[wildernessed]

Location : NW of Winthrop, Wa. Access : Chewuck Rd. > Eightmile Rd. to the end Stats : 10 mi, 4430' r/t

No Dice Lake Area

This had originally been planned as a trip to the mouth of No Dice Lake basin the headwaters of Eightmile Creek at which point we would lighten our load and head up to Eightmile Peak then return and head into No Dice Lake which seemed like a beautiful destination. I remember looking down at it when we did the Craggies Loop, and also from Billy Goat mountains summit both which give you great views into the basin. I remember Steve saying, "Are you taking your crampons and ice ax ?", and I said, " No we won't need them from the route we are taking ?". That would come back to haunt me a little in the end. So Steve, Hit the Trail, and I made our way up the unobstructed and wildflower filled trail to Eightmile Pass which was spectacular as always with great mountain views of Isabella Ridge and at the Pass dropped down off trail into what would become a jungle of vegetation. This route was drawn from home looking at maps and you get what you get and deal with it. We came upon some flagging going our way and it seemed to be taking the path of least resistance most of the time so we followed it, lost it, and came to the mouth of the basin. I was thinking, and I told Steve earlier we can't go to far or completely in because the route to the peak and lake split here, we do one, then the other, but in the heat of the brush battle we thought we would just go a little ways in and find a campsite near the stream and do the peak, then the lake unfortunately that idea became the "sucker hole" in the trip because it was all vegetation, down fall, rocks, and undisturbed terrain with no open spots all the way to the tarn just NNW of No Dice Lake, I knew all to early that the original plan was scrapped because no way were we going back through that mess except to leave. The tarn was nice, and after the tarn it opened up some and we hit the stream section of the initial outflow and man was it gorgeous, we followed it in and the lake, 8k' craggy basin walls, and huge glacial moraine were outstanding. The vegetation was substantially more than I had ever imagined coming in, and the lake was much larger. Everybody looked a little beat up and tired and we wandered around a pristine area looking for tent sites before setting up shop. Steve was horrified at the sight of fish jumping in the lake as he to didn't bring his pole (neither did I) because the lake looked so small from recon photos and he could find no information about it. But, we did have that setting all to ourselves and it was gorgeous. After resting a bit and re-hydrating, Hit the Trail decided to take a nap while Steve and I decided to head up along the lake to the moraine, but didn't make it very far when we thought maybe we could find a gully going up to the ridge and get over to Eightmile Peak so we headed up and over exploring several gully's which were steep, but one which could have gotten us up if we had crampons and an ice ax (ouch !) so we descended around back to the tarn and back to the lake. Hit the Trail was up, Steve and I decided to head back up the moraine to the head of the basin and he said he would probably be along soon too. So we climbed up the huge moraine pile and sat on a boulder looking at gully's, it was getting late, but I knew we could of gotten up to the ridge between Big Craggy and West Craggy, and we joked that it might be easier coming in from Copper Glance / Craggies than the way we did. Hit the Trail came up and gave us some geological information, and we all returned to camp. We had a nice fire to warm us up and dry us out a little and I hit the sack first. The next day Hit the Trail and I had our standard morning coffee around 0430, followed by Steve and we packed up and headed out trying to stay higher against the West side of the basin in the rock / tree transition zone, travel was easier, but in the end you have to rush the brush. After we hiked out of the basin we came upon an old path that was once a trail that switchbacked down into a huge rock washout and followed that back eventually hitting the trail. We took a short break and it was auto pilot to the vehicle. All in all a great trip due to the location even if you have to beat yourself up a bit and now having been there (and never returning) I have a better grip on the route up Eightmile Peak for the future. Good time in the woods as I like to say.

HMG Triplets.

West Craggy

Not a flat or open spot in the drainage before the lake.

Eightmile Creek

Nice outflow stream.

Advancing towards the lake.

Billy Goat

Looking at gully's going up to Eightmile mountain's ridge.

No Dice Lake from the moraine.

Steve taking a break high on the massive moraine

Warming up and drying off.

The path less travelled.

Descending into the gully.

Hiking in the gully the Eightmile Trail is ahead and to the left below the cliff.

Eightmile Mountain to the right and below the vertical face to the left is the little tarn.

Looking across No Dice Lake and up at the moraine below the Craggies

Tarn

Near the North end of No Dice Lake

Steve and Hit the Trail at the tarn across from No Dice Lake

[HitTheTrail]

Five hours to go 4.5 miles when two of those miles are on the beautifully groomed Eight Mile trail??? No Dice Lake is well named. There has to be a better way in for peak baggers, as for hardcore fisherman….well I don’t know. If you do go be with good companions. I have to admit the lake is one of the more scenic alpine lake basins I have been to in a while. Sort of glad I went. Anyway, it’s always good to get out with those two guys.

Leaving the open valley

Campsite

Me at No Dice

Wildernessed and Steve at No Dice

Nice settin

Sun goes down early in the basin

Heading down from the moraine

Evening levity

Something my daughter would probably want to climb

Looking toward Billy Goat Pass

We camped right at the head of the basin

[wildernessed]

No Dice Lake from Big Craggy

No Dice Lake Basin from Billy Goat summit.

No Dice Lake Basin from Billy Goat summit.

North Craggy - Big Craggy - No Dice Lake Basin - West Craggy - Eightmile Mtn.

[Distel32]

[HitTheTrail]

I saw several 1" to 2" minnows darting around the shoreline so they definitely are reproducing. And slightly larger fish were rising all over the lake. We also saw a lot of 6 to 8 inch size in the outlet.

[Backpacker Joe]

Great trip Wildy. I didnt find any Dice when I went in there either.

[wildernessed]

[Get Out and Go]

Nice looking lake basin.

[Bedivere]

Cool! That lake has caught my eye on the maps a few times.

[wildernessed]