Page 3
Day
3
We were pleased to wake up to blue skies once again. There was a bit of a breeze but nothing that could not be alleviated by a puffy layer. Clouds in the low valleys once again but just a few wispy clouds up high. We packed up and were on the trail by 8:10 am. Just as we were about to leave Elk Pass we met a hiker heading south on the PCT. He had started at White Pass and was headed to Walupt Lake. He had no ride back to White Pass. Now that sounded like an adventure. The first 1100' in 1.2 miles back to Packwood Saddle was easy. We stopped for many photos as the best views would be gone once we were back in the forest. At the saddle we found no other campers. Down the trail a third of a mile or so we found the campsite by the creek. It was occupied. We saw nobody from Elk Pass to near the outlet of Packwood Lake. Long miles of forest hiking with total solitude.
What we were not expecting is the condition of the Upper Lake Creek Trail from Packwood Saddle to Packwood Lake. It is a a bit of a mess. It could really use a few weeks of trail work. In the 7 or so miles to the lake inlet we went around, under, or over many dozens of down trees. Forty or fifty or more. Some could be stepped across. Many had horse paths around that went far out of our way. The gentle trail back to the lake was more like the gentle trial. I realize that Forest Service budgets are tight but this trail needs a lot of trees removed. I would not recommend taking a horse up it now. The first miles dropped steadily then the grade lessened as we reached Upper Lake Creek. That presented some new problems. The creek is not too large now but the creek bed is enormous. It has clearly run wild recently. Probably in the big floods of 2003 and 2006. In a number of places the trail was overwhelmed by the floods. Sand and rocks are now the trail. Some cairns and tape help keep you on track until tread is seen again.
At one point the trail dumped us right out near the creek in the gravel bed. This trail would be a good rebuilding project. The washouts require some route finding but are not as difficult as the downed trees to get through. On one bypass trail around an obstacle Gary and I climbed back up to the trail next to a very big tree. A minute late John came running up the slope in a fury. We riled up the hornets and John paid the price He counted 8 stings. Later on he moved up to second place and added a ninth sting. I had one sting at camp on Elk Ridge. Gary made it through unscathed. I was a little disappointed in the size of the trees until that first big one. Seven feet in diameter.
At long last we reached the inlet to Packwood Lake. We stopped at a campsite on the shore for the rest of our lunch. Only our second food stop since Elk Pass. The lake is a mile long so we still had a ways to get back to the outlet end. It was 12:00 pm. We had hiked 8 miles but still had 5.5 to go. A boat sounded like a good way to get down the lake. Not having one we continued our hike. Near our lunch spot we found the largest tree of the whole trip. Using the size measurement on my hiking poles I placed it at just over 8 feet in diameter. One impressive tree. The trail along the lake had a lot of ups and downs. I was glad when we reached the junction with the trail to Lost Lake. We had completed the loop. One short break at the lake outlet and we sped up for the last 4.5 miles. Much different than my memory of the hike in, the way out was two thirds uphill. Not what we had in mind. We covered that 4.5 miles in 1:20. That was 10 minutes faster than the hike in when we were fresh.
For the day we hiked about 13.5 miles with 900' of elevation gain and about 4800' of elevation loss. This was a great trip. The weather was a little hot but there were few clouds and no signs of rain. The views are spectacular. That narrow trail along the Cascade Crest is worth the trip all by itself. Old Snowy is a fun short scramble to near 7900'. Add in a big lake, a small one, and a medium sized one. We saw a number of other hikers but it as never crowded except on Old Snowy at first. There were even two huge old growth trees in the forest walk. I have only been to the Goat Rocks two times but they were two of the best backpacking trips I have done.
