Forum Index > Trail Talk > Larch hike help (time wise)
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Yana
Hater



Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 4212 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out Hating
Yana
Hater
PostWed Oct 09, 2013 9:28 pm 
I want to take a friend of mine to see some golden larches. I know the window of peak larchiness can be very brief, and would like to get as close to is as I can. Thinking of going either this Friday or next (probably off HWY 20 - Blue Lake or Cutthroat Pass). Soliciting opinions on whether the color show would be better this Friday or next Friday.

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Nietzsche's Horse
Equine Philosopher



Joined: 16 Aug 2010
Posts: 92 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Nietzsche's Horse
Equine Philosopher
PostWed Oct 09, 2013 9:54 pm 
My impression, based on anecdotal evidence and the local scuttlebutt, is that this Friday may be the time just before peak for the larch in that area; and that next Friday would be the time just after peak. If this impression I convey is accurate, then it depends on whether you think slightly pre- or post-peak is better. Either way, I think your friend will thank you. smile.gif

"Trails are like that: you're floating along in a Shakespearean Arden paradise and expect to see nymphs and fluteboys, then suddenly you're struggling in a hot broiling sun of hell in dust and nettles and poison oak... just like life." - Kerouac
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Hikingqueen
Member
Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2007
Posts: 2946 | TRs | Pics
Hikingqueen
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 7:59 am 
My vote Ingalls Pass or Lake, we didn't have time for the lake but it's beautiful! I was here yesterday
007
007
014
014
016
016
034
034
052
052
083
083
100
100

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Schroder
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics
Location: on the beach
Schroder
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 8:06 am 
I would go now. Go to Cutthroat Pass via Cutthroat Lake. There are a lot of larches down low on that trail.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Yana
Hater



Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 4212 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out Hating
Yana
Hater
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 8:42 am 
Thanks, guys - tomorrow it is!

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
JPH
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Feb 2008
Posts: 808 | TRs | Pics
JPH
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 8:44 am 
Schroder wrote:
I would go now. Go to Cutthroat Pass via Cutthroat Lake. There are a lot of larches down low on that trail.
I'm heading up to hike to Snowy Lakes on Sunday. Is it worth the little bit of extra mileage/elevation to take the Cutthroat Lake trail in instead of the PCT? The original plan was to start at the Cutthroat lake trail and finish at Rainy Pass, but we decided to take the hitchhiking question mark out of the schedule since it'll be a big day. My only thought about the PCT was that it would have been a little more heavily traveled after all the snow.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Schroder
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics
Location: on the beach
Schroder
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 8:51 am 
That TR of mine is from a couple of years ago, but IMO the lake approach is more scenic and tends to have less snow cover. When we did that trip, people were wallowing in waist deep snow the last mile from the Rainy Pass side and we had less than a foot and that was just on the last switchback. There are some large groves of larches half way up from the lake to the pass.
JPH wrote:
Is it worth the little bit of extra mileage/elevation to take the Cutthroat Lake trail in instead of the PCT?
The difference in elevation is only a couple of hundred feet and about a mile and a half longer, which is basically the flat trail from the parking lot to the lake.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Yana
Hater



Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Posts: 4212 | TRs | Pics
Location: Out Hating
Yana
Hater
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 9:49 am 
Not planning on going to Granite Pass, so that shouldn't be an issue. Snowshoes or no?

PLAY SAFE! SKI ONLY IN CLOCKWISE DIRECTION! LET'S ALL HAVE FUN TOGETHER!
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
JPH
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Feb 2008
Posts: 808 | TRs | Pics
JPH
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 9:55 am 
silence wrote:
take your ice axe .... there's quite a snowy impasse near granite pass
Thanks for the heads up. I wonder if it will be beat into a trail enough by Sunday that microspikes and poles will be adequate.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Cyclopath
Faster than light



Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 7694 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 9:56 am 
Are we allowed to set foot on the Cutthroat and Blue Lake trails? And to park? Should I bring snow shoes? Mine are heavy, I prefer to leave them behind if I can get away with it... Any good larch day hikes in the Icicle, besides the Enchantments? Eightmile Lake (haven't done that trail before, I've been to Ingalls Pass a few times, and to the 'Chants) is probably too low elevation?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Foist
Sultan of Sweat



Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 3974 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back!
Foist
Sultan of Sweat
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 1:28 pm 
Is there a place to go closer (to Seattle) than Cutthroat Lake/Pass? Besides Ingalls Lake? Are there larches in Bean Creek Basin?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
AlpineRose
Member
Member


Joined: 08 May 2012
Posts: 1953 | TRs | Pics
AlpineRose
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 3:38 pm 
Can't remember if there are larches in Bean Creek basin. However, for the Teanaway, larches are generally found high in all the basins on the north sides of the ridges. Other places somewhat closer to Seattle: Larch Lake above Chiwaukum Lake. Plus the Scottish Lakes high country in general. Easy Pass off Hwy 20 (NPS access an issue there?). Mission Ridge ski area and nearby Marion and Clara Lakes. Stuart/Colchuck Lakes. I think I remember larches at Nada Lakes also. The Blewett Pass area (right side of hwy 97 coming from Seattle) was an amazing place for Western larch, but so much of that burned so badly last year, I don't know how much is left. Maybe someone can report?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
pipedream
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Oct 2012
Posts: 227 | TRs | Pics
Location: Formerly Seattle
pipedream
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 4:13 pm 
AlpineRose wrote:
Can't remember if there are larches in Bean Creek basin. However, for the Teanaway, larches are generally found high in all the basins on the north sides of the ridges.
Nope. There are, however, larches on the north side of Bean and Earl peaks - you can view them from the Bean-Earl saddle. Did that hike last fall in search for larch - pretty brutal climb in the fall sunshine, but worth the view, esp. from the summit of Bean Pk. I'm hunting for both larch and sufficient snow to turn on, as this is the only weekend I have this month to do so. I'm leaning towards Carne Basin - should be some skiable lines up there and plenty of larch, too.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Foist
Sultan of Sweat



Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 3974 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back!
Foist
Sultan of Sweat
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 4:56 pm 
Iron Peak? Snow might be deep... I don't even own snowshoes (just microspikes and poles).

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostThu Oct 10, 2013 5:07 pm 
Yana wrote:
Snowshoes or no?
when we drove by it last weekend (10/4/13), there was ~8" on the ground at WA pass. it's been sunny lately, so who knows how much is left. i suspect very little at the pass, if any. i also suspect people have stomped in a trail to cutthroat pass, removing any need for snowshoes.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trail Talk > Larch hike help (time wise)
  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