[pipedream]

Wanting to enjoy my last week of freedom before returning to work, I reached-out to some friends in the service industry to see if they'd be free to do a midweek hike in the Teanaway to see some larches and enjoy the lingering fair fall weather. They were able to shuffle things around and get Thursday off which seemed perfect to me as Fridays tend to be almost as crowded as weekends nowadays. These same friends had accompanied me last fall for a "Larch March" to Lake Ingalls but we only made it as far as Ingalls Pass as Headlight Basin was too snowy to continue to the lake. We departed frosty Snoqualmie Pass around 8:30am and after a 45-minute drive through some of the densest fog in recent memory, popped out into the sunshine at the turn-off for the Teanaway Rd. The road was in great condition w/ fresh, smooth asphalt and new guardrails all the way to 29 Pines beyond which the N. Fk Teanaway road was washboarded and smattered with potholes to Beverly CG and from there in great shape all the way to the TH (last year's washout is now a barely noticeable dip as you pass the jersey barricades which once blocked it). Despite what felt like a reasonably early arrival (~10am) on a weekday, the parking lot was full so we had to park just before it along the south side of the road. We hit the trail, shedding layers as we climbed through the lower forest into the autumn sunshine. The trail was dry until the very last set of switchbacks to Ingalls Pass, where it became wet with runoff from what appear to be a few natural springs. Cresting the pass, we descended into Headlight Basin where there were just a few patches of ice and snow from the previous days' weather. The upper reaches of Mt. Stuart were draped in white which made for a nice constrasting background to the golden-yellow larches which were just about at peak color. After another hour or so of walking, scrambling (and occasional swearing that this must be the last pitch) we reached the shore of Lake Ingalls. Beverages were cracked, sandwiches eaten and views drank in until we finally cooled-off and decided it was time to go. The return trip was uneventful and perhaps the only thing worth remarking is that we saw absolutely ZERO goats.

[Felpudo]

Nice write-up! Thanks for sharing

[NWtrax]

Nice photos. I was up there Thursday as well, beautiful day! I took a lap around the lake and seemed to miss most of the people by passing through Headlight Basin. Trying to justify another day off this week while the weather remains stellar.