Eightmile Lake — Wednesday, Jul. 23, 2008

Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area

While west of the mountains it is still hard to find snow free backpacking, Leavenworth Ranger station recommended this trip - an excellent recommendation. Having driven from Bellevue and picked up an overnight permit at the Ranger station - they had told us they're are nearly always day of permits easily available - we hit the trailhead around 11 am. It was a hot cloudless day, and little shade on the trail. We stopped for lunch at Little 8-mile Lake. We needed to filter extra water here, as we knew the hike up would not have easy water access. The lake near the trail, did not look great, so we scrambled across the rocks the to inlet stream to filter water. The hike up to Lake Caroline, is steep and hot, with virtually no shade. As you climb the wild flowers increase, and the humming birds buzz by you. Around 5500 the relief of some shade trees is marred by the arrival of the mosquitoes. We continued on to Little Lake Caroline. There are 2 nice camp sites on the far side of the lake, just after the sign to the horse camp. With views of a flower-filled meadow, visits from a marmot and deer, it was just about perfect .... except for the mosquitoes. We've camped with bugs before but this was truly painful. Trying to get a mouthful of oatmeal, without a further 3 bugs landing in the food, was nigh on impossible. Deet only helped marginally. Another warning is to be careful where you pee. Unlike the Enchantments there are few rocky or bare areas, away for the campsite itself, however search them out. When my husband peed the grazing deer on the other side of camp, immediately zoomed in to him, and ate every leaf that had been splattered down to the ground. In the morning we left our tent and hiked up to Windy pass. The views are spectacular, and the wild flowers even better, and more marmots, pica and a variety of birds. Well worth the extra 1200 ft of climbing, especially if you go up the side peak. We collected out tent then retraced our steps, with a side trip to 8-mile Lake. In all the time we were on trail 1554, we saw no other humans.