Backpacking the Glacier Peak Wilderness
August 29 - September 2, 2007
At the trailhead, Eric poses with his dad, who gallantly volunteered to shuttle us from our ending trailhead (where we left the car) to our starting point. It's a beautiful late August day.
Dad hiked with us as far as scenic Spider Meadows, about 5 miles in.
Here's our camp for the first night. It's in the meadows of Leroy Basin up beyond Spider Meadows where Leroy Creek comes trickling off the high snowfields.
Another look at Leroy Basin.
In the morning, looking at Leroy Creek as it begins it journey out of the basin.
From the steep trail up the the larch ledges below Spider Glacier, this is a look at Dumbbell Mountain, which towers over Leroy Basin.
Eric pauses partway up Spider Glacier -- glorious.
After crossing Spider Gap, Jill descends the snowfields toward the Upper Lyman Lakes, which are visible behind her.
Jill takes in the view from the shore of Upper Lyman Lake. Behind her, Lyman Glacier merges with the icy water.
As we made our way down out of the high country, this was the view back toward Lyman Glacier.
In the Upper Lyman Basin, looking back toward Spider Gap, which is in the center of this photo.
You can just make out Eric (or his backpack rather) as he heads off down toward the Railroad Creek Valley. Bonanza Peak, a giant, is the prominent mountain.
Here's the reason for our solitude. The Domke Lake Fire has closed Holden Village. Indeed, the junction of the trail along Railroad Creek was blocked by yellow tape and warning signs.
The hypnotic blue of Lyman Lake. The falls are visible in the background. Not a soul for miles -- thanks fires and floods!
While Eric napped in a meadow, Jill hiked around Lyman Lake to the falls. This is a view looking back toward Railroad Creek. Cloudy Peak, which we scrambled the next day, is the sharp point over Jill's head.
The view that evening from near our second night's camp just below (east) of Cloudy Pass. Dreamlike.
The view from Cloudy Pass looking east.
This time, with Jill.
Before our third day of hiking, we opted for a morning scramble up Cloudy Peak. Here, Eric pauses partway up the slopes; Cloudy Pass is visible just over his head.
Looking east, the smoke from the Domke Lake Fire covers Lake Chelan, Holden Village, and the lower Railroad Creek Valley.
From near the summit of Cloudy Peak, you can see the Lyman Lakes plus Spider Gap behind Eric.
Another view of the same terrain, this time with a vicious marmot.
As we hiked west toward Image Lake, the weather turned grim during our third day. Here the clouds gather ominously over the Suiattle River Valley.
But by morning on the fourth day the weather had improved. Here's the alpenglow on Glacier Peak at sunrise.
Glacier Peak reflected in Image Lake.
Again.
As we hiked out, the view looking back to our campsite below Image Lake -- it was the one in the center.
Jill takes in the view along the trail that contours through the steep meadows to the east of Image Lake.
More meadows -- sunshine and green grass.
Our route took us down into the big Suiattle forest as we passed through the Miner's Creek and Small Creek drainages en route to Buck Creek Pass. The forests were full of huge mushrooms, like this one that compares to Jill's handspan.
The view as we hiked up toward Middle Ridge, on the way to Buck Creek Pass. The season had changed -- it was autumn.
The stunning view of Glacier Peak from Buck Creek Pass.
Early the next morning, we hiked up Flower Dome for breakfast. This is the view of the Suiattle River and Tenpeak from there.
Hiking out, a textbook example of a lenticular cap hangs atop Glacier Peak -- probably heralding worsening weather.
Finally back at the Trinity Trailhead, Jill stands by the car and smiles as she dreams of milkshakes.
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