Forum Index > Trip Reports > Escondito Lake & Tarns, Vista Tarns, Summit Chief Lake, 8/20
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 8:47 am 
Escondito Lake & Tarns, Vista Tarns, Summit Chief Lake, 8/20 – 8/21/11 I visited these lakes as part of a trip to Summit Chief Mountain, but the lakes hike could stand as an independent trip of its own, so I’m putting it in a separate report. Pete Lake 2980 to Escondito Lake 4626 After hiking the Pete Lake Trail 1232 to Pete Lake, I took Waptus Pass Trail 1329 to the next junction, and then Escondito Lake Trail 1320 to the lake. Along the section from the Waptus junction to the lake, the woods were unusually full of music. I could hear birds singing in the trees all around me, even though it was mid-day.
Escondito Lake lies in such a wide flat meadow that I originally missed it. The trail ends in a huge flower meadow just past the lake, and I walked along the meadow until I hit the inlet stream, then followed it back to the lake. I might as well not have bothered, since it’s basically just a shallow wet continuation of the meadow. You could probably wade across the whole thing with the water no more than a few feet deep, except that you’d probably sink into the muck up to your eyeballs. The meadow flowers were gorgeous, but fiercely defended by the meadow mosquitos.
Escondito Lake
Escondito Lake
Escondito Meadow, looking up the valley toward Escondito Tarns
Escondito Meadow, looking up the valley toward Escondito Tarns
Escondito Lake to Escondito Tarns 5300 Upstream from the lake, ominous cliffs jutted out of the woods on both sides of the inlet valley. However, the map kept its promise of moderate contours alongside the stream. I hiked up lightly brushy woods on the east side of the stream, keeping it within earshot on my left, and only occasionally had to maneuver through rock outcrops by going farther right.
Looking back down the valley to Escondito Lakes
Looking back down the valley to Escondito Lakes
Escondito Tarns (5300 – 5460 feet) The five Escondito Tarns were a delight to explore. Walking along the lowest tarn, my footsteps were accompanied by the splish-sploosh sound of myriad frogs jumping from the shore into the water as I passed by.
Lowest Escondito Tarn
Lowest Escondito Tarn
One of many frogs
One of many frogs
I especially enjoy following a watercourse across high basins like this. Little streams curved through the meadows and fell in small rapids from one tarn to the next. Above the corner of one tarn, the streams formed a triangle. Part of the inlet stream flowed into the tarn, but then flowed back out just ten feet away, while another part of the stream bypassed the lake and rejoined the outlet.
Stream between tarns
Stream between tarns
Water flowing three ways
Water flowing three ways
The tarns had pretty crystal-clear water reflecting the trees and rock walls amid which they nestled.
Eastern middle tarn
Eastern middle tarn
Western middle tarn
Western middle tarn
Little center tarn
Little center tarn
Upper tarn
Upper tarn
So far this year, I haven’t even wanted to swim in any lakes. They’ve just seemed cold and un-inviting, mostly still buried in snow. But a swim today in the eastern middle tarn was one of the most delightful I’ve ever enjoyed. The bottom was soft but firm, with a few flat rocks for ramps, and the water was a completely comfortable mild temperature. It felt utterly refreshing, cool water around me, warm sun above me, floating amid the reflections of the woods and peaks. The only drawback was afterward having to hurriedly dry off, dress, and re-apply the mosquito repellent before the bugs got me.
Reflections in eastern middle tarn
Reflections in eastern middle tarn
A delightful swim
A delightful swim
(Later in the trip, I also had a good view of the lake and tarns from a scramble up Escondito Point 6177.)
Escondito Lake & Tarns from Escondito Point 6177
Escondito Lake & Tarns from Escondito Point 6177
Escondito Tarns to Vista Tarns Above the Escondito Tarns, I intersected the PCT and followed it west to the Vista Tarns. The trail was particularly scenic as it makes a mile-long curve around the south end of Point 5984, traversing through flowers above the silvered trees of an old fire and bringing the Snoqualmie Crest peaks into view.
PCT traversing Point 5984
PCT traversing Point 5984
Flowers by the trail
Flowers by the trail
Silver trees
Silver trees
Rainier hiding between Three Queens & Hibox
Rainier hiding between Three Queens & Hibox
At the first switchback where the PCT descends, I left the trail and followed a brief track a bit north to Lower Vista Tarn, and then uphill to Upper Vista Tarn. Vista Tarns, 5540 & 4495 feet The Vista Tarns are somewhat mis-named, since they lie in a slight dip on the side of the ridge, providing no vista from the tarns themselves. But from the rim above the lakes, there is a fine vista of the Chikamin-Lemah-Chimney Rock crest.
Rocky Lower Vista Tarn
Rocky Lower Vista Tarn
Upper Vista Tarn
Upper Vista Tarn
Another refreshing swim in upper Vista Tarn
Another refreshing swim in upper Vista Tarn
Vista Tarn camp
Vista Tarn camp
Upper Vista Tarn in evening light
Upper Vista Tarn in evening light
Stats: Pete Lake TH, 2850 feet, 10:20am; junction with Waptus Pass trail, 3000 feet, 11:57am; junction with Escondito Lake trail, 4180 feet, 1:41pm; Escondito Lake, 4626 feet, 2:45pm; Escondito Tarns 5320 – 5450 feet, 4:03-4:58pm; Upper Vista Tarn, 5595 feet, 5:40pm. Total mileage about 10 miles. Summit Chief Lake 5347 On the following day, I visited Summit Chief Lake as a side trip after scrambling up Summit Chief Mountain. To reach Summit Chief Lake from Vista Tarns, go north to the 5700-foot col above Vista Tarns, then travel on the ridge crest or a couple hundred feet lower on its east side, going past Point 5965. Once past that point, angle down snowfields to the lake.
Summit Chief Lake with Summit Chief, Middle Chief, & Little Big Chief
Summit Chief Lake with Summit Chief, Middle Chief, & Little Big Chief
Approaching Summit Chief Lake
Approaching Summit Chief Lake
Summit Chief Lake
Summit Chief Lake
A brief cold swim in Summit Chief Lake
A brief cold swim in Summit Chief Lake
Summit Chief Lake from higher above
Summit Chief Lake from higher above
“Middle Chief Lake” 5190 I didn’t visit “Middle Chief Lake” 5190, but I did look down on it during our traverse into the southeast basin of Summit Chief. It was still almost entirely snowbound. To reach this lake from Summit Chief Lake, one would have to go back up to about 5600 feet, then traverse north till above the lake, and drop back down to it.
“Middle Chief Lake”
“Middle Chief Lake”

