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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2019 12:15:57 GMT -8
Heading there in September for a week. Thinking of doing Maple Pass Loop, but now looking for other great trails or. 3 day/2 night backpack trip.
Between location of lodging and hikes that seem great, struggling to lay out an exact itinerary. One option is to go up towards mount baker and artist point area, and do some hikes there, but lodging is tough. Another option is Winthrop to leavenworth area, but can’t find an exact backpack trip.
So, we typically hike bout 8-10 mile day hikes with up to 2500’ vert and 6-8 mile backpack days up to the same 2500’ vert ( although less is fine). As will likely only get to this area once, trying to hit some of the best. Research shows maple pass is a good loop. A few trails near artist point seem top notch too. However haven’t found an exact backpack. Copper ridge, McAllister lake, lake ingalls seem possible areas, maybe skip mount baker area and go more south towards goat rocks....
So, if anyone has any day trips or 2 night backpack that seem ideal in this are, I’d love to hear suggestions. We are flexible to,do a loop or camp in same location for two nights, but if stay in same location, looking for a good second day of hiking from the campsite. Could stretch to,three nights if needed.
thanks
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null
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Post by null on Apr 27, 2019 12:28:21 GMT -8
I was going to suggest Copper Ridge / Hannegan Loop, but it will take 4-5 days.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 28, 2019 4:49:25 GMT -8
If you are willing to do fairly long days, you could do this trip in 3 nights/4 days. We did 5 nights/6 days, which allowed for some extra explores, but doesn’t have to be. |
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Post by cweston on Apr 29, 2019 9:30:55 GMT -8
There are relatively few top shelf destinations in that area that lend themselves to short trips. There's really no good destination in the northern unit of NCNP that meets that description, for example. Copper Ridge and the Whatcom Pass area are spectacular, but it takes two days just to get to the highlights of either trip.
Two fantastic destinations that can be reached on 2-night trips from either Highway 20 or from Stehekin (or as a one-way) are Park Creek Pass and North Fork Bridge Creek.
The Cascade Pass/Sahale Arm area also meets those qualifications, but it does tend to get a little crowded.
I also second Rebecca's suggestion: the Spider Gap/Lyman Lakes area is one of the scenic highlights of the Glacier Peak area. You could even hike into Spider Meadow, camp at the foot of the Spider "Glacier" (spectacular camp) and day-hike over Spider Gap to the parkland around the upper Lyman Lakes on day 2, then out on day three. Be aware that the descent into upper Lyman Lakes from Spider Gap can be pretty icy. I've done it with just trekking poles, but I prefer to have an ice axe. (Although I am clearly old-fashioned about this, as one sees people without ice axes doing terrain like this all the time these days.)
If there's any way you can extend your trip to spend a couple nights in Stehekin, do it.
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kman
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Post by kman on Apr 29, 2019 17:15:49 GMT -8
Has anyone done the Robin, Tuck lake, marmot lake area near cle elum...looks like that might be a good 2-3 night trip. If so, thoughts on how good the area is?
Also, has anyone done the maple pass loop. This hike looks like a very good day hike, and I wanted to do it as a day hike for acclimating, however the logistics of getting there and back to lodging don’t seem to coincide with the better backpacking trips...
Thanks for the ideas so for, spider gap is on the list of possibilities.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 3, 2019 19:04:43 GMT -8
cweston, When we did it in July 2 years ago, the snow was soft and we were able to slide down it quite safely with no axes (it was too soft to pick up much speed). You would definitely want poles, at least, in case it was harder, and in September, going over early in the day could be more challenging as it might still be frozen from overnight if weather is cold.
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Post by cweston on May 4, 2019 3:52:26 GMT -8
cweston, When we did it in July 2 years ago, the snow was soft and we were able to slide down it quite safely with no axes (it was too soft to pick up much speed). You would definitely want poles, at least, in case it was harder, and in September, going over early in the day could be more challenging as it might still be frozen from overnight if weather is cold. That sounds right. The last time I did it was in late September (several years ago). It was pretty icy, and that was the time that I only had trekking poles. It was definitely sub-optimal, but doable. |
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Post by cweston on May 4, 2019 4:02:04 GMT -8
One more thing for the OP: if you visit Lyman Lakes, ideally you’d have time to hike a couple uphill miles to Cloudy Pass for the big views of the Lyman Lakes area. Even if you’re not looping down to Buck Creek Pass, it would be worth taking the time to do this as a side trip from lower Lyman Lake you have time.
A couple more notes about Cloudy Pass:
-There is what sure seems like year-round water and some beautiful camps just below the pass on the east. Would be a spectacular non-storm camp.
-Cloudy Peak is a very straight-forward class 2 climb from the pass. All the views of the Lyman Lakes area plus close-up views of Bonanza, the most impressive/imposing peak in the area.
