I had been up Icicle Ridge from Leavenworth and the 4th of July trail several times but had never completed the full traverse from the LO site back to Leavenworth. Steve and I dropped my truck at my brother’s house near the Icicle Ridge TH and had him drive us up to the 4th of July TH. Yeah that trail is steep but you seem to take all of your medicine at once and then you are on top.
North side of Cashmere
Steve at the water source near the summit Lookout with the Chants for a backddrop
Summit
From the summit of the ridge we took a water break and started traversing down toward what Steve called the “Horse camp” several miles down the ridge. He has been hiking that trail since he was a teenager and gave me a full historical update at every turn. After setting up camp we had a nice campfire and sipped a drink waiting for the full showing of Mars.
Leaving the LO site behind
Glacier
Leavenworth and Wenatchee River Valley
Our Camp site mid ridge
Steve setting up his tent
HitTheTrail at camp site
It froze that night but we woke up the next morning to a beautiful day for our hike back to Leavenworth. While I was screwing around checking for cell service on top my brother called and said to call him when we were about a half hour above his house so he could have cold drinks and hot burgers waiting for us. Of course we did that!
Morning sun
From left Stuart, Sherpa, Argonaut, Dragontail, Colchuck
So that's what the Power Lakes mess look like when not under snow. I used to hike the 4th of July Creek Trail - Leavenworth section as a spring hike and would hate postholing through the Power Lakes basin (scraped my leg up pretty good on one of those snow covered trees once). So many downed trees. I am a huge fan of this hike; just not that part.
'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!"
Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
bobbi: "...don't you ever forget your camera!"
Photography: flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani
The snowy trail photo next to the Power Lakes photo is coming out of that depression. There is still a chance to posthole and/or fall through a small snow bridge into water if you are not careful. I would love it if there was some way to just hike the middle section on top the ridge. But, as the saying goes, "if wishes were fishes the seas would be bountiful".
Nice. I've wanted to camp up there myself. Actually one year, on the traverse, we did avoid the Power Creek drainage by staying high on the ridge and swinging around to the south. Eventually we popped right back out on the trail. It seemed like a good option, but memories do fade.
"These are the places you will find me hiding'...These are the places I will always go."
(Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart)
"Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you cry.
Half of me is ocean. Half of me is sky."
(Thanks, Tom Petty)
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"These are the places you will find me hiding'...These are the places I will always go."
(Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart)
"Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you cry.
Half of me is ocean. Half of me is sky."
(Thanks, Tom Petty)
Actually one year, on the traverse, we did avoid the Power Creek drainage by staying high on the ridge and swinging around to the south.
We talked about that but no, Steve wanted me to see Power Lakes to prove they were actually there. As a bit of local history: according to him Power Creek was not named after the power plant in the Tumwater since it comes into the river quite a ways downstream from the plant. He reckons the water was used to power the old sawmill that was down on what is now called Black Bird Island in the town of Leavenworth.
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Looks like you had a good spot and great views.
I've wanted to camp up there myself. Actually one year, on the traverse, we did avoid the Power Creek drainage by staying high on the ridge and swinging around to the south. Eventually we popped right back out on the trail. It seemed like a good option, but memories do fade. 
