Forum Index > Trip Reports > Golden Lakes Loop 6/30/02 - 7/4/02
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Slide Alder Slayer
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Jan 2002
Posts: 1960 | TRs | Pics
Slide Alder Slayer
Member
PostSat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm 
While the Cascades are still mired in snow, the Sawtooth Mountains in the Okanogan are snow free to over 8,000 feet. For our lucky thirteenth wedding anniversary Pack Pup and I returned for the fourth time and spent a fantastic five days in the Golden Lakes Loop, a 23 mile round trip that passes 6 lakes with unlimited side trips. On 6/29/02 we drove to Twisp and spent a very comfortable overnight at the Idle-A-While Motel. For that night's dinner and the following morning's breakfast we were well fed with excellent service at Antlers Saloon And Café. Twisp is a small town with a rich history and was well worth the time spent there to ensure an early start on our trip. Sunday morning 6/30/02, our adventure started out early as we startled a black bear driving up forest service road 4340-300 to the Eagle Lake/Crater Creek Trailhead. For best directions I would recommend 100 Hikes Series, North Cascades National Park Region and Green Trails' Prince Creek Map number 115. The Golden Lakes Loop is a multi use trail for hikers, motorcycles, horses, mountain bikers, and assorted pack animals. Portions are motorcycle restricted. Our first nights destination was Upper Eagle Lake, approximately 6.3 miles and at an elevation of 7100 feet. At just over two miles we came across a very curious doe less that fifty feet uphill from the trail. Ears forward and looking straight at us she seemed thoroughly entertained as we passed by. Trail 431 to Upper Eagle Lake was in good shape and snow free until one quarter mile before the lake. Upper Eagle was completely thawed and the immediate basin thirty percent snow covered. We found a dry site and settled down for an uneventful night. The following morning 7/1/02, we packed up and headed 2.5 miles over Horsehead Pass elevation 7,600 feet to Boiling Lake at just under 7,000 feet. We took a short break at the pass and absorbed fantastic views! We were also relieved to see the pass blocked with sufficient snow to deter all but the most adventurous motorcyclists. It is one mile from the pass to Boiling Lake. Approximately one-quarter mile down from the pass we spotted what looked like a moose walking across the shallow Southeast portion of Boiling Lake. We watched in fascination as the moose disappeared behind a knot of trees at the South end of the lake. As we approached the lake we dropped our packs and proceeded carefully across the outlet stream to see if we could confirm our sighting. Within 40 yards of where I saw the moose disappear, a huge head elevated between the trees with antlers coming out the side of its' head in velvet. We stopped dead in our tracks and watched this huge animal break cover, come into full side view, pause for a moment to check us out, and then trot Southwest out of sight. Unlike our three previous trips when we had done the loop, we decided to base camp at Boiling and day trip from there. On 7/2/02 we scrambled to the saddle between Martin and Cheops Peaks at 7,800 feet. We followed a defined social trail South of Boiling Lake and hiked to an unnamed pass previously used by sheepherders. We crossed the snow covered pass and dropped about one hundred feet when we were interrupted by a knockdown drag out fight between two marmots that had started one hundred feet up a scree field and had ended at the base of our feet. We then proceeded South to a point below the saddle and scrambled five hundred feet up dirt and loose rocks to our destination. Again we were rewarded with outstanding views of the North Cascades on one side and Martin Lakes on the other. I called into the Methow Valley Ranger Station and reported that both Upper and Lower Martin Lakes were completely thawed and that all campsites appeared open. The ranger also told me that we were not hallucinating and that from time to time moose did migrate South from Canada. On 7/3/02 we hiked Angels Staircase elevation 8,100 feet, and proceed East to the lookout point between Cooney and Sunrise Lakes. We followed the previous days path and proceeded off trail following signs of the old sheepherders route that runs approximately one quarter to one half mile East of trail 1259 until it intersects with the trail just before entering the East Fork of the Prince Creek Basin. At the rise between the East and Middle Forks we took a short break and viewed three bucks cautiously making their way North up the basin. The trail to Angels Staircase, called Switchback Peak Trail in the 100 Hikes Series book, is well marked with a sign and was the highlight of our trip. The expanding views to Prince Creek, Deadmans Pass, and surrounding mountain ranges are indescribable. This trail is motorcycle restricted if for nothing other than safety reasons. The Staircase was virtually snow free all the way to the saddle above Cooney Lake. Cooney Lake was completely thawed and all campsites appeared open. Sunrise Lake was also thawed, however all campsites and a majority of the trail that rises from Merchants Basin appeared covered in snow. The North side of Deadmans Pass was sixty percent covered in snow. During our last visit to the Golden Lakes Loop in September 2000, we had very close encounter with a large black bear that turned out to be quite anti-climatic. This trip we decided to call "Hey Bear" from time to time when hiking down wind and around corners and rises where our sight and sound would be blocked. On our return trip from the Staircase we stayed on trail 1259 to Boiling Lake. Shortly after crossing into the Middle Fork of the Prince Creek Basin, my wife paused and asked, "Is that a bear over there?" Approximately three hundred yards to the West was a large brown colored bear looking at us. At that distance I could not tell if it was really a black bear or not, but I would like to think that if a moose could migrate from Canada maybe a grizzly could too. Anyway, after satisfying its' curiosity, the bear returned to eating and slowly proceeded uphill and we proceeded the heck out of there. That evening at Boiling Lake we were treated with a very athletic display of an Osprey as it hunted over the lake before proceeding Southwest. Up till now we had only briefly encountered one other couple that had hiked up the Summer Blossom Trail and come down Deadmans Pass. Having this area basically to ourselves was a treat that we had never previously enjoyed. On 7/4/02 we packed up and headed out. At Horsehead Pass we met four mountain bikers that had ridden up from the Eagle Lake/Crater Creek trailhead with plans to do the loop. As we descended we had a nice conversation with a ranger and stepped of the trail to let several motorcycle riders pass by. Just before the turn off to Crater Lake we met a very nice couple with three lamas headed for 5 days camping at Crater lake. Something about the very small packs that the couple carried and the very large packs the lamas carried made sense. This area is crammed with wild life and it seemed that every square foot of trail was covered by an animal track. Don't be deterred by the trails multi use nature, if you can come during the week you will rewarded with solitude; and don't leave your binoculars home as I did to save weight!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Golden Lakes Loop 6/30/02 - 7/4/02
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum