[Slugman]

I needed an easy trip to take my pup on, and this is one of the easiest and dog-friendliest areas around, so back we went, to explore some things I missed before. We headed up Sunday at 4 pm (late start, long drive) and were at the first Twin Sister lake at 5:30, where I let Daisy swim after a tennis ball for an hour. The lake was very warm. We saw a few people leaving, but that was it for three days. By 7 pm dinner was ready and my camp was set up along the eastern shore of the smaller lake (but not within 100ft). Stars were out in profusion, some elk bugling was heard. We got started on the main course dayhike at noon on Monday, heading over to Blankenship meadows, and then did something I've waited a whole year to do: we cut straight east out of the northeastern edge of Blankenship meadows, up and over a ridge that separates the meadows from the Apple lake area, doing a one mile off trail adventure to save three miles of trail hiking. It was a blast, very steep at times but oh-so-much more satisfying than just hoofing it around the ridge on the trail. It's really not possible to get lost doing this, look at a map you'll see what I mean. We struck the Pear lake trail south of the junction of the Pear butte trail, and headed north towards Apple lake. We turned off onto the Pear Butte trail to get the best views of Apple lake and its huge meadows, and we weren't disappointed.

Apple lake

Next we returned to the Pear lake trail and saw Apple lake from another viewpoint.

More Apple lake with Daisy

Then it was on to Pear lake, another subalpine gem with lots of meadows and surrounding parkland.

Pear lake meadow

The campsites along the west end of Pear were horse camps, but the south end, which the map correctly shows as having a long meadow extending southwards from the lake shore, had a couple of perfect and unspoiled sites. Heading south from Pear we soon came to the lovely Indian creek meadows. These are almost as big as Blankenship meadows, and extend well south of our turn-off back towards Blankenship lakes, so we detoured a bit to take it all in. Here are a few pics:

Indian creek meadow

More Indian creek meadow

Even more Indian creek meadow

Hiking from Indian creek to Blankenship lakes we came across two large Roosevelt elk, cows, but they saw us before we saw them, and they bolted, the first I saw of them. That makes about twenty elk Daisy has seen, lucky dog. We had dinner at Blankenship lakes, and kept going west to the Sand ridge trail, where we saw two more elk. This time I saw them first, so we got a really good look. But when I let go of Daisy to get my camera, she ran towards them and barked, so no pics of elk. We were only 50 ft from the elk, but before Daisy had gone 20 ft the elk were at full speed and disappeared. We continued back to our camp along the Sand ridge trail, a wonderfully scenic trail with lovely little ponds and mini-meadows. The last mile was in the semi-darkness, but I made it OK without turning on my flashlight. We got back just after 9 pm, both of us exhausted after 9 miles, especially from the off-trail part. I was going to go back to the top of Tumac mtn on Tuesday, but I was a bit sore, so we just lounged by Little Twin Sister lake and I let Daisy swim some more, then we bailed, getting to the car in just 45 minutes from the lake. Now I have reason to go back again to this fabulous area: Pear Butte looked mighty inviting. I loved the meadowy section of the trail by Apple lake, which seemed to continue on quite a ways, the top of the butte is open and free of view-blocking trees, and the summit is slightly higher than Tumac mtn, at 6372 ft just about 40 ft higher. I also long to explore off-trail the whole area south of the Twin Sisters and west of Tumac, a garden of mini meadows and small ponds. I guess this is becoming an annual trip for me and Daisy, three years in a row already, with the surface just scratched on the area. We encountered very few bugs. I swatted a few mosquitos, but never bothered to put on any repellant. Most streams were dry, but there is still plenty of good water in the larger lakes.

[kiliki]

Sluggie-Thanks for the report-this is an area I'd really like to get to. How long did it take to drive to the trailhead?

[Slugman]

Not too terribly long. It takes me 1:15 to get to Enumclaw from Lynnwood, then it's just the regular trip to Chinook pass, 19 miles down the American river on 410 to the Bumping road, 10 miles paved at 45 mph on that, then 9 more miles of pretty bumpy travel on the Deep creek rd, with some caution needed for the occasional rock sticking up. Three hours max from Seattle, probably less for most people. I drive as slowly as I hike, plus I stop for a drive-by breakfast, and of course whiz breaks for the pup, so my 3.5 hours is not a true time for a normal person. I do know that it was 140 miles from Lynnwood, so 125 from Seattle. Except for the last 9 miles it's a nice, easy, scenic drive once I get past Renton on the Maple Valley road to Enumclaw.