Alpine Lakes High Route: 30 Miles of Boulders, Cliffs & Insane Lakes

The Alpine Lakes High Route is one of the most rugged and beautiful backpacking routes in Washington—and after 3 days, 30+ miles, endless boulder fields, steep climbs, and one seriously sketchy section, we finally made it through. In this video, we take on the **Alpine Lakes High Route in the Washington Cascades**, starting at the West Fork Foss Lakes Trailhead and hiking the loop clockwise through Necklace Valley, Tank Lakes, Iron Cap Lake, Chetwoot Lake, Big Heart Lake, Copper Lake, Malachite Lake, and Trout Lake. What started as a straightforward 3-day backpacking trip quickly turned into one of the hardest hikes we've done. We battled steep terrain, route finding, massive boulder fields, brushy trails, exhaustion, and a crux section that had us questioning whether we should keep going. At one point, we were so exhausted that we abandoned our original goal and simply looked for somewhere flat enough to sleep. But the payoff was incredible. Turquoise alpine lakes, massive granite peaks, fall colors, wild berries, quiet campsites, and some of the most spectacular scenery we've experienced in the Pacific Northwest. ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS 📍 West Fork Foss Lakes Trailhead 📍 Necklace Valley 📍 Tank Lakes 📍 Iron Cap Lake 📍 Chetwoot Lake 📍 Big Heart Lake 📍 Copper Lake 📍 Malachite Lake 📍 Trout Lake THE TRIP Day 1 — Necklace Valley → Tank/Jade Lake area Day 2 — Tank Lakes → Iron Cap Lake → Chetwoot Lake Day 3 — Chetwoot Lake → Big Heart Lake → Copper Lake → Malachite Lake → Trout Lake → Trailhead If you're planning an **Alpine Lakes High Route backpacking trip**, this video gives you a look at what the route is actually like—including the boulder scrambling, route finding, steep sections, campsites, lakes, and scenery you can expect along the way. This is the kind of backpacking trip that reminds you why we put ourselves through all of this in the first place. Thanks for watching! #AlpineLakesHighRoute #WashingtonBackpacking #WashingtonHiking #Backpacking #PacificNorthwest #Cascades #TankLakes #ChetwootLake #BigHeartLake #HikingWashington #PNW #BackpackingWashington