-also, camps at the lower lake are dank and densely timbered, and also densely populated by bears. I’d look to camp in the parkland below the upper Lyman Lake, or at Cloudy Pass, if camping in the area. Guidebooks say that the camps around lower Lyman have bear cables, but I have found this to not reliably be the case.
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GaliWalker
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Post by GaliWalker on May 7, 2019 12:06:31 GMT -8
Has anyone done the Robin, Tuck lake, marmot lake area near cle elum...looks like that might be a good 2-3 night trip. If so, thoughts on how good the area is? Spectacular. Marmot Lake isn't on the way to Tuck/Robin lakes and isn't in the same class as the latter (although Jade Lake, which is further on from Marmot Lake, is). Robin Lakes is right up there with the best the state has to offer, although that can be said about many, many spots (some already mentioned above).
So, you can only do one of them in 2-3 days: Marmot and Jade Lake, or Tuck and the Robin Lakes basin (with numerous tarns, Granite and Trico Mountain for added exploration).
Marmot Lake:  Jade Lake:  Tuck Lake:  Robin Lakes:  |
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on May 7, 2019 19:54:56 GMT -8
One more thing for the OP: if you visit Lyman Lakes, ideally you’d have time to hike a couple uphill miles to Cloudy Pass for the big views of the Lyman Lakes area. Absolutely:  ...close-up views of Bonanza, the most impressive/imposing peak in the area. ...and the highest non-volcanic peak in Washington. |
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kman
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Post by kman on May 8, 2019 10:36:08 GMT -8
Thanks to everyone so far. Very pleased to hear good review of robin/ tuck or marmot / jade....likely that we will do one of those for a 2 night trip. Positive reviews have helped me and my group to decide to base out of cle elum for a week....Usually do 2 days hikes (6-10 miles) as acclimation hikes ...east coast flatlanders.... so if anyone has a particular day hike they love , let me know...ideally one going towards a nice alpine lake type view and maybe one along a river, with good fly fishing a bonus for two of my group... thanks again and nice pics
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Post by johntpenca on May 27, 2019 14:34:51 GMT -8
Depending on when in Sept you go and what elevation, that can be an iffy time in late Sept. Many PCT hikers have run into trouble with the weather in late Sept. No reason not to go, but watch the forecast.
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Post by cweston on Aug 9, 2019 8:55:52 GMT -8
Depending on when in Sept you go and what elevation, that can be an iffy time in late Sept. Many PCT hikers have run into trouble with the weather in late Sept. No reason not to go, but watch the forecast. FWIW, the last time I hiked in the area in September (it was the third week of Sept), several years ago, I had to delay the start of my trip by a day because of the first major blizzard of the year in the high country. Also, I had lows well below freezing on that trip. (Below 20 a couple nights.) |
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kman
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Post by kman on Sept 14, 2019 16:44:19 GMT -8
Heading out to hike Robin and Tuck lake soon. Are there any recommended day hikes to get acclimated to the area. Looking for 5-8 miles round trip and 2000’ vert or less. We are staying in Roslyn area.
thanks
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kman
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Post by kman on Sept 29, 2019 9:01:52 GMT -8
So I figured I would give some feedback on the trip for future people going. Hikes we ended up doing:
1) Pete lake - very easy 8 mile round trip hike. Trail condition was good and lake/ view very nice. This was our get acclimated and shake off the rust hike. Note a few others on the trail were going up to spectacle lake for an overnight. Not sure if the trail stays the same quality, but is so, even despite the miles and elevation, it would be a reasonable location to overnight.
2) Tuck lake overnight - I will start by saying the lake is an awesome location. Was surprised that we did not find as many tent / campsites as I would have expected for the popularity. Now, the trail. Despite the mile and elevation looking reasonable, this is not an easy hike for someone carrying a full pack...The first three miles....extremely easy. The switchbacks to the deception pass/tuck lake trail junction...As one would expect...The trail from the junction to the lake....Let’s just say we met a local at the trailhead and asked him about it. He was going to marmot lake. Despite a few attempts to get him to describe it, the best he could do was shrug his shoulders and say...”well it’s a trail”...So, this section is steep and technical, there are not switchbacks, just “lots of roots, rocks, and tough footing going up very steep inclines. It is doable, and us and others were up,there, however, in my view, it is not typical national park/ national forest type trail. Actually reminded me of New Hampshire hiking...We did not go up to Robin Lakes, as rain and clouds had come in. We were told by a few others coming down that it was a similarly technical trail as the climb up to,tuck lake.
3) Longs Pass trail....what an incredible trail from all aspects...the trail is in incredible shape, the grade/incline is not bad, the views going up, incredible, the views at the top, even better. Had we known how fast this trail could be hiked, we probably would have gone to ingalls lake or maybe even had done both locations in a long day hike...but I would put this hike as a must do hike...no pics yet, but wanted to at least give some future visitors ideas.
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