Lanham Lake

We had intended to hike the PCT south from Stevens Pass to Josephine Lake, but the pass was fogged in and only 59 degrees. So we drove east on Highway 2 and hit sunshine near the Mill Creek Road. With a change in plans we decided to hike up to Lanham Lake. Sally had never been there and I had only done winter snowshoe trips, the last time was ten years ago. The trail starts across from the Steven Pass Nortic Center Day Lodge and heads steeply up to the BPA power line road, then continues up to a old logging road. From the old road, the trail goes into old growth forest where water is running down the trail in a muddy area. Futher on the trail has been reroute through a large blow down area where a wind storm a few years ago blew down several acres of conifer trees. Then the trail goes up steeply, flatten outs for a ways, then steep again before getting to the lake. With brush and slide alder around the lake, so it is hard to get down to the shore. We ate lunch with a view of Jim Hill Mtn. in the background. On the way back down, we saw the only animals we saw all day, two frogs in a small creek. Bugs where not bad. It was interesting to see the trail and lake with no snow. I think it is a better trip in the winter when you can go around the lake and the brush is covered with snow.

Since we had some extra time, we stopped at the Deception Creek Nature Trail a few miles west of Stevens Pass. The creek is really roaring now over water falls and through a gorge. Be sure to check it out.