I've been trying to get out backpacking with my best/oldest friend, but the recent rain postponed our hike by a week. With the forecast looking hopeful; "Chance of showers before 11AM", we got a late morning start on Tuesday. My preference these days is for enjoying the beauty we have close to home, and my beloved Alpine Lakes Wilderness has seemingly limitless options. My friend's age and conditioning suggested we not get too ambitious, but getting to the first lake with about 5 trail miles and 2400' of gain seemed possible.
It rained hard on the drive out, which we hoped the end of the system moving through. There was only one other car at the (popular) trailhead which made us feel good about our timing. The trail gains elevation through second growth, then enters the Wilderness area and a nice walk through an old growth valley. And rain.
I'd been up this trail earlier in the year, and hadn't really noticed how brushy the trail was when dry. I was hiking in shorts and throughly drenched from the waist down. Our pace was considerably slower than what I'd do on my own, I wasn't working hard enough to really keep warm, and it just kept raining harder. We came to a campsite at about the halfway point and decided to hunker down, have a hot cuppa tea and slither into the tents for an afternoon nap. Eventually it did stop raining, but the trees kept on dripping all night. As promised, we woke to clearing skies the next day and packed for the hike up to the first lake.
Again, I got soaking wet hiking through brush, up to and including shoulder high Huckleberries. We were slow, I was cold, and my boots were going squish, squish, squish. We eventually arrived and got down to the business of lounging in the sun and drying our clothing. It was a nice little lake, and there were what appeared to be decent fish rising, but I really saw no where to fish without a floating device; which I hadn't brought. This was a social trip, so NBD. The berries were ripe, the scenery wasn't bad, and there were some really impressive Alaska Cedars to admire.
Rested and ready, the next day we headed up valley to a higher lake following a steep but pretty good trail. I just love it when your first view of a new lake includes trout rising and warm granite to lounge about on.
My buddy wanted to hike out that day, so I only had about an hour to fish. I was trying out a new system that will save some weight over bringing two spools with floating and sinking lines. I have a T7 tip about 8' long with loops on both ends. Now I can fish surface or deeper and it's an easy changeover. It even casts well, and I'm really pleased with the system. I managed to LDR two fish in the 12" range, but brought nothing to hand. That means I have to go back! Interestingly, WDFW shows this lake last stocked in 2016, so perhaps there is a self-sustaining population.
By the time we got back to the car, my friend was pretty well whupped. There are reasons I very seldom camp in the rain; it ain't no fun, and my wife is far too smart (and averse to suffering) to put up with it. Nice trip all in all though. There are higher lakes to explore, and unfinished business, so I'll check this area out again. I brought home several nice fresh Porcini which always wins favor. There were other interesting mushrooms, and some fine crags to admire.
Chicken of the Woods
Scaly Gomphus
The biggest Reshi I've ever seen
New [climbing] route potential!
Adieu.
It rained hard on the drive out, which we hoped the end of the system moving through. There was only one other car at the (popular) trailhead which made us feel good about our timing. The trail gains elevation through second growth, then enters the Wilderness area and a nice walk through an old growth valley. And rain.
I'd been up this trail earlier in the year, and hadn't really noticed how brushy the trail was when dry. I was hiking in shorts and throughly drenched from the waist down. Our pace was considerably slower than what I'd do on my own, I wasn't working hard enough to really keep warm, and it just kept raining harder. We came to a campsite at about the halfway point and decided to hunker down, have a hot cuppa tea and slither into the tents for an afternoon nap. Eventually it did stop raining, but the trees kept on dripping all night. As promised, we woke to clearing skies the next day and packed for the hike up to the first lake.
Again, I got soaking wet hiking through brush, up to and including shoulder high Huckleberries. We were slow, I was cold, and my boots were going squish, squish, squish. We eventually arrived and got down to the business of lounging in the sun and drying our clothing. It was a nice little lake, and there were what appeared to be decent fish rising, but I really saw no where to fish without a floating device; which I hadn't brought. This was a social trip, so NBD. The berries were ripe, the scenery wasn't bad, and there were some really impressive Alaska Cedars to admire.
Rested and ready, the next day we headed up valley to a higher lake following a steep but pretty good trail. I just love it when your first view of a new lake includes trout rising and warm granite to lounge about on.
My buddy wanted to hike out that day, so I only had about an hour to fish. I was trying out a new system that will save some weight over bringing two spools with floating and sinking lines. I have a T7 tip about 8' long with loops on both ends. Now I can fish surface or deeper and it's an easy changeover. It even casts well, and I'm really pleased with the system. I managed to LDR two fish in the 12" range, but brought nothing to hand. That means I have to go back! Interestingly, WDFW shows this lake last stocked in 2016, so perhaps there is a self-sustaining population.
By the time we got back to the car, my friend was pretty well whupped. There are reasons I very seldom camp in the rain; it ain't no fun, and my wife is far too smart (and averse to suffering) to put up with it. Nice trip all in all though. There are higher lakes to explore, and unfinished business, so I'll check this area out again. I brought home several nice fresh Porcini which always wins favor. There were other interesting mushrooms, and some fine crags to admire.
Chicken of the Woods
Scaly Gomphus
The biggest Reshi I've ever seen
New [climbing] route potential!
Adieu.
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