Eagle Creek, Oval Lakes & Chelan Summit — Friday, Sep. 8, 2023

I climbed Oval Ck Trail and visited all three Oval Lakes, then over Oval Pass with a side trip to Gray Peak, dropping to the Summit Trail and back to the Eagle Creek trail and returning via Eagle Pass.

This is a strenuous but beautiful loop offering a wide spectrum of scenery and landscape.  26 miles and about 7200 feet vertical but I had perfect late summer weather, no bugs, no smoke, no wind and generally impeccable trail conditions. 

The first 1.5 miles from the Eagle Cr. trailhead passes through the 2018 Crescent burn. This is the worst of the burned area and even here there are patches of surviving trees. It is encouraging to see considerable fir/spruce/pine regeneration along with willow and abundant fireweed coming in.

Aptly named Duckbill Mountain divides Eagle and Oval Creeks. After crossing Eagle Creek the trail climbs sharply about 400 to the junction with the Oval Ck Trail. Above this point the burn scar is more spotty, and after a mile one is back to unburned forest. 

This is similar if one stayed on the Eagle Ck Trail. After a .7 mi level traverse around Duckbill through fireweed and willow brush on well maintained tread the trail crosses Eagle Ck again. After this crossing the trail climbs sharply through the burn but after a mile reenters undisturbed spruce forest.

Both trails were free of all but the most superficial blowdows.

Continuing up the Oval Cr trail, the grade.is mostly gradual through forest dominated by old spruce. There is little water available crossing the trail but in several locations the creek is reasonably accessible. There is a steep but well graded climb for the last mile to the spur to West Oval Lake. 

This lake is truly a gem: deep and sitting in a larch filled basin with ample camping and smooth white ledges leading into the water. I soaked my feet and had an excellent lunch here.

From the spur junction the trail to the other Oval Lakes climbs steeply through larch meadow towards Oval Pass. A few hundred feet below the pass the trail to the other lakes goes left at an unsigned junction. This traverses steep gravel climbing to a rocky rib at 7600 feet that divides West Oval from her sisters. 

Oval Peak, the "Titan of the Chelan-Sawtooth" dominates the landscape here. Gray Peak rises just above this rib, which then connects to Courtney Peak, towering just above the lakes. From Courtney the ridge climbs to the massive rock pile that is Oval Peak. 

From the rib the trail drops 800 feet in a mile or so down through larch filled meadows, then forest to Middle Oval. There is an excellent if currently dry trail camp in the meadows a quarter mile above the lake. This last quarter mile drops sharply to Middle Oval. There are several significant blowdowns across the way. The lake is not seen until near the outlet at a dusty but accommodating trail camp. The cliff face of Courtney Peak gives the otherwise forested lake a dramatic backdrop. 

I camped here and took a morning hike down to the East Oval Lake. The trail to this lake is well worn but there are several more blowdowns. This is the smallest, lowest, most forested lake and appears quite shallow. The shore is difficult to access in most places and I did not see any established camp. Walking around the lake was essentially a bushwhack, with occasional traces of a path. It is an attractive but not terribly accommodating lake but could be friendly to the angler.. 

After  my trip to the East lake I packed up and scrambled back up the thousand feet to Oval Pass. On the way I saw my first other hikers on the trip! From Oval Pass I followed the well established boot path +-.7 miles up to the 8100’ Gray Peak. It was a perfect day and the well documented 360 degree views cannot be overhyped. Here I met a ridge-runner out bagging some peaks. The ridgeline from Courtney Peak to Battle Mountain provides great moderate scrambling,

Sticking to the trail myself today, I dropped down to Tuckaway Lake to soak my feet in the cold water of this small round lake in a lovely alpine meadow. Another short hike brought me down to the intersection with Summit Trail in a larch filled open basin. At this junction is the finest trail camp in the Sawtooth area. There are nice benches, several good tent sites, a nearby open air privy and cold spring water bubbling out of white granite talus. 

The two mile stretch of the Summit Trail back to Eagle Creek Trail is well graded up and over a shoulder before crossing the saddle between the East and North Forks of Fish Creek and then dropping steeply to the junction with the Eagle Creek Trail. 

I filled up with water at the stream near the junction as there is no water this time of year at Eagle Pass. There is also a very accommodating trail camp here. The trail up to the pass is very steep but in good condition, climbing about 800 feet in a bit over a mile. Just below the pass is a broad meadow with excellent views to the west. My camp was a compact site right at the pass with views up into the Pasayten. I climbed the small ridge at the pass to eat my supper and watch  the sun set over Bonanza Peak.

I got up before down the next morning to see if I could view a comet which supposedly would be visible in the predawn. I could see no sign of the comet, although Venus and the Moon were spectacular shining above Oval Peak in the early dawn sky. 

The trip down Eagle Creek was about as nice a 4300’ descent as one could have. After the initial 500 drop off the pass the trail is nicely graded and well maintained through old forest and the occasional meadow. There are several springs crossing the trail although the creek is inaccessible. Halfway down is a sign for the short spur to Silver Lake, which I did not visit. As you reenter the burned area the trail gets brushy and steeper but there is still good tread. A final few switchbacks bring back to the crossing of Eagle Creek and the short, enjoyable traverse back to close the loop at the Oval Creek Trail. Note that old USGS maps show the Eagle Creek Trail descending all the way to the foot of Duckbill Mountain before the junction but this was obviously rerouted long ago.