Pinnacle Lake Trail Tests Your Endurance

This high-alpine hike is not for the faint of heart and goes rough from start to finish. Located on the eastern slope of Mount Pilchuck and a short distance outside Granite Falls, Washington, the trail to Pinnacle Lake is littered with fallen trees, plenty of wet rocks and gnarly tree roots that double as foot holds and tripping hazards. The trail gets muddier the higher the elevation and closer you get to Pinnacle Lake. The fog following you up the trail makes for a magical morning hike. At 3,800 feet, Pinnacle Lake was very cold but I still decided to take a dip after a deceptively long hike - don't stay in long. If you're into fishing, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife last stocked the lake with rainbow trout in 2019. Note: Getting to the trailhead will require a four-wheel drive vehicle and the poorly maintained forest road is going to shake you around no matter how slow you go. Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/p... Cold Case: This video mentions a 2006 cold case involving a mother and daughter who were killed on this trail. While no other incidences of violence have occurred there since, the trail is still very difficult and it is always best to hike with a friend. More about this cold case here: https://www.king5.com/article/news/lo...