Lake Caroline, Windy Pass, Cashmere Mountain

The hike up to Lake Caroline through the burned out forest above Eight Mile Lake was hot, without a lot of shade. But there were cool breezes on the way up and the wildflowers are still amazing. The mosquitoes were the worst at Lake Caroline.

We spent the second day up on Windy Pass. The meadows below Windy Pass are what we truly enjoy, cool breezes, beautiful flowers, meandering brooks and peace and quiet. We did not see another person the entire day (Friday)! The views of the surrounding peaks in all directions are really something. We walked along the ridge to the base of Cashmere Mountain, and then climbed carefully to the top. On the way down we saw a herd of deer, many marmots and various other critters.

Despite the bugs, and the hot sun, we would highly recommend this area.