Lake Ann

Often snow-covered well into the summer hiking season, Lake Ann rests in the shadow of Mount Shuksan. Said to be one of the most photographed mountains in the world, Shuksan steals the show from this trail's namesake lake as it rises 9,131 feet into the sky.

Getting there is a bit of a roller coaster ride. The trail drops 800 feet into the Swift Creek valley, rises 900 feet to a saddle, and drops again to the lake at 4,800 feet. Along the way, wildflowers color the landscape and pikas provide the soundtrack for a five-star hike. As you walk through the talus fields, watch for these little mammals scurrying about with mouths full of vegetation.

Mount Shuksan is not the only mountain visible from Lake Ann Trail. Look southwest for Mount Baker and northwest for Table Mountain. When you do finally reach the lake at the foot of Mount Shuksan, listen closely. You'll hear water tumbling from the Curtis Glaciers, and perhaps even some rumbling sounds from the glaciers themselves. As these glaciers melt under the summer sun, pieces break off and plummet into the valley below.