Larch Lake, Loch Eileen

This year we chose High Camp as a base camp for our annual larch trip. We stayed 2 nights and did day hikes to Loch Eileen/Lake Donald and to Larch Lake. The staff at the camp we're gracious and helpful and the hot outdoor shower and hot tub under a star filled sky made for a relaxing way to end a day of hiking. The trails are all in excellent condition. On each hike there was a stream crossing which required a short detour and some boulder hopping or crossing a log jam. Not a problem this time of year. The larches are colorful, but not yet at their peak. They we're a mixture of lime green and pale yellow. Lots of red huckleberries and vine maples. The area around and above Lake Donald was alive with a variety of colors. Ewing Basin was a spectacular open valley in full technicolor and Larch Lake was quite beautiful. We we're sorry that we we're not prepared to spend the night at the lake and had to to start back by 4 PM to reach High Camp before dark.