Cougar Lake, Laughingwater Creek

This trip report details Cougar Lakes and the Laughingwater Creek trail from Three Lakes.

Craig Romano asked if I would join him on a through hike in and around Mt Rainier National Park. He wanted to survey a particular series of trails for an upcoming backpacking book for The Mountaineers Books, and needed a 2nd vehicle to do this as a through hike. Having done very little in MRNP and long curious about Cougar Lakes in (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (OWNF), I was happy with the suggestion, and off we went: In to Cougar Lakes and out via the PCT and Laughingwater Creek trail.

We had trouble getting an overnight permit Three Lakes at Ohanepecosh Visitor Center. The website says they open at 9, but they don’t open til 10, and this location caters more to the visitors from the car camp there, so backcountry permits aren’t their schtick. The delay was not the Park employee’s fault, but just trust me on this – get your permits at White River (they open at 7).

We stashed Craig’s rig at Laughingwater Creek trailhead near Ohanepecosh Campground and continued in my rig to the parking lot at Tipsoo Lake.

From there we walked the flower-laden meadows to Dewey Lakes, where we snacked a bit before continuing on to pretty Anderson Lake. After resting a little, we continued to Cougar Lakes. The Cougar Lakes trail shoots off the PCT, and for it is nice tread just past American Lake and the junction with the American Ridge trail, where we turned right and went down to Cougar Lakes.

The trail here is combination boot-beat trail and built trail. Used for decades by horses and hikers, it’s a rock-and-boulder-infested gash. It must have been rerouted, because it’s longer than old guidebooks say it is, and it occasionally switchbacks.

We had the place to ourselves and camped at the spot boasting the classic Cougar Lakes view of House Rock (National Park permit not needed here, because Cougar Lakes is within the OWNF. We filled out a National Forest Wilderness permit at a self-register box near Dewey Lakes).

Friday morning, the fog continually swirled around House Rock. Craig’s mission was the route above the larger lake, across the shoulder of House Rock and to the PCT. We set out, and easily found the path beyond the campsites at the larger lake. The path shoots up – again, this is a combination of boot path and built trail. I suspect the PCT was to have passed by Cougar Lakes and up this boot path, but after tossing in a couple of switchbacks and building some nice traversing tread, the trailcrew dropped their tools when the Dude(s) in Charge decided to place the PCT elsewhere.

Awesome trail! Wow! Hanging meadows strewn with creeklets, shining-white boulders, sedges and flowers – lots of a pretty little purple flower that Craig identified as Veronica speedwell.

The trail then flattens out and follows an elongated hanging valley that runs the length of the ridge. Wow.

We stopped at the National Park boundary and Craig went his own way for the day to continue his GPS project on several other trails for the guidebook.

Alone for the rest of the day, I hung out at the beautiful meadows, then dropped down toward the PCT. The path down to the PCT continues as an odd, half-built, half boot-beat path. I hit the PCT and was enchanted. The fog swirling around the trees and through the meadows, the lovely PCT stabbing through the distant mist made for a beautiful landscape. There’s something about being on the PCT that sends me - I guess it's that when I’m standing on my little 2 square feet of trail (3 square feet early season, when I’m fatter), I’m connected with 2,700 miles of this trail.

Because he wouldn’t have time to do so, Craig had asked me to check out Two Lake trail – this is the old Crest Trail, the PCT having been re-routed above to better accommodate horse traffic. Coming from PCT south, there is a sign at the Two Lakes trail juction. Two Lake trail wends through pretty meadows. I surprised to see some larkspur along this trail!

Two Lake itself, was enshrouded in fog – it mattered little to me – I loved it. The camp here is huge and horsey – very worn out. I don’t recommend it. I wandered across a meadow to the smaller of the two lakes to check that out. A much better campsite here, but the area is likely buggy on a normal summer day, so unless there are grand mountain views (I had none), it’s not a destination place.

I then continued traversing a flowered slope to meet with the PCT. This portion of the Two Lake trail is absolutely gorgeous! Open, rolling meadows, a few sloughy spots, and flowers like you wouldn’t believe. For some reason, this trail really grabbed me. I guess because even though I love the PCT, any portion of the abandoned Crest trail is romantic as hell. Because Two Lakes lost its Crest status, I stopped to listen for the ghosts of past through hikers.

I hit the PCT at a non-descript location. If coming from PCT north, the junction is not signed, so you may not see it unless you’re looking for it.

I continued down to Laughingwater Creek trail. This trail is partly in the Park, partly in OWNF. It’s open to horse traffic because of its accessibility to the PCT. Horse packers do use it, and it is well-maintained. I noticed quite a bit of fine trailwork along the whole length of the trail - much of it looks like it was done this season.

I got to Three Lakes and chose a spot to camp (National Park permit needed). Craig pulled in about an hour later – he had done a lot of GPS work while I was wallowing in the meadows. 16 miles and about 5,000’ with a full pack was his day – mine was about 7 and 400’ (380’ if I leave out the 20 feet off trail to get a photo of a glacier lily which didn't turn out).

It was quite chilly (hence no bugs) and the fog droplets clung to everything. The Three Lakes Guard Station is undergoing extensive reconstruction. No ranger was there this night. Because the 3 Lakes are quite swampy, I give my advance condolences for anyone stationed there during mosquito season.

It was interesting to follow an old path down the slope and find the sunken remains of an old abandoned box toilet, the hole filled with water. It was quite charming, in that abandoned box toilet sort of way.

Saturday, we continued on Laughingwater Creek trail. I love this trail! Old growth forests are great on overcast days, downright dreamy in the fog. Mountain hemlock and some of the largest Alaskan yellow cedar I’ve ever seen grow here. Bright orange snags glowed in the foggy, diffused light.

The trail then enters the Douglas fir zone where candystick is dotted all over the forest floor. Beautiful! This is the third trail I’ve walked this year where I enjoyed seeing lots candystick, and each time I say it’s the most I’ve ever seen. This trip is no different: this was the most candystick I have ever seen on one trail!

If it seems this trail is longer than the 7.3 advertised on the sign – it is. The sign is wrong. It says 6 to Three Lakes and 7.3 to the PCT. It’s actually 7.3 to Three Lakes, and the PCT is about 2ish miles beyond that. Ooops.

This was a wonderful trip – it was great to join my friend and keep him company while he does the lonely work of guidebook author, though I am not fit enough to accompany him on the hardest of journeys. I was more than happy with the fog and cool weather. Hanging around swampy lakes, sloughs, old growth forests and meadows in the fog is a perfect trip after the series of hot, buggy weekends we’ve had this summer.

More photos on my flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/