Skoki Lodge is a national historic site, welcoming its first guests in 1931. This backcountry lodge lies in the center of hiking trails that lead around its namesake mountain, across boulder fields, beneath steep cliffs, up to beautiful alpine lakes, and through flower-filled meadows. We’ve wanted to go there since first learning about it in 2018. Reservations are difficult to come by, and reaching the lodge requires an 11K (7 mile) walk through the forest, across a field of large boulders, along a long lake, up a steep pass, and down through a muddy trail. No tour bus crowds at Skoki!
We had managed to obtain a reservation in July 2020, but the pandemic put an end to that idea. We tried again for several years before finally securing a reservation this year. And we were fortunate to have the Honeymoon Cabin, sitting up the hill from the lodge and requiring us to navigate a set of stone steps to reach the balcony. Skoki is off the electrical grid, using propane heat to stay warm and lanterns to light the room (darkly). The outhouses require another walk down (and up) the stone steps, but the washbasin and comfortable bed provided what we needed to clean up each day and get a good night’s rest before another day of hiking.
A special treat at Skoki was the family-style meals with everyone sitting around one large table, where we had the opportunity to meet new people and learn about their adventures each day and their hiking plans for the next day. One evening we were treated to a special performance by Daniel (our chef), who played several tunes on the old (and slightly out-of-tune) piano and sang several songs that many people sang along with. We particularly enjoyed his rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song”. We made several new friends from Calgary whom we hope to see again next time we are back in the area.
Our hike into Skoki Lodge via Deception Pass occurred on the only day during our trip when smoke from Canada’s summer fires drifted into the area, making for hazy and uncomfortable conditions on the way up. I could understand that we were hiking through some amazing scenery, but nothing called out, and my camera stayed in the bag all day. In the late evening, I took a single photo of the lodge as the last of the light left us that day. Fortunately, rain fell during the night and continued the next day, clearing out the smoke and cleansing the air.
Our first hike at Skoki was the Skoki Circuit, which was a 12K loop around Skoki Mountain. It was suggested by a couple of the Skoki staff, and the manager, Alex, suggested we visit the Warden’s Cabin, which was a short detour about halfway around the loop. We were so thankful for that suggestion, especially with the rain that was steadily coming down during our hike. The cabin had a covered porch, and we were able to take off our packs, sit on the bench, and relax while looking at the rain rather than walking in it! Amazingly, as we packed back up and readied ourselves for the continuation of our hike, the rain stopped and the sun even came out briefly. It lit up the meadow in front of the cabin, showcasing the yellow flowers and revealing Oyster Mountain just to the south. The sunshine was fleeting, but the rain held off as we continued around the loop. Clouds continued to obscure most of the surrounding peaks, but Red Deer Lakes reflected Oyster Mountain nicely in its calm waters, and for a short while we could see Skoki Mountain. A special treat on this hike was our encounter with a mother grouse and her 5 little chicks in the middle of the trail, pecking away at the ground; we waited while she gathered them from the trail and herded them into the forest. We made it around the mountain and through Skoki Valley and back to the lodge in time for the afternoon charcuterie board and bowl of lentil soup, along with hot tea to warm us from the cool, rainy hike.
The next day was cloudy but dry (at least until the late afternoon), and Alex suggested we hike to Lake Merlin via the Grassi Highline Trail. We were warned that it would require traversing a long stretch of boulders and then making a short climb up a steep scree slope before dropping down to Merlin Lake and hiking out through the valley. The part of the instructions we didn’t process properly is that the ‘short climb’ meant literally climbing up a sheer rock wall, and when we reached this section, not knowing what lay ahead, we decided to turn around and head back. Rain was threatening, and we didn’t want to get ourselves in a position where we couldn’t continue up and wouldn’t be able to get back down. So, we slid back down the scree slope to the trail and enjoyed the marvelous views into the valley below. Beneath us was a beautiful lake that was briefly illuminated by the afternoon sun, bringing out its aqua marine color. The lake and the valley sat beneath dramatic cliffs, and the surrounding mountains (including Pipestone and Skoki Mountains) were bathed by fast moving clouds, creating a majestic scene that we absorbed during our walk back. We made several stops to take in as much of the inspiring scenery as possible. We missed seeing Merlin Lake, but we had more time to enjoy the ridge views, and we’ll try this route again on our next trip to Skoki, hopefully making it up and over the wall and visiting Merlin Lake.
After our third night at Skoki, it was time to hike back to the trailhead where our car was parked. Alex recommended we take the Skoki Loop around Fossil Mountain, which would add several kilometers to our hike but which would offer beautiful views and wildflowers, as well as take us by Baker Lake (perhaps making up for missing Merlin Lake). The route turned out to be longer than we expected but was exceptionally beautiful. It offered streams, meadows, stupendous views, and amazing wildflowers. The day brought beautiful sun and clouds, which we welcomed enthusiastically after the first day of smoke, the second day with rain, and the third day with mostly cloudy skies and a light rain. On this fourth day, the sun not only warmed us and lifted our spirits, but it truly brought out the colors of the landscape in ways we had not seen before. The air was clear and crisp after the rains, and we were continually astonished by the beauty of the backcountry. Our progress along the trail was extremely slow because of all the photo stops. It was a long hike of 22K (14 miles), but the energy we gained from the sights kept us going, at least until we entered the forest for the final 8 kilometers of our hike and we lost the views and flowers that had kept us full of vigor throughout the day. The final 4K was really a slog as we made our way down the service road to the parking lot, having eaten all our food, drunk all our water, and completely fatigued our leg muscles. But we left all that behind the moment we reached our car, and our minds kept re-playing the beauty of the day’s hike. We certainly slept well and long that night after arriving back at our cabin at Paradise Lodge!
Our stay at Skoki Lodge was the highlight of our trip, which was filled with many wonderful memories. It was with great anticipation that we went to Skoki, after all those years of trying to get there, and we were extremely pleased with what we experienced. We are already making plans to return.
We’d like to thank the wonderful staff of Skoki Lodge for taking such good care of us during our stay. The manager, Alex, not only suggested hikes we would enjoy, but she was like a mother, making sure we let her know where we were going each day and when we had safely returned. Chefs Daniel and Victor were masters in preparing backcountry meals that rivaled those in the best restaurants in town, and Eden, Eric, Gus, and Liv worked tirelessly to serve breakfast, lunch (prepared for the trail), dinner, and our favorite ‘meal’ of the day, the afternoon charcuterie board and hot bowl of soup. We were truly living like royalty in the backcountry.
