.

Where the drained water goes 2

Where the drained water goes

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"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

[Pyrites]

Thanks!

Best.

[Type E]

When I went there in mid 90’s the trail was VERY difficult to follow

E

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Please follow me at: http://alpinelakesaficionado.blogspot.com/

[Backpacker Joe]

[Blister]

People are definitely going there.  Just not by the Square Lake trail it appears.  Trail loss is gis a growing problem.  But the services that regulate won't just let anyone gather up gear and go to work either.  So you can't fix it and they won't.  Frankly they don't want more miles to maintain and dead trails are a net plus.

[MtnGoat]

The fish are reproducing just fine. There are fry in at least two of the small inlets, the connector to Wolverine, and Wolverine.

Let's not instascrew this lake too, please. Go and enjoy, no need to put it on blast.

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Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers

[Blister]

The lack of a direct trail, 10 miles of indirect trail, off trail/boulder field route work means... It can't be blasted.  We might add 5 visitors with discussion. Get passed 5 to 7 miles and you can't move the needle much. But if it will suffice, I'll keep my pictures to myself this year?

[SwitchbackFisher]

Not familiar with this lake but I'd certainly say by the discussion taking place it's not in danger of being over run. This might be a rare place where more visitation would help make a somewhat existing trail so not everyone is beating down brush everytime they want to visit.

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I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.