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blue_tuberosa
Uber Geek



Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 235 | TRs | Pics
Location: Roslyn
blue_tuberosa
Uber Geek
PostTue Jul 22, 2008 2:05 pm 
I just returned from a long stay at Waptus Lake. Waptus is the research site for my graduate thesis, so I spent eight days inventorying various aspects of campsite impacts for comparison to 1988 data. The trip in (Sat. 7/12) was the usual 9 mile haul complete with lots of bugs. I had heard rumors of waist high waters at the horse ford (due to the washed out footbridge), but I was relieved to find that the recent hot weather had helped to melt off the snow and lower the water to about 2.5 feet. It was still swift, but much more reasonable than conditions a week before. We found the lake to be pretty quiet with just 3 other small groups camped around the shore. Through the week, we mostly had the lake to ourselves with the exception of a group or two camped at Quick Creek. On Wednesday, we decided to lay down the clipboards and take a day off for a side trip to Deep Lake. We found the trail to be 98% snow free and the only sign of other travelers that we found was a big pile of Bear poop (lots of those around Waptus too). Deep lake was quiet – the views of Mt. Daniel & Cathedral Rock were awesome – it was the perfect stop for a mid-day nap in the sun on the big rock on the west shore. My husband came in to visit and took our dog for a side trip to Spade Lake. He said the trail was pretty brushy, mostly snow-free, and the lake was amazing. Back at Waptus, our work continued through Sunday with great weather, but hungry mosquitoes. I scored the campsite on the SE shore with a perfect view of Bear’s Breast & Summit Chief and spent many, many hours enjoying the view in my thermarest with my feet propped up on a log and a hot cup of tea in hand. It was one of the longer wilderness trips that I’ve done to date, which was awesome, but man was I happy to take a shower on Sunday night! I’ll be back for another week in late August and I’m looking forward to checking out the changes that take place between now and then…. And I look forward to drinking in that view again. I may have the sweetest field research spot in the PNW!

Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done. - Justice Louis Brandeis
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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Waptus Lake (w/ side trip to Deep Lake) 7/12 - 7/20
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