We were pleased to wake up to blue skies once again. There was a bit of a breeze but nothing that could not be alleviated by a puffy layer. Clouds in the low valleys once again but just a few wispy clouds up high. We packed up and were on the trail by 8:10 am. Just as we were about to leave Elk Pass we met a hiker heading south on the PCT. He had started at White Pass and was headed to Walupt Lake. He had no ride back to White Pass. Now that sounded like an adventure. The first 1100' in 1.2 miles back to Packwood Saddle was easy. We stopped for many photos as the best views would be gone once we were back in the forest. At the saddle we found no other campers. Down the trail a third of a mile or so we found the campsite by the creek. It was occupied. We saw nobody from Elk Pass to near the outlet of Packwood Lake. Long miles of forest hiking with total solitude.
What we were not expecting is the condition of the Upper Lake Creek Trail from Packwood Saddle to Packwood Lake. It is a a bit of a mess. It could really use a few weeks of trail work. In the 7 or so miles to the lake inlet we went around, under, or over many dozens of down trees. Forty or fifty or more. Some could be stepped across. Many had horse paths around that went far out of our way. The gentle trail back to the lake was more like the gentle trial. I realize that Forest Service budgets are tight but this trail needs a lot of trees removed. I would not recommend taking a horse up it now. The first miles dropped steadily then the grade lessened as we reached Upper Lake Creek. That presented some new problems. The creek is not too large now but the creek bed is enormous. It has clearly run wild recently. Probably in the big floods of 2003 and 2006. In a number of places the trail was overwhelmed by the floods. Sand and rocks are now the trail. Some cairns and tape help keep you on track until tread is seen again.
At one point the trail dumped us right out near the creek in the gravel bed. This trail would be a good rebuilding project. The washouts require some route finding but are not as difficult as the downed trees to get through. On one bypass trail around an obstacle Gary and I climbed back up to the trail next to a very big tree. A minute late John came running up the slope in a fury. We riled up the hornets and John paid the price He counted 8 stings. Later on he moved up to second place and added a ninth sting. I had one sting at camp on Elk Ridge. Gary made it through unscathed. I was a little disappointed in the size of the trees until that first big one. Seven feet in diameter.
At long last we reached the inlet to Packwood Lake. We stopped at a campsite on the shore for the rest of our lunch. Only our second food stop since Elk Pass. The lake is a mile long so we still had a ways to get back to the outlet end. It was 12:00 pm. We had hiked 8 miles but still had 5.5 to go. A boat sounded like a good way to get down the lake. Not having one we continued our hike. Near our lunch spot we found the largest tree of the whole trip. Using the size measurement on my hiking poles I placed it at just over 8 feet in diameter. One impressive tree. The trail along the lake had a lot of ups and downs. I was glad when we reached the junction with the trail to Lost Lake. We had completed the loop. One short break at the lake outlet and we sped up for the last 4.5 miles. Much different than my memory of the hike in, the way out was two thirds uphill. Not what we had in mind. We covered that 4.5 miles in 1:20. That was 10 minutes faster than the hike in when we were fresh.
For the day we hiked about 13.5 miles with 900' of elevation gain and about 4800' of elevation loss. This was a great trip. The weather was a little hot but there were few clouds and no signs of rain. The views are spectacular. That narrow trail along the Cascade Crest is worth the trip all by itself. Old Snowy is a fun short scramble to near 7900'. Add in a big lake, a small one, and a medium sized one. We saw a number of other hikers but it as never crowded except on Old Snowy at first. There were even two huge old growth trees in the forest walk. I have only been to the Goat Rocks two times but they were two of the best backpacking trips I have done.
 Morning Light |
 Morning & Old Snowy |
 Gary In Camp |
 Sea Of Fog |
 Lit Up Coyote Ridge |
 View To The NW |
 Clouds Atop Mt. Rainier |
 View Across Valley |
 Below Elk Pass |
 Morning At Egg Butte |
 Packwood Lake Below |
 John On Trail |
 Upper Lake Creek |
 Indian Pipe |
 Big Tree |
 Bigger Tree |
 Packwood Lake Again |
 Packwood Lake Outlet |
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Trips - 2013
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