Bottom Line:
A had a big grin on my face all day long, although I did not see a single person over 18 miles (definitely a first for me... I thought to myself, "Did I miss the memo about a zombie apocalypse or something?") so you will have to take my word for it. Stunning landscapes and fall color, punctuated by Circle Lake which really should take the name "Blue Lake" (a deep iridescent blue) from that other one :) The lake is in a dramatic cirque (with an "infinity pool" outlet that drops steeply down into Deep Lake far below) so exploring the lake via a pack-raft provided a wonderful perspective. Tough for a day hike, although a good chunk of the distance is on the moderate Cathedral Rock access trail. An incredible "just WOW" kind of day.
Stats:
- Distance: 17-1/2 miles
- Duration: 8-1/2 hours
- Vertical: 4525 feet (cumulative; some up-and-down, so definitely save some gas for the return!!); poles strongly recommended
- Road/Parking: The road is in excellent condition as grading is in process, with some heavy vehicles and delay possibilities; there was ample parking for a late season weekday; National Forest parking pass required; it is a fairly long ~12 mile drive in from Salmon La Sac but the current road conditions make it easy
- Weather: Sunny and NO SMOKE to start, some high cloud and smoke later in the day from the northwest near Circle Lake (kind of adding to some of the pics while on the lake); temperatures 50s-70s; some mildly annoying bugs at the lake while inflating the boat
- Trail: The Cathedral Rock trail is moderate but rocky, from the trailhead up to the PCT south of Cathedral Rock; you will pass a small beautiful lake at ~3 miles; on the PCT, there is a right junction marked with a "hiker only" sign (i.e. no stock) that heads up-and-out to Peggy's Pond on the west side of Cathedral Rock; this trail is rough and difficult at times with scrambling and exposure next to a plunging drop-off down to beautiful Deep Lake far below; on this traverse, you can look up to see the Circle Lake cirque far above, the source of (a mostly dry) Spinola Creek cascading off a huge cliff above Deep Lake; from Peggy's Pond, there is a boot-path up the lower flanks of Mt Daniel, where you traverse up-and-south until you reach a corner where you can see the rocky traverse over to Circle Lake; this trail is always evident - if you are searching for the trail after a rock scramble you have gone the wrong way; it is mostly moderate over to Circle Lake with just a couple easy granite scrambles to make things interesting; the trail *descends* down to the Circle Lake outlet where there are campsites and a convenient boat launch point; the remainder of the lake is surrounded by the high cliff walls of a dramatic cirque - truly breathtaking; the lake color is unique... kind of a deep iridescent blue... it was mesmerizing, especially with the reflections (unfortunately with the shorter fall days, there is less time to linger); fall color was blazing in the alpine - I would say near peak if not already there; the Cathedral Rock access trail in the forest is less interesting, with only Devil's Club adding some fall color; I have never seen the creek flowing down Daniel's east flank just beyond Peggy's Pond nearly dry - whoa! Still come flowers hanging on here and there for additional pops of color; the views on the ascent above Peggy's Pond are expansive, from the Robin Lakes alpine just across Hyas lake (a GREAT hike that I suspect will need to wait for a return until next year), to Mt Stuart (see video); WHAT A DAY!!
- Takeaway: A difficult day-hike to a stunning destination only made that much better by getting out on the water in a pack-raft and enjoying that unique perspective; breathtakingly beautiful
10/12/22 UPDATE: Was finally able to rip the 4K video and have attached. The video covers the trail (mainly beyond the PCT junction) and the Circle Lake pack-raft.
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