I have wanted to hike here for a long time, so off I go to the trailhead at Icicle Creek, a longer but easier? way in? Great weather at the start with a nice cool breeze. The Icicle Creek trail as you all know is flat almost all the way to the Chain Lakes turnoff with just a few short switchbacks 1mi. from the junction. But after you make the right turn on the Chain Lakes trail the fun starts. At first there are switchbacks then Very Steep semi-switchbacks and the SECOND you stop to rest-this happens alot, they swarm all over you and dig in. About 1.5 mi. from the first lake the sound of thunder echos from across the valley with a small smoke plume coming off a peak to the south. At the lakes the bugs are worse, but what a beautiful place!!!! There are not that many campsites here but the ones available are great. On Sunday I went over the pass to Doelle Lakes which are also beautiful. And I saw only 3 other hikers!
I got flashbacks about all the bugs on this trip, and in my trail report I said :"they swarm all over you" I meant the deer flys,gnats,skeeters,no-seeums,and sabertoothed chunkbiting mountain flys.
Ha ha! Lead Dog, and you know they would have been feasting on ME, if I'd have gone! Oh, by the way, I'm working at an event in Mt Vernon on Sept. 7, so won't be able to go with you on the trip that weekend, either. Sorry!
Hey Lair. I don"t know how you got such a good picture of a sabertoothed mountain fly, but be advised that that picture is of a baby fly, the adults are much bigger and alot meaner.
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