Lake Augusta, Hatchery Creek — Saturday, Jun. 28, 2014

Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area

This was our first real leg stretcher of the year. We started at Hatchery Creek Trailhead (3,800ft). From there I counted 27 switchbacks to get up the ridge. We stopped at a little meadow near the junction with the Badlands Trail for lunch. From there we pressed onward through the Hatchery Creek trail meadow and into the area of the 1994 Hatchery Creek Complex fire. The area has really started to show signs of life and in full bloom of beautiful wildflowers. It still seems a bit eerie as you wonder through the meadow littered with silver, lifeless trees still standing as a monument of what it once was. Upon entering back into the trees we stopped to fill up on water from one of the few creeks that were still running. Up to this point we hadn’t encountered any snow of the trail, but there were still piles in Northern shadow spots. As we climbed up the ridge to the intersection with the Icicle Ridge trail, we hit full snow coverage. It was hard packed, so we floated right on top the whole time, with the occasional posthole. Once we cleared the ridge the snow was all but gone, including the valley floor proceeding Augusta Lake. There were a few good looking water falls coming from the lake’s drainage creeks. We had to route find the last quarter mile up to the lake, because of intermittent snow coverage, but nothing to crazy. The lake was filled to brim, but not over flowing. There are only a few worth wild campsites comprised of tree groupings to help shield us from the wind. Given that it was early season still at 7,000ft, it got a little chilly that night, especially with the wind. Later in the season, open field lakeside camping would be awesome here. Overall, a great hike with a lot of additional day hike possibilities, Big Jim, Icicle Ridge, etc