Lake Creek — Sunday, Jun. 6, 2010

North Cascades > Pasayten

From trailhead to Black Lake the trail is in pretty good shape. A mile or two after Black Lake the trail has lots and lots of blow downs. I encountered only snowpatches hading up to Ashnola Pass, and total snow-cover once at the pass and at the lake, which was 100% snow covered. Coming down from Ashnola Pass the hillside was 100% snow bound all the way down to the ford of the Ashnola River. This first ford of the Ashnola River was not hard, just above knee deep and cold. But the 2nd and 3rd crossing of the river looked impossible, deep and very very swift. I didn't even try it. I instead decided to bushwhack on the right side of the river for 1/4 mile, through the bogs, and hit the trail again at the next ford.