Start point
Unmarked tentsite at mile 2396.7
End point
Lemah Creek, mile 2416.5
Miles hiked
19.8
Wilderness area
Wenatchee National Forest
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest
The day on trail
My body feels heavy today! Like, it doesn’t want to move. Getting moving was a chore today. But I had to, especially because I wasn’t in the best of spots to camp.
But move I did.
And basically within 10 minutes I passed into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It’s one of the more renowned areas for its beauty. Washington really hits hard and I’m so excited to see what today has in store for me. So far I’ve seen clouds swirling above me so close I can touch and smell them, Tahoma, and so many pika.
Focusing on what’s ahead that I don’t even know is what is driving me today.
There was also the unofficial 2,400 mile mark.
And soon a warning to equestrians.
And then just a gorgeous rock feature. Maybe it was a mountain? I don’t know. I just loved it.
A mountain by any other name is still just as majestic.
The trail crossed a dry creek bed or wash.
I passed by this small lake nestled in the mountains. An alpine lake, if you will.
And then another grouse! I’ve seen a bunch of grouse but only been able to capture a couple of them.
I really want to see a male, because I’ve only seen females so far. But they’re cute little forest chickens!
And this beautiful alpine valley view.
This day is turning into a delight and my body is feeling more up to the hike. It’s nice to warm up a bit and get everything moving.
It’s also nice to see marmots.
I love marmots. They’re just rodent corgis. And that’s delightful.
What’s that? Another alpine lake, in the wilderness?
The trail passed this broken sign that looked almost like a hurdle which met a bench. Behind the broken sign was a notice that the area was closed. This looks like an old stock trail that was shut down for restoration. These meadow areas are super fragile so it takes a long while for them to come back.
There was another beautiful rocky mountain.
And looking back on the old trail, you could see more of the terrain they’re trying to reduce the impact to.
It’s so pretty.
I found a little slot view of a valley.
The alpine views here are stunning.
I don’t even have words for it. I just want to sit here and drink it up until I cry. But I can’t.
The trail crossed over (under?) a rocky covering.
I half expected to hear a pika in that talus.
There was another sign, also without a post. But at least it was whole.
This one was a warning for stock groups.
And of course more alpine and lake views. The Wilderness is living up to its name and delivering in droves.
Yes my body had warmed up and hiking was easier. But I was still feeling worn down. I’ve been pushing myself to cover bigger miles and had less rest and it was taking its toll. But I want to learn my limits and see what I can do out here.
At least the trail is gorgeous.
I love the texture of it sitting below the grass. It feels almost like I’m swimming through the foliage and terrain. It’s so special. It’s not something I’m used to from hiking in the desert. Out in the desert you’re walking on the terrain, not inside it.
There was a sign.
This was warning of a trail closure ahead due to a river restoration project. I don’t know what the project entails, but the route was updated in the app so it shouldn’t be hard to follow.
A little farther was a really fun mushroom.
Finally I walked by this small waterfall by Delate Creek.
Soon I got to Lemah Creek. It was flowing well and I crossed to the North bank of it. I filled my water bladder, walked a tiny bit farther to find a tent site just up the trail. I set up my water to filter, made dinner, and crashed.