Schaefer Lake — Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East

There wasn't any immediately obvious way to cross the river at the location where the trail intersects it. It appeared that the "logjam crossing" had been tucked against the far side of the river's bend. One narrow log did connect both shores, but crossing this way would have required the dexterity of a gymnast. The water level was low enough to wade across (~2 feet deep) though it was somewhat swift and extreme caution is required. Large fish observed as I crossed, and I swear they chuckled at me patronizingly as my bare feet stumbled to and fro on slippery rocks. Stupid fish. I'd like to see them walk a mile through the desert and live to talk about it. The route past the river was marked with a couple strips of pink forestry tape. The trail did diverge a bit here, but it wasn't hard to find and stay on the main path. There were a few fallen logs and plenty of overgrown shrubbery to remind one that this is a trail though the forest and not a sidewalk in the park. Some wide and wise cedars hover not far from the river. I also observed what appeared to be a large cluster of Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus or Laetiporus cincinnatus, perhaps?) growing on a dead stump. A kind of woodpecker made an appearance but was too far away for my amateur eye to identify. The growth does thin out where trees canopy the ground or where the route steepens. However, despite what looked to be the work of an earnest trail crew armed with machetes, the path also winds through a dense mesh of bush that hosts a troubling cacophony of hungry insects. I only hiked about three miles from the trailhead and cannot account for the state of Schaefer Lake or the last couple of miles that lead up to it. Conditions were generally favorable up to where I terminated my dayhike, however, aside from the things I've described here.