Type of Hike
Day hike
Friday, July 17, 2009 was another great day for a hike: warm but not hot. The drive on the access road from I90 will take nearly an hour but the drive is pleasant as you past marshy lakes and large meadows filled with flowers. There is a water crossing of Scatter Creek but most vehicles should be able to cross. I was alone on the trail until mid afternoon on the way back to the trailhead. The trail was almost completely snow free with only one minor blowdown. Trees and vegetation are not too different from the westside of the Cascades. The flowers, birds and hummingbirds are out. Because of me bright red T-shirt, I buzzed several times by hummingbirds. Squaw Lake is a nice rest spot and you may spot a trout or two in its clear waters. Small meadows and tarns dot the flat ridge top. Once you start from the trailhead, you do not see Cathedral Rock again until the last half mile or so and then you are greeted by the mass of Mt Daniel and its glaciers. You can hear the muted roar of the cascades off it steep slopes. And behind behind you, you see the pyramid shape of Stuart’s peak behind the Wenatchee Mountains. The more venturesome can try the the narrow trail below the steep slopes of Cathedral Rock to Peggy’s Pond. I turned back halfway into the trail as I could not see a clear continuation and with commitment to a guessed trail that may be difficult to extricate if I had guessed incorrectly. There were plently of mosquitoes and other bugs; bring bug juice. (more pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.d.podleski/2009CathedralRock#
Comments