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olderthanIusedtobe
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Sep 03, 2018 10:50 am 
I'd tried to day hike to Chetwoot Lk. previously. While I'm sure that is possible for some, I decided I'm not one of those. So I went back for another try, taking 3 days. I haven't been out backpacking all year, I was overdue. I intended to get all the way to Chetwoot on day 1, but ended up calling it good at Big Heart. Stayed there both nights. Sky was a little hazy at times but generally decent. Big Heart outlet
lake reflection near camp
Camp Robber on far right and Tourmaline in center distance, where I would be the next day
morning sunshine on day 2
heart shaped, sorta
There were of course many lakes along the route. There were also tarns, ponds and puddles too numerous to count. This is most of the way across the divide between Big Heart and Angeline.
route heads up gully to left, granite country
I had a trip report done a couple days ago and then lost the whole thing. I'm gonna do this in shorter segments so I don't lose it again. To be continued...

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olderthanIusedtobe
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Sep 03, 2018 10:50 am 
Beautiful tarn in a saddle before the drop down to Chetwoot
I initially missed the hard right turn to follow Chetwoot's outlet to the lake. Took a little detour traversing above the head of Angeline before doubling back. I think that would've taken me to Azure if I kept going.
I don't see elephant head very often, such a cool flower. A bunch of it along Chetwoot's outlet.
And finally Chetwoot! It's a lovely lake. Pictures don't really do it justice.
I think that's Wild Goat on the left and definitely Tourmaline (Pt. 6245 on my map) on the right. I was already eyeballing Tourmaline when I traversed below it earlier, the view from this perspective really had me intrigued.

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Sep 03, 2018 10:50 am 
Tourmaline was a bit of tedious rock hopping but not too bad. I'm usually not a cairn kicker but there were a few that were totally unnecessary, so they are now gone. There is no route per se, it's whatever looks best to you. Nice views all along the ascent. Camp Robber
Tourmaline
Big Heart
Big Heart and Angeline
looking back where I'd come from
Daniel, Hinman and LaBohn I'm fairly sure. Tank Lakes are over there somewhere.
Camp Robber to Malachite
crest of the ALW
Chetwoot
Big Heart from the top
Big Heart and Angeline
Iron Cap and some of the High Route
Saw some of this funky stuff on the way down. Figured out after I got home that it is tourmaline, thus the name of the peak.
persistence
Big Heart again and Malachite
sentinels
almost back down to the tarn above Chetwoot
I'm a bit obsessed with poo. Berries have been on the diet.
Heading back across the Big Heart/Angeline divide, I believe LaBohn (l) and Bears Breast (r).
A splash of fall color. The blueberries weren't plentiful but were tasty. The hucks down lower were so tart I couldn't even eat them.
I've seen this 2 different occasions up here in late summer/early fall, bear grass about to bloom. Has to be the second bloom of the year.
looking back at where I'd been several hours earlier
late afternoon floofy clouds
It rained overnight Wednesday, otherwise was dry the whole time. Big Heart was looking moody as I packed up and left.
Just before the trailhead, at the bridge the W. Fork Foss was subterranean. Reappeared downstream a little bit.

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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostMon Sep 03, 2018 11:40 am 
I was a bit surprised at how many people were out there midweek. Not crowded, but not lonely. I struggled getting up to Copper Lk. I halfway considered stopping there the first day, but figured I'd regret it. I stopped to eat, get more water, and fiddle several times with a pack strap that kept failing. Took about 5 hours to Big Heart on the way up. I figured I'd be quicker on the way down. Didn't really stop at all, made it in 2:45.

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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



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puzzlr
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PostMon Sep 03, 2018 9:50 pm 
Really nice photos -- you have an eye for detail. The whole report brings up great memories of my trip up that way. Thanks for removing useless cairns. I don't remember seeing any but they are definitely not necessary, and could even be misleading. Cairns don't point in a direction so on an open talus field like that someone could take one as confirmation that they're going in the right direction when their path is orthogonal to the cairn builder.

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Nancyann
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PostTue Sep 04, 2018 1:06 pm 
Beautiful pictures of an area I haven’t spent much time in but would like to visit some day. Your comment about Copper Lake being a bit of a struggle reminded me of a dayhike up there I did with an out of shape friend a few years ago. It turned out to be one of the hottest, smokiest days of the summer, and it took us all day to struggle up there in the sweltering heat. By the time we arrived at the lake, it was in the shade and had turned too chilly for our planned swim, so we just turned around and left. I haven’t been back since. shakehead.gif

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GaliWalker
Have camera will use



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GaliWalker
Have camera will use
PostTue Sep 04, 2018 1:16 pm 
Great views from Tourmaline! Thanks for them. up.gif

'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!" Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostWed Sep 05, 2018 2:10 pm 
Nancyann wrote:
Beautiful pictures of an area I haven’t spent much time in but would like to visit some day. Your comment about Copper Lake being a bit of a struggle reminded me of a dayhike up there I did with an out of shape friend a few years ago. It turned out to be one of the hottest, smokiest days of the summer, and it took us all day to struggle up there in the sweltering heat. By the time we arrived at the lake, it was in the shade and had turned too chilly for our planned swim, so we just turned around and left. I haven’t been back since. shakehead.gif
There's a few hikes I've done I didn't enjoy particularly. Some of them went on my permanent do not repeat list. A few, years later I dusted them off and tried them again. I'm usually glad when I give something a second chance, often turns out much better than I remembered (or I can't even remember why I retired a hike sometimes). Copper is a nice lake. It's not exceptional, but we're spoiled here. Big Heart is more interesting. It gets really cool beyond Big Heart.

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