Pete Lake, Spectacle Lake, Glacier Lake, Park Lakes September 4-6, 2008

Dropped 1 car off at Mineral Creek trailhead, then proceeded back to Cooper Lake for the Pete Lake trail. Bugs started almost immediately. Took the shortcut over to the PCT by crossing the river - ankle high at this time, then on down to Spectacle (never saw the shortcut mentioned by others before the bridge)

Next day tried to find the rough trail described by others to Glacier Lake. It took several hours, but we made it to Glacier Lake without ever really finding a marked trail other than a few cairns in the river. Our original objective of Chikamin Pk was canceled due to the fact it was not visible in the fog and the weather was definitely going downhill. We decided instead to head up the bootpath to the PCT, then down to the Park Lakes, where we had the whole upper lake to ourselves.

The next day the trail down from Park Lakes down the trail was interesting, there is a large avalanche blow down, it can be tricky to find the other side of the trail. As for the rest of the trail, it is it's same old brushy self.

I took my girlfriend on her first Cascade hike today, to one of my favorite day hikes -- up Surprise Creek all the way up to the former lookout site atop Surprise Mountain (with Surprise Lake and Surprise Gap along the way).

Mosquitos were pretty bad, especially up high.

We took the Surprise Lake trail to the lake, then beyond to Glacier Lake until it meets up with the PCT, then up above Glacier to the awe-inspiring rocky basin there. At that point, the PCT heads right (west) up to Pieper Pass, but we went straight on the old Cascade Crest trail up to Surprise Gap. It's a bit rocky but easy to follow. From there, we hit the obvious trail to the right as it wrapped around Surprise Mountain and made its way up to the former lookout site...

Then at the top, I added another Surprise. She said yes!

Just like a big fat indulgent meal, sometimes an experience needs time to digest. My outlook this today is much brighter than many of the prior Mondays this summer. The reason is a heaping plate of quiet, beauty, inspiration, sweaty heavy-breathing, sunshine, and relative solitude this past weekend.

Kristine and I grabbed the optimistic weather report like a passport to well-being, and ran for the hills. We decided to use our weekly three days off to sneak back into a favored place I visited a couple of years ago. Mineral Creek has not changed its ways, hazing every pilgrim with abundant head-high brush, and rocky indecisive tread that sneaks more elevation gain in when you are trying to find your feet. Really though, I like this trail and could care less about it being brushed out; great way to weed out the unworthy. I should mention here that within 200 vertical feet (below) of reaching Park Lakes basin there is a yellowjacket nest in a large log (20’ long) lying parallel to the trail. Kristine managed to spy the frenzied cloud of bees before we blundered into it, sparing us the pain of serendipity. There are a few large trees across the tread at about mile 4, but they were not too difficult to get around/over.

Glacier Lake was as welcoming as ever despite cold stratus blowing over the crest. The skies cleared by midnight as we slept without a tent. A late waning moon allowed for ideal cosmos peeping. Wind shifted in the night as evidenced by the light smell of forest incense ushered in from the Holden fire. Some mosquitoes required light application of DEET. On Saturday we explored Chikamin lake basin and made an attempt on the peak. Kristine is a rock climber and prefers the rock she is on actually be attached to the mountain. We climbed up talus slopes (bad enough) to a gully full of rotten/loose rock. Well, that did it for sure. We down-climbed safely and went on our sunny way. Consolation was sought in a crystal pool of water smelling of corn silk above the shark-fin talus rock; we plunge-cleaned and basked in September sunshine.

Arising in the pre-dawn hours we enjoyed the last of a waning moon consorting with Venus-bright in the glowing east. We sadly packed our feathered cocoons, petrol fire, and water-maker to leave. Hike out took 3.5 hours without break. We swam at Cooper Lake, swarming with fisher-folk, and families with brightly colored float craft. A stop at the Cruise-in burger shack in Roslyn satisfied cravings for all things unhealthy. We sampled three well-crafted burgers, root beer floats, and a generous amount of fresh-cut fries.

That dose of food (without regret) did not fully digest until this morning. Like an indulgent meal, this trip took awhile to be incorporated and appreciated. Sunny mountain time is very important to my well-being, and a great deal healthier. I look forward to a fat month of wilderness travel.