Lake Ingalls — Wednesday, Sep. 4, 2024

There were about 10 cars at the TH when I arrived at 8:00 a.m. and about the same number when I got back down at 3:30 p.m. 

What a beautiful hike, just what Doctors Peace and Quiet ordered! The sound of the stream gave way to that of the wind in the trees, with a peppering of bird song, my footfall the only human sound. (With the exception of an almost unbroken concatenation of aircraft noise overhead). I encountered only a handful of people, and they were quiet, with no loud banter and guffaws reverberating around and audible hundreds of yards away, as is often the case. 

Just past the Long's Pass junction, some small rocks tumbled down at my feet. I deftly went into fight or flight mode, which for me meant kind of just standing there, mouth agape. Was it the precursor to a rockslide or a large predator? Soon I found the culprit. One of the large chipmunks, churring away at a pine cone had trundled the rocks down. How cute, I thought, until about 12 feet further, it happened again, with a different chipmunk. Well, one is cute, but two is a conspiracy. I gripped my bear spray. But how silly it would have been to deploy. After all, what if I encountered a bear or cougar or even an aggressive goat later on, only to find I'd spent it all on chipmunks? 

A little ways up, the gift of silence gave me a glimpse of a Marten, possibly, or other weasel. It did not tarry; otherwise, I would have let it know about the two (possibly more!) plump and mischievous chipmunks down the trail. Saw several goats in the basin. 

Midweek, after Labor Day is a good time to go. I had not been here in at least 15 years. I was happy to see that in spite of heavy use, the area seems to be in good condition, the trail and campsites clean, except I don't understand why campers spit their toothpaste on the rocks. It doesn't soon wash away.