Pam and I headed up Hatchery Creek Saturday at about 11:30 and ended up at Augusta lake at around 6:00. Whewww ! That's one long uphill grind. The trail was steep and dusty for the first 4+ miles until we crested the ridge. We still had the dust but, the trail was more moderate through the old burn, rolling through about a mile of forest and then a short steep uphill to the junction with the Icicle Ridge trail at about 6200 ft. From the junction the trail winds down, down, down in to a magnificent valley leading up to Augusta Lake. What a great place. Huge meadows with small groups of Larch and Alpine Fir, a thin ribbon of slow moving water winding through it all. Finally a short steep burst, ("burst" is NOT what we were doing, but it sounded good ), up to the lake. This is one of my favorite spots in the fall. A bit too smokey this year, but still very nice.
Here's some pic's.
Here's a pic looking towards the lake and Big Jim Mtn. from our camp.
This view is of the north side if Icicle Ridge just east of the Jay Creek saddle.
Here's a shot looking at the north-west side of Grindstone Mtn from the saddle above Augusta. You can make out Daniel - Hinman in the back ground.
This is Augusta Lake from the saddle to the east. Lots of smoke in the valley. We couldn't even see to Cashmere...just pea soup.
The terrain around the lake looks like a manicured park.
On the way out we decided to wander around in the valley bottom and check out some of the colors.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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