Friday, September 10, 2021

Alpine Lakes Backpacking

Map of our route: https://caltopo.com/m/4TJQT

DAY 1

Red Mountain.  Three days later we came over the pass just to the left of Red Mountain.

Almost to the Kendall Catwalk



Looking back across the Kendall Catwalk

Red Mountain from a different angle


Mt. Stuart in the haze


Gravel Lake

Alaska Lake


Joe Lake




Gold Creek drainage





A deer on the horizon

Sunlit rocks on Huckleberry Mountain

Burnt Boot Peak just left of center

Last views of the day
DAY 2

Joe Lake


Mt. Rainier on the horizon

We saw three mountain goats here, but there's only one in the picture


Mt. Rainier




Rock marmot in the center of the picture



One of the Park Lakes



The start of the use-trail to Glacier Lake



Spectacle Lake


Glacier Lake



Glacier Lake

Rock marmot

Making our way along the use trail toward Chikamin Lake from Glacier Lake


Not Chikamin Lake.  We hiked up to this tairn by accident as we didn't realize we needed to cross over to the next drainage to get to Chikamin Lake.

Glacier Lake with the Three Queens in the background

Mt. Stuart


The Three Queens




Glacier Lake

Back on the PCT.  Our leisurely hike by Glacier Lake took 4 hours and would catch up with us in the next couple days.

A bear in the huckleberry fields


Spectacle Lake

Chikamin Peak ad Lemah Mountain




Fireweed.  Aptly named as it appears to be one of the first plants back after a burn.

DAY 3

Clouds on the mountains to begin the day

The bottom of the first of two long climbs for the day







Great views from the top of the first climb.  We are a little ways below Escondido Point.



Mt. Stuart on the horizon


A snow tunnel.  It was around here we realized we needed to get moving.




Descending toward Waptus Lake

Waptus Lake


Waptus Lake


No longer on the PCT.  Climbing up toward Lake Ivanhoe.

Lake Ivanhoe

Lake Ivanhoe



The backside of Dutch Miller pass




Chanterelles


DAY 4

Low clouds to begin the final day





We hike about half a mile on this old gravel road before turning back onto the trail.



The bridge near Goldmyer Hotsprings


Climbing up the Old Cascade Crest Trail




Almost up the final climb of the trip



Looking back down the final switchbacks


Mt. Rainier




 

2 comments:

  1. Yeah, its was pretty cool. I see about 1-2 bears per year so that might have been my yearly allotment. Good thing I had my camera this time!

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