Foggy Dew Creek — Saturday, Oct. 3, 1998

North Cascades > Methow/Sawtooth

A beautiful hike. Trail is very smooth, likely thanks to dirt-bikers. Rain a day or two earlier kept the dust to a minimum. Grade is very gentle for the first 5 or so miles, but not long after second junction (which is poorly marked - take right fork), begins a series of switchbacks which take you to the delightful Merchants Basin. Started sleeting - a very dry sleet - before junctions, then a breath-taking little blizzard on the switchbacks - then sunny skies as we reached the Basin. Cut-off to Sunrise Lake is just past the horsecamp in the Basin. The lake is in a gorgeous little cirque, but whoever named it Sunrise had a wicked sense of humor or visited it far earlier in the year. Was cold and started to snow hard at the lake. Too cold to relax, and being a good backpacker, I had not brought anything to start a fire. There were large patches of gentian, just past their peak, all around the east and south side of lake. Retired early and at 7am emerged from my tent to find the lake frozen thirty feet out from shore during the night, making me walk to the south end to fetch my morning coffee water. Sun was still not on lake or our camp when I crawled out of my sleeping bag for the second time at 10am. Broke camp and headed down to Basin, then up to Sawtooth Ridge. This sidetrip was a highlight. Looked right down on Clooney Lake and had wonderful views. Not much wildlife visible this time of year, though lots of tracks. Saw two folks on horses at pass, and they had seen cayotes in the basin. Wish my vision were better! A couple of trip notes....the mileage in the book, map and trail-signs are not in sync. Trail signage seemed way off. Also, we did see 7 dirt-bikers - five on the way up, and two on the way down, but they passed quickly and considerately and really took nothing from the trip. Also saw one mountain-biker and three backpackers - making for a pretty solitary 18 mile trip by west-sider standards! Definitely a hike well-worth taking. Were lots of opportunities for roaming ridges and to other lakes if one had several days to spend. If I did it again, would try to catch wildflowers in August or do mid-September. Was a bit on the cold side for a girl who does not do snow. MA [Online editor's note: This trip was originaly submitted under the nameAbernathy Pass #476, but from the description it sounds more like FoggyDew Creek #417.]