Going Once, Twice, Three Times...!

Ok, so it is an unusual year. I've be racking my mind for the perfect backpack for us, but the snow levels are keeping the high alpine hikes at bay. If you have been checking the trail reports up at Upper Lena Lake (with the link I provided), you would of noticed Upper Lena Lake is still 95% frozen. So that is out. The reservations have been canceled. Now what?

I've searched high and low for other possibilities. I've looked at the Olympics, the Lake Chelan - Sawtooth Wilderness, Glacier Peak Wilderness, Indian Heaven Wildnerness, Goat Rocks Wilderness, and Pasayaton Wilderness. All the trails at these locations are too high and covered with snow. I would like to suggest that on Monday when we all get together we each bring a backpack suggestion to the table. In my searching for an ideal backpack, in my most recent thought, I decided to turn our adventure into more of a car camping experience. I am up for other ideas if you all have them. Please do bring other suggestions. Here are my ideas to mull over.


Potential Car Camps:
Rustic Car Camp (Backpacking Style) High Mountain Adventure: Olympic National Park
Where: Northeast Corner (Deer Park Campground (see picture above), Deer Park Map)
Day Hike Possibilities: Deer Ridge Trail, Blue Mountain Trail, Deer Park to Obstruction Point

Car Camp Meadow Mountain Adventure: Bird Mountain Loop
Where: Indian Heaven Wilderness (Cultus Creek Campground)

Potential Backpacks:
Navajo Pass
Where: East Central Cascades (Teanaway Area near Cle Elum)

Driveway Butte
Where: Eastern North Cascades (Methow Area)

Mt. St. Helens Hike Options

What are your ideas or preferences?

I'm still excited! Can't wait to see you all on Monday! Woot!

Erica

Here We Go Round Two - You'll Want to Read This

We all think it is fun to be spontaneous right?

The news reports are everywhere. It has been a very unusual year in terms of the overwhelming accumulation of snow in our mountains this past winter and spring. Even as we enter mid July we are running a race against the snowmelt. Is it going to happen fast enough? Our planned Glacier Peak hike up to Glacier Peak Meadows has us crossing Red Pass at 6,800 ft. Red Pass is roughly the same elevation as Paradise up at Mt. Rainier which is almost 300% above its normal snowpack in July. No kidding. There is a lot of snow still up in the mountains. At Lyman Lakes in the Glacier Peak Wilderness there is about 50 inches of snow still on the ground.

With that said, we are changing the location of our backpack. I was looking forward to hiking in the Glacier Peak Wilderness because it is an area of Washington I have yet to visit. But we are just not prepared to be crossing snowfields and camping on snow. We need a lower elevation hike instead. But, don't despair, we are in for a real treat because this year we are able to now step back and take a look at hikes that we may never have thought of before. Therefore, it is with great joy that I tell you I have made reservations for a three night backpack in Olympic National Park at Upper Lena Lake. Cheers (I can hear you all cheering)!

If not, here are the details about the hike:

Hike: Upper Lena Lake
Setting: Beautiful Subalpine Mountain Lake (as seen in picture above)
When: August 2nd - 5th (3 nights)
Elevation: 1,300 to 4,600 ft
Elevation Gain: 3,900 ft
Mileage: 14.6 miles roundtrip
Trailhead: Enter near Hoodsport (Hood Canal) near the Hamma Hamma River
Fun Fact: This hike was one of Ira and Harvey Manning's (famous Pacific NW hiking book authors) hikes. They went there on their honeymoon and on anniverseries. It was also Harvey's summer country during his Boy Scout years in the 1930s!
Second Fun Fact: Lena Lake meets five of the six criteria for a classic Washington hike defined by Ira and Harvey Manning - views, lakes, flowers, heather covered alpine meadows, and, if lucky, herds of elk.
Ambitious Explortations (aka Day Hikes): Mount Lena (5,995 ft), ridge trail to Scout Lake, Lake of the Angels, or stay at camp and relax by the lake!

We have a group site reserved for seven people. They are (drum roll please)... Matthew! Erica! Ben! Cousin Kris! Uncle Michael! Cousin Juli! and best family friend ever, Brad! Yeah, yeah, yeah! Let's get this backpacking adventure party started.

Keep up your exercise, break in your boots, start conditioning because we have three weeks before we hit the trail. If you have questions about the snow pack, follow it here:

Olympic National Park Trail Conditions
(Upper Lena Lake report is listed in the Staircase section)

Washington Trails Association
(go to where it says "Recent Trip Reports")

Keep checking in with the blog for more updates and information!

Happy Trails,
Erica

Glacier Peak Meadows Here We Come!

Dear Glacier Peak Wilderness Backpacking Crew:

Are ready for this!? Ready to venture into the high alpine country of Glacier Peak Wilderness? Are you psyched yet? I hope so. I created this blog to get you excited for our upcoming backpack, August 1st through 5th. Scenic trails, alpine vistas, and off-trail explorations await us. Because snowfall is measuring in record amounts this year, I am paying close attention to the snow melt this month. I will have a back-up plan in case temperatures do not warm up as fast as we like, but for the meantime, let me introduce you to our hike.

We will be hiking the southwest side of Glacier Peak through Red Pass to Glacier Peak Meadows, just below the White Chuck Glacier. This backpack has come highly recommended for its beauty. It is a wonderland of old growth forests, meadows, wildflowers, and captivating beauty. This hike was featured as the Hike of the Week by Snohomish County. Click the link to read a full description.

Here are the hike details at a glance:

Hike: Red Pass to Glacier Peak Meadows

Date: August 1st - 5th

Elevation: 4,300 feet

Distance: 20 miles

We will drive to the trailhead Monday morning. We will be camping our first night at Mackinaw Shelter (6.5 miles from start). We will do the big climb (3,000 elevation gain in three miles) the next day up to Red Pass (6,450 ft) to find our dream campsite in Glacier Peak Meadows, just on the other side. Day hikes could include hiking to White Chuck Glacier, to the White Chuck Cinder Cone, or to White Mountain. All optional! We will stay two nights up in the alpine country before leaving the last day to return to Mackinaw Shelter.

To follow future blog posts about this backpack up until just before the hike, follow this blog by entering your email on the top right side of the page. I will give snow updates as well as gear suggestions. Feel free to comment at any time. If you have a post you would like to make, email me the text and I will post it for you.

Happy Trails!
Erica