Forum Index > Trip Reports > Oval Lakes, Courtney and Oval Peak, 8/14-8/17
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newtrout
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Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 125 | TRs | Pics
Location: Central Washington
newtrout
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 1:37 pm 
It was time for the annual gathering of 'married men with kids who get together to pretend like we're still hardcore'. This year the Oval Lakes area in the Chelan-Sawtooths was selected as our destination (past trips have included Snowking, Berdeen, etc). We had a group of 7 this year. Like most years, we decided to use a base camp so we could travel light on day hikes. This let us pack a few luxuries without having to haul 55 lb packs every day; including a guitar, limes for the tequila, some fresh food, etc. We all met at the Twisp Brewing Co. on Friday night. We crashed near the trailhead and were on the Oval Lakes trail around 7:30 on Saturday morning. The gang
The Oval Lakes trail is a surprisingly mellow grade. You gain quite a bit of elevation without realizing it. The last mile below West Oval Lake starts to get steep. We continued on to the saddle below Gray Peak and dropped down to Middle Oval Lake to set up camp. There was an Outward Bound group at the largest camp, but we camped nearby and snagged their spot when they left on Sunday. ~10 miles to Middle Oval. 4700 feet of gain. View from camp
We're lucky to have our own personal chef on these trips. Ken always creates some spectacular trail meals. Thai shrimp the first night (frozen shrimp packed in), Jumbalaya on Sunday, pesto/parmesan/pistachio pasta on Monday. We never seem to lose weight on these trips. Typical dinner cooked up by Ken
Sunday we woke up and headed out for some peak-bagging. We scrambled up the ridge between Gray and Courtney and began a day of boulder hopping. The entire ridge from Courtney to Oval Peak seems to consist of boulders that are covered in various thicknesses of black lichen and range from football size to volkswagen size. What looked like an easy ridge run from camp was actually a ankle-twisting 7-hour day. Thankfully there was a scree slope from near the summit of Oval back down toward East Oval Lake. It was steep and loose enough to allow for decent plunge stepping, which was a welcome change after 5 hours of rock. Looking toward Oval from Courtney
Looking back at our route from the summit of Oval. We began at the small snowfields on the far right of the photo. Looks easy from here!
My feet were pretty hammered from Sunday, so Monday I did some fishing, swimming, and took a quick jaunt up Gray. Gray is a nice smooth walk-up with great views from Tuckaway to Star Lakes, and back down the Oval Creek drainage. Part of the group headed over to Star Basin and summited Star Peak. We were out early Tuesday morning. Rather than climb back above West Oval and down the trail, we decided to follow the outlet from East Oval Lake and intersect the trail down in the valley. It was about an hour of bushwacking, but I much preferred it over the climb back out on the main trail. It took us almost 6 hours to get in to Middle Oval Lake, and about 3 to get out with our shortcut. Losing 15 lbs of food and tequila helped, of course... Bugs were present above 6000 feet, but not awful. I'm a big fan of the Ex Officio buzz-off gear. It was nice not to have to lather up with DEET every day. Fishing was OK at Middle Oval. Lots of 6-13" Rainbow and Cutts. I'm sure there are bigger fish if you can get out into deeper water.

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newtrout
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Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 125 | TRs | Pics
Location: Central Washington
newtrout
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 5:12 pm 
One other item of interest. On our cross country travel from East Oval lake down to the trail, we came across this:
There were no human tracks in sight. We were at least 1/2 mile from the trail in any direction, and in thick brush. There were cut bunches of vegetation stacked along this log. We were completely perplexed. Anyone have any thoughts on this??? It was freshly cut. We were in vegetation where it would have been pretty easy to tell if a person had been through recently.

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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Cle Elum
Backpacker Joe
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 5:31 pm 
Like to see more pics of the Oval lakes. Like some around camp. Thanks.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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dicey
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Joined: 11 May 2004
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Location: giving cornices a wider berth
dicey
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 5:37 pm 
I don't have an explanation for the cut plant bundles (Blair Witch?), but was wondering if I could borrow Ken, your camp chef, for my next trip? biggrin.gif

I'm not always sure I like being older but being less stupid has advantages. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32121172@N00/sets/
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newtrout
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Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 125 | TRs | Pics
Location: Central Washington
newtrout
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 8:54 pm 
Backpacker Joe wrote:
Like to see more pics of the Oval lakes. Like some around camp. Thanks.
Typical big 'horsey' camp.
Middle Oval Lake
Middle Oval Lake
Camp
Camp
West Oval Lake
West Oval Lake
West Oval Lake
West Oval Lake

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Bloated Chipmunk
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Joined: 29 Jan 2007
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Location: Margaritaville
Bloated Chipmunk
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PostWed Aug 18, 2010 9:19 pm 
newtrout wrote:
'married men with kids who get together to pretend like we're still hardcore'.
Great title! up.gif up.gif

Home is where the hiking is. "Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
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