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Hwy 2 Hikes

Toil elevation: 5,128 feet
Elevation gain: 3,300 feet to pass (500 more to Peak)
Hiking Distance: about 4 miles one-way
Access: Any vehicle

Take Highway 2 east about 22 miles from Monroe. Turn left at the Index sign and follow the road 15 miles to FR 63 on the left. If the pavement ends, you went too far. Follow FR 63 for 2 miles to a split. Go up hill left, the tail head is a the top of the hill. The parking lot is full most weekends so go early or midweek. There is a privy and picnic table so the Forest Service can enforce a parking pass.

I took these pictures in 1993 but nothing has changed, except the massive crowds on weekends. On this trip, we did not go to the lake but camped at the pass near Virgin Lake and enjoyed a sunset view on top of Toil Peak. This is an easy stroll to the top of a small mountain with great views above the trees. In summer, the lake can be dark green or deep blue, hence the reason so many people who now come to get their Instagram shots.

Access:

Blanca Lake from Toil Peak

Double Toil Climb Trip Report

Double Toil from Toil Peak

Camping near Virgin Lake

Columbia Peak

Monte Cristo Group

Monte Cristo Peak on left, Kyes Peak on right

Waiting for the sunset

Glacer Peak

Looking toward Glacier Peak

Glissading down from Toil Peak

Yellow line is the trail

Del Campo Peak in center

Sunset from Toil Peak

Gothic Peak, Del Campo Peak, Silvertip Peak

Blanca Lake frozen

Blanca Lake Trail Page