Forum Index > Trip Reports > Another cloudy Mount Daniel report - Jul 07 2019
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kitya
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Joined: 15 Mar 2010
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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostThu Jul 11, 2019 9:13 pm 
Pea soup lake is my white whale. Or, perhaps, due to global warming a blue whale really now. Anyway, I got kind of obsessed years ago with Pea Soup lake due to an old trip report on this very website. But I was young and stupid (now only second part is still true) and this was one of those trip reports that mention no name and no direction. Just beautiful pictures of Pea Soup and Jade lakes. Jade lake is easy to recognize in pictures, but, unfortunately, for years wta showed a picture of the right (Mount Daniel’s) Jade lake for the wrong Jade lake (Necklace Valley trail). Because of that, I hiked East Fork Foss, Iron Cap, Tank Lakes, Necklace Valley loop trail not once, but twice (once as a day hike and once as the overnight), both times never seeing anything like Daniel’s Jade or Pea Soup lakes. Still nice hike though. Eventually I figured out my location was all wrong and found and walked Peggy’s pond, Circle Lake, Venus Lake, Spade Lake, Waptus Lake, Deer Lake, Vicente Lake and Deep Lake loop, which was a really nice introduction to Mount Daniel’s many lakes, but completely missing the side of Daniel where Pea Soup lake is. Even later, I finally figured out the right way and did a day hike Hyas Lake, Marmot Lake, Noname Lake, Jade lake which brought me finally to the right Jade lake, but just below Pea Soup lake I got into such a deep fog, that I couldn’t do anything anymore. The problem was that for years, since my only trailhead car was a corolla, I was really scared about that dreadful Scatter creek ford and never went to Daniel until late in autumn, when the water is low and weather is stormy. But not anymore. I finally got my first real SUV (Rav4 Hybrid) and took it on its maiden voyage. Forest Road 4330 (AKA Fish Lake road) is not the worst forest road, but it is also not the best. It is annoying long (> 12 miles), very bumpy, with lots of wash-boarding, large and deep holes, sharp rocks and several creek fords, including Scatter creek (pictured) ford that is according to forest service is on average 12 inches deep).
I was so proud finally driving my all new high clearance RAV4 using the special 'off road/trail' AWD mode. And than I finally got to the end of the road and the trailhead and found a Prius there.
And it was also raining. Which was a good thing, because it kept me and Cookie cool. Also no mosquitoes! I mean, I have seen them around, but they were not really biting much, probably being full on the blood of all the many (insanely many) campers at Peggy’s pond over the long weekend. The trail up to intersection with Peggy’s pond trail is absolutely perfect easy trail. Peggy’s pond trail itself is a bit nasty and eroded and I slipped once. After Peggy’s pond it is an insane maze of social trails. Thankfully all the campers were already leaving. I met another guy on the way, who told me that he attempted to summit Daniel, but turned around just after Peggy’s pond due to low visibility and heavy rain. Me and Cookie decided we like rain and continued on. There were a few steep places on snow to get to the ridge and I used ice axe. On the ridge the trail is obvious and well defined. There are long areas of snow traverse (again, I used ice axe and crampons, because I’m paranoid and there are steep rocky cliffs below traverse and above the dead Hyas creek glacier). Older trip reports mention just glissading down there, but that would be deadly with the snow coverage now. Near the East peak trail becomes confusing again on an intersection and a few places with loose scree slides. After that it is all good again to the rocky main summit. I heard from the summit one can see Pea Soup lake. We had some visibility in every direction, except the Pea Soup one. It took 9 hours for the round trip (way longer than I expected, due to all the ice axe and crampons part, this is where I envy the dog who has build in crampons), but it was beautiful and fun. Except for still no Pea Soup view part. Easy day out, 16.88 miles, 5764 ft gain, 9 hours 10 minutes. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3823531384
P.S. Found and packed out an REI mesh bag left by campers after everyone left. If it is yours - let me know, otherwise it is going to trash.
P.P.S. Out of all the lakes I have personally seen near Mount Daniel, Venus lake is the absolute best. It is so special, looks like it is inside a crater with no inlet or outlet. Just snow, rocks and water from all sides. Unlike any other lake there, Venus lake looks like some other planet. P.P.P.S. All the trailhead toilets along the road are sealed shut forever. There is lots of trash around them frown.gif

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fourteen410
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Joined: 23 May 2008
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fourteen410
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PostThu Jul 11, 2019 9:17 pm 
kitya wrote:
Great shot!

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BigBrunyon
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Joined: 19 Mar 2015
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Location: the fitness gyms!!
BigBrunyon
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PostThu Jul 11, 2019 10:55 pm 
I was up there circa '14 and you couldn't see a thing! Very confusing route! At one point a guy emerged from the mist ahead and said he'd been up there for coupl'a days and was inquiring as to the route down. Told 'im where to go! Very bizarre experience!

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neek
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Joined: 12 Sep 2011
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Location: Seattle, WA
neek
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PostSat Jul 13, 2019 8:00 pm 
kitya wrote:
And than I finally got to the end of the road and the trailhead and found a Prius there.
Forget Pea Soup lake, you saw The Prius!

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