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This view to the east shows that the eastern edge of the Cascades ends
at the desert stretching as far as the eye can see. The wind can really
tear through the notch that is Horsehead pass. It is a very steep climb
from lower Eagle Lake, which you can see far below you, to this pass.
Upper Eagle Lake is not visible as it is in a cirque behind the shoulder
of the peak that guards the northern side of this pass.
In 1996, on a mini-miler trip over this pass, Eric W. and Jason S.
climbed this peak to peer down on the upper lake while the rest of us
were content to soak up some rays and enjoy the scenery.
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You can see the cliffs that form the backdrop of Boiling Lake beyond the screen of trees here. If you look closely you can see Andrew at the lower left. He is passing though a cattle gate that keeps horses and sheep from coming up and over Horsehead pass. Yes, they still run sheep here in the odd numbered years. When Andrew and I were here in 1991, we met two sheepherders, one of which had cut his foot badly with an axe. Later on they passed us (with a huge herd of sheep) while we were camped at Junction Camp.
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Boiling Lake is very scenic, but it has some of the most voracious
mosquitos that can be found anywhere. Since the Chelan Summit is
usually an early season hike (although I prefer late fall) because it
is one of the first areas to open up, you can't avoid the mosquitos.
I first came here in 1982 with Andrew's brother, Greg, climbing the 5000
feet from Lake Chelan via Prince Creek. We camped here (my first and
last time) and had the place pretty much to ourselves. Every time since
there has been more people here including several pack outfits.
There are some fish, but the lake is pretty shallow, and the fishing is
not overwhelming. I prefer to continue on to the junction of the Eagle
Lakes trail with the main Chelan Summit trail and camp there. The
mosquitos are not as bad, the scenery is good, and sounds of the wind and
the babbling brook near the campsite soothes one's mind. The USFS has
a guard station nearby where a wilderness ranger is stationed for the
summer.
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Andrew and I hung out at the Junction camp for a couple of hours, but
the rest of the crew never came by. They had already passed coming up
the Summit trail and then going down to Cub Lake. When it became
obvious that we had missed them, we went on down the Cub Lake trail
(which meets the Summit trail at the same spot as the Eagle Lakes
trail).
Cub lake is about 1500 feet below the Summit Trail. As you descend
the trail you get a "Peekaboo" view of the lake through the trees as
shown here.
The rest of the crew were at Cub Lake. They had spent most of the
afternoon watching a contest between Roger and Danny to see who
could immerse themselves the most times in the cold waters of Cub
Lake. It was a pretty even contest but in the end Danny won and Roger
acquired the sobriquet, "O. B.".
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We had planned on continuing on from Cub Lake and hiking the Chelan
Summit Trail north similar to what we had done in 1997, but the
mosquitos were just too much for us, so we decided to hike out early
for once.
We did have a little excitement as there was a forest fire near the
lake and we got to watch the helicopter get water from Cub Lake as it
made it's rounds. The fire had to have been close as the turnaround
time was only a few minutes. Bill P. had fun with the boys trying
to convince them that there were two helicopters.
This photo is taken after the long climb up from Cub Lake, and is just
down the trail from the Junction Camp.
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While Andrew and I had gone back to get my medicines, the rest of the crew had gone from Martin Lake to Cooney Lake and then up and over the Angel Staircase on the eastern side of Switchback Mtn. visible here from the meadows below Junction Camp. Switchback Mtn. is the peak to the right of the picture. This scramble route, which crosses the crest to the right of Switchback's peak, is one of the premier hikes in the Cascades
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It would have been too much of a trip (especially for an old coot like
myself) to climb back over Horsehead Pass and all the way out to the
car, the two hour or more car shuttle to retrieve the car we had parked
at the Oval Creek Trailhead, and then the 4 to 5 hour drive back home.
So we decided to stay one night at Junction Camp. We got there early so
most of the boys (Danny wasn't feeling well so he napped in the tent)
decided to do an engineering project in the nearby creek and make a
"Bathtub". While they did "bathe" (no soap), the water was so cold
that none stayed in long!
We hiked out the next day, did the long car shuttle, and then drove
north to Winthrop to enjoy a Pizza and a Pasayten burger before heading
back home over the North cascades highway.
