[HitTheTrail]

I had been planning a trip to the Lady Lakes area on Icicle ridge to spread some of my wife’s ashes at past campsites. Then I found out that Steve wanted to fish Grace Lake and Wildernessed was hankering to go up Big Chiwaukum and Snowgrass. They were going to camp at lower Grace and said I could join them for any part of the itinerary. We would start at the White Pine TH and traverse into Grace via the old sheep drive high route just over the ridge from the lake. It turns out we started with incomplete beta and lost some time thrashing around looking for the route before bailing back to the standard trail. By the time we got to the lake it was a very hot afternoon and we were facing a hike up Big-C in the full sun. We decided to rest at the lake and do Chiwaukum early in the morning and possibly scrub the Snowgrass option. That gave Steve time to fish and any outing is a good outing to me!

By way of the standard route.

Arriving at lower Grace. The ridge along the skyline has the bootpath to the top of Big Chiwaukum.

Chillin by our camp - photo by Steve

evening sunset - photo by Steve

The next morning it was up the ridge via an easily followed bootpath to the Big-C overlook.

Going up Big-C

Wildernessed and Steve on Big-C

Wildernessed and HitTheTrail on Big-C - photo by Steve

Lake Charles on the backside of Upper Grace.

Looking down Glacier Creek from the top of Big-C ridge

Plume of smoke from the Yakima fire rising over the flank of Snowgrass Mt.

Lower Grace, Frosty Pass, Rainier.

The peaked one in the middle is the Bull's Tooth by Chain and Doelle Lakes.

After chilling on the top for a while we traversed down and left into upper Grace Lake. It is the smaller of the two but what a nice setting! Also, full of much bigger fish that were actively feeding near the shore. Of course Steve left his pole back at camp.

Looking down on lower Grace Lake from the bootpath to Big-C

HitTheTrail with Rainier - photo by Steve

Rainier in the background

Upper Grace Lake

Upper Grace is full of nice sized fish that are much bigger than the ones Steve was pulling out of Lower Grace.

On the way back down the ridge to camp we continued down to the high route notch we were looking for the day before. Sure enough, it has a well defined bootpath down into the basin where we looked for it. But we did take that route out the next morning and saved ourselves a couple miles on the way back.

Going down the ridge bootpath.

Heading to Lower Grace

Standing of the notch the old high route goes over looking down on the basin we waisted time thrashing around in the day before.

The old sheep drive high route to the Grace notch goes along the top of the middle bench of this pic.

Back down in the basin from the high route.

Really old sign

What a great place the upper lake basin and ridge top is. As good as the Enchantments but without the crowds. Also, good to get out with both of those guys at the same time again. Good trip for sure!

[Backpacker Joe]

Thank you so much for this report. Ive always wanted to get into o the grace lakes. I cant hike anymore, but its nice to see all of you gutting out there.

[cascadetraverser]

That is a great area; and I always enjoy reading your reports and the comaraderie you gentleman share. I went up there with family a few years back and loved it. Hiked up to the upper lake but didn’t drop a line in so good on you. Cool finding the alternative route down 😀

[HitTheTrail]

[cascadetraverser]

HTT: Two young teens and I went straight up to the left of the creek that connects Upper and Lower and it was pretty steep with some minor climbing but doable.

[HitTheTrail]

OK, thanks for that info. All I can say is Whoa! Both Steve and I hiked up that same thing looking for a reasonable route and decided against it. Further over to the left there is a low brush/veggie slope up into some trees that looked a little better to us but still seemed to get real cliffy.

[cascadetraverser]

You`re probably smarter than me! I remember the lower section and upper were the worst....

[Bootpathguy]

Thanks for sharing

[Get Out and Go]

Nice area and it looks like you got up there before the smoke settled in.