Forum Index > Trip Reports > Twin Lakes, Mirror Lake, and PCT to Windy Pass 7/16/02
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catwoman
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 888 | TRs | Pics
Location: somewhere near Tacoma
catwoman
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PostWed Jul 17, 2002 11:11 pm 
Now here’s a route that needs some trail maintenance! We took the Hyak exit off of I-90 to the Twin Lakes trailhead. We took the shorter but much steeper route up (and down for the last ˝ mile) to Mirror Lake. This was a very steep and rugged trail. Maintenance is greatly needed. Lots of trees and brush and some snow patches creating obstacles and obscuring the trail. But Mirror Lake was absolutely beautiful! A pretty emerald green. We even saw three otter-like critters frolicking around in the lake! Perhaps they were river otters? It was very neat to see. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of them. We were following the trail around the lake to get a closer look, but by the time we found a nice little spot, we didn’t see the little guys anymore. There we stopped for lunch and oh my were the skeeters fierce! We doused ourselves in the herbal armor, but it wasn’t working. Asked a couple who was also there if they had anything that worked, so they loaned us their Off. Well, that maybe worked a little for about 15 minutes. I tell you, I have itchy welts all over my body! Not pleasant. So, after we finished our lunch (the mosquitos were never done with lunch), we headed back up the hill to the junction. We decided to take the longer way back (making the trip a loop trip via the PCT), thinking maybe it would be easier. Ha! There were lots of snowfields to traverse (hard to kick steps in this type of snow)…. Lots of downfalls….. lots of routefinding efforts for lack of visible trail….. and a couple rolling creeks that you were pretty much guaranteed going home with wet feet. We finally got to Windy Pass and headed down the road. Took one of the trail spurs back down towards Twin Lakes then back on the road. Because the map was a little off, we wound up just getting back on the road we left and followed the road the rest of the way back to the car. We heard some large critter of sorts in the brush at the side of the road and scampered on our way. Thinking maybe it was a bear. As we got close to the car we heard another critter-like noise rustling in the brush. Brave that we were, we got our gear put away and drove back to the spot where the last critter noise to see if we could see what it was. We left the engine running in case we needed a fast getaway. :P It sounded so close to the road yet we couldn’t see anything. Have no idea what it was, but neither of us wanted to go bushwhacking to investigate further. All in all, this was a great hike. Like I said, these trails need LOTS of maintenance. Mirror Lake was very beautiful. Snow on the trail. Lots of brush and fallen trees on the trail. Water on trail. BUGS ON TRAIL! Routefinding efforts needed. The loop made it about 9.5 or 10 miles according to the map, but it felt more like 15 hard miles. I'll try to get photos of the to-be-maintained trail up tomorrow.
Trying to keep skeeters away and trail obstacles
Trying to keep skeeters away and trail obstacles
More trail obstacles
More trail obstacles
cool looking felled tree trunks.  Is this from termites?
cool looking felled tree trunks. Is this from termites?

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Twin Lakes, Mirror Lake, and PCT to Windy Pass 7/16/02
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