I didn't have to think too hard to choose a place to go on an easy overnighter with the wife since I had been up to the Meadow Mtn area last week. This is a hike to a pleasant lake on the edge of the Glacier Peak Wilderness off of the Mountain Loop highway and FR # 27.
It starts with a roadwalk that leads to an intersection at 1.5 miles with the Meadow Mtn and Crystal Lake trails. Both are nicely brushed out by the way and seem to get few visitors.
Fruiting Devil's Club, yum!
The roadwalk
Garter snake?
Giant toad
At the end of the road at about 3.5 miles, the route heads straight up a steep path for about 1/2 mile and passes some nice falls.
The trail starts at the end of the road and is steep for 1/2 mile or so
Falls below Crystal Lake outlet
After this short steep section, the trail mellows out and passes through nice forest before reaching the lake.
The trail eases before the lake
Arriving to Crystal Lake
Most of the meadows around the lake are still a bit soggy but we found a dry spot to set up camp near the outlet. At the campsite we found a plastic bag with raw eggs and a stick of melted butter and another that had some kind of rotten meat inside. We hauled it all out the following day though it stunk to high heaven. Jeez !
Setting up for the night
Meadows around lake
Meadowy area near outlet
Crystal Lake
There are still some flowers around the lake.
Elephant's Head
Shootingstar
It rained throughout the night and in the morning a mysterious mist hung over the lake basin.
We decided to walk a bit up the reconditioned trail. This trail eventually leads to Circle Peak in some 4 miles but we only went as far as Skaar Pass and walked up the ridge a bit. There would be no views anyway as the clouds hung very low.
Looks like it gets little use and is built to last
Along the reconditioned trail that starts at the lake outlet
Clouds pouring over ridge above Skaar Pass
I thought the bugs would be horrendous around the lake but they were actually at a tolerable level. There is definitely a hint of fall in the air already.
Nice Rich. I was there last November. Nice little climb up to the lake.
"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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"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
At the campsite we found a plastic bag with raw eggs and a stick of melted butter and another that had some kind of rotten meat inside. We hauled it all out the following day though it stunk to high heaven.
WTF some one keeps trashin the place.
Thanks for packing it out.
"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog
Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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