[Matt]

Date: 11/10/12 Destination: West Blanca Point 5379 (USGS Blanca Lake) 439P Party: Dicey, Yana, Gabriel D, Matt We hiked to Blanca Lake and then to the 5379-foot high point west of the lake. We never had clear views, but the clouds parted intermittently to give us tantalizing dramatic views of ridges & peaks, a bit of evening light, and of course the striking green tones of the lake.

Blanca West GPS Track

Bagged for the season

The trail was frozen but passable under a thin coating of snow. On the descent from Virgin Lake to Blanca Lake, we had brief views through the forest of icy cliffs rising above Troublesome Creek.

Snowy Trail

Glimpses of icy cliffs through the forest

Another glimpse of the cold cliffy south side of Blanca West

Blanca Lake lay unfrozen, still showing its rich green color, mostly muted under the gray clouds that hugged the ridges, but occasionally reflecting brief flashes of emerald and sapphire when bits of sky opened above.

Blanca Lake

Now we needed to follow Blanca's west shoreline to reach the base of our ridge. To cross the lake's outlet, we had to work a long zigzag course way out across the logs that filled the shallows. Some logs were big, some tiny, some just piles of branches, some covered with snow, some slightly submerged. On our return, I counted 60 separate logs or branches that I stepped on to make it across. Beyond that we skirted the lake on a rocky verge that provided just enough foot room to get around steeper slabs and obstacles. The next bay provided a wider beach for walking, and then a gully that let us move up higher above the shoreline.

Crossing Blanca's outlet logjam

Working around the edge of Blanca

Moving up from the shoreline

Here we made a mistake and headed up the side of the ridge too soon. I used up at least a month's supply of cursing on the next hundred vertical feet. It was steep icy brush, where every step left me either stuck against a tangle of branches or slipping downhill, or both. Once atop the ridge, travel was much better, though still slippery. I was much happier after I put on my crampons for better traction in the low snowy brush. The lake provided a single thread of color woven through the otherwise mostly monochrome scene. For a while, it was just a green band spread between the nearby trees and the far ridge. Higher up, we could see more of Columbia Glacier north of the lake, and then parts of Kyes & Monte Cristo peaks. Just once, for only a couple minutes, sunlight hit the lake itself, dappling it with glowing patches of emerald under the dark clouds. Then it all disappeared again as we hiked higher up into the clouds.

Head of Blanca Lake with glimpses of Monte Cristo & Kyes

Clouds & sky above Kyes

Very brief sunlight on the lake

Looking down on Blanca from higher up

The top of our ridge was entirely cloud-bound and snowing.

Blanca West summit group

Summit view

Snow accumulation on Gabriel's hat

On the way down, we stayed more on the crest or north side of the ridge, which provided better terrain. At the bottom, we found a trail above the lake that took us back to our previous track. The final bay along the shoreline provided a decent beach for a swim. The water was actually warmer than the air temperature. The worst part was getting back into my clothes that had quickly become coated with snow.

Glorious weather departing the summit

Brief view on the way down

An invigorating swim (the water was warmer than the air)

Snow fell faster as we departed the lake. Given the weather, it was a surprise to find two parties camped at the lake as we passed by.

Snowfall by the swimming bay

Snowing at Blanca Lake

Last look at the lake

Snowy sky on the trail up.

The day offered a final treat. On the ridge above Virgin Lake, skies cleared just enough to show peaks in the distance and evening sunlight on the treetops.

Evening light on the snowy cliffs

Columbia Peak above Virgin Lake

Kyes reappears

As we departed the high vantage, shifting mist and evening light made ethereal layers among the trees.

Kyes, trees & fog

Columbia, trees & fog

Hillside in the mist

Trees in the mist

Stats: 10.6 miles, 4880 cumulative gain, 10 hours Also #599 liftetime peaks in the Cascades for me.

Crossing the Blanca Lake Logjam

[LadyÆsa]

Beautiful!!

[twodogdad]

[Hulksmash]

[iron]

[iron]

oh yeah, how's the road to jack pass?

[Yana]

Devoid of snow and in good shape.

[Matt]

Of course, that was before the most recent snowstorm. It was also densely foggy. Yana did a heroic job driving through it.

[pimaCanyon]

you guys do the coolest trips! I admire your commitment to getting out. By November I would be holing up at home in front of the fire or maybe walking the beach, in between rain showers. :-) Great photos!

[Stefan]

swimming in that stuff. amazing!

[touron]

[dicey]

The video commentary is priceless. Nothing like having your friends rooting for you to fall in!

[raising3hikers]

beautiful pics. Nice time to visit that area