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Rainie Too!
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Rainie Too!
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PostFri Aug 26, 2011 8:57 am 
You make it look and sound sooooo inviting!

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yukon222
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yukon222
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PostFri Aug 26, 2011 9:15 am 
Matt wrote:
Summit Chief Lake
Summit Chief Lake
I really like this pic (well, all of these types of scenes with the lake edge disappearing from view). Fine set of lakes and tarns to vist!! up.gif

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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 9:26 am 
There's an interesting thing in that photo. The whole time I was there, a small set of ripples radiated from a point hidden behind the rocks about ten feet up the shoreline from me. There must have been a snowpatch trickling into the lake. The ripples were tiny, but spread concentric rings far across the lake.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 9:38 am 
Great pics and story Matt. 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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joker
seeker



Joined: 12 Aug 2006
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joker
seeker
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 11:12 am 
Thanks for the inspiration to get up thattaway. And I'll have to review Beckey (or bug Martin next time I see him in the work cafeteria smile.gif ) to see how technical the climb of Summit Chief is as well - the photo you linked to is desire-provoking.

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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 4307 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline
Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 11:23 am 
Oops, I put the wrong URL in the link. It was supposed to link to the accompanying Summit Chief Trip Report. I fixd the link now. Summit Chief is 3rd class; you just have to deal with some loose rock and exposure in the final gully, but it's only for about 100 feet.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostFri Aug 26, 2011 1:35 pm 
Good TR and pics of a great area. up.gif Makes me want to get back there

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