Spider Meadows #1511, Spider Gap
Aug 01, 2007
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Spider Gap
- Region: North Cascades -- Suiattle River
- Avg Rating: 3.50
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Spider Meadow and Phelps Basin
- Region: Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - East
- Agency: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District, Leavenworth
- Trails: Spider Meadows (#1511)
- Avg Rating: 4.13
- Be Aware Of
- Blowdowns
- Washouts
- Bugs
Last year, a planned Spider Gap -- Buck Creek Pass loop was scuttled when my dad (aka ""Lodd"") forgot his boots on the porch at home. We ended up just doing a trip to Buck Creek Pass and High Pass. This year, we decided to do the other end of the loop. We camped for a night above Larch Knob, hiking up to Spider Gap in the morning.
Lodd, Mom, Boist, the Duck and I hiked together to Spider Meadows, starting at the gentlemanly hour of 11:45. The trail isn't all too dusty and horsepoopy yet. We lunched at the big rock right at the start of the meadows. The meadows are still blooming quite nicely and there is still a decent amount of snow on the surrounding mountains. Nice scene.
Lodd and I continued on up the steep, rocky trail to the Spider Glacier, while the rest turned around back to the car. At the crossing of Phelps Creek, my camera rolled down a rock and landed in the creek. I'm attempting to dry it out now to salvage the camera, but in any case there are no photos from this trip. STUPID, STUPID FOIST!!!!!!!
The main campsite on Larch Knob was taken already. Someone pointed us to a campsite not far from (but not too close to) the toilet that is also very scenic, perhaps more so, but much farther from water.
Mosquitos were mostly held at bay that evening by a good wind, but in the morning were pretty bad. While I'm on the topic, the flies were also biting like nuts on the Spider Meadows trail.
Next day we headed up the ""high route"" along the ridge to the West of the Glacier towards the Gap. Our camp was pretty much already on the high route, so we figured why not. It's a bit of a pain, the route sketchy, but the views are a bit better than the Glacier route, especially of Phelps Basin. You don't completely avoid snow, as there are still some patches on the ridge and you have to traverse the Spider Glacier right near the top. Poles were nice to have.
I scrambled up to the first bump west of the Gap to get a view of the impressive Lyman Glacier. Careful doing that if there are people hanging out at the Gap, there is lots of loose rock on this slope. Awesome views.
We went back down to our campsite via the Glacier. Much faster. I regretted not carrying up my rainpants for a great glissade. My dad glissaded for a bit anyway in his shorts.
A few trail notes: there is one annoying blowdown right at the beginning of the Spider Gap trail and a small wash-out on the steep switchbacks up that trail. Not a big deal, but maybe worth mentioning.
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