Another year, another fall backpacking trip with Thom. This annual tradition stretches back into the mists of history, and it’s always a good time. This year we went to a place called Ice Lake, up in the North Cascades. Since I have commitments to seminary and the high-school debate team that’ll keep me pretty busy in October (the usual time we head out), we pushed up our trip to mid-September. That meant the weather was gorgeous for hiking.
One thing I love about the Cascades– and I’m sure Thom will back me up on this– is how the mountains are everywhere. They tower over you on the trail, they pop up at every turn, and they stretch off into the distance.
Although it was too early for the larch to be turning, the heather was a brilliant fiery red.
Let me say something about the trail. Our campsite was about eight miles into the backcountry, and the first mile of the trail was quite pleasant. We walked along the mostly level path through the forest, chatting about Thom’s new business idea. And then the trail started to angle upward. And that continued for… well, the remaining seven miles. Imagine, if you will, climbing stairs. Now imagine the stairs are either so dusty you literally slide down them while throwing up big clouds, or so rocky you have to pick your way along as the rocks slip beneath your feet. Got it? Now, imagine that for seven miles.
Thom is an accomplished mountaineer, so this was just a walk in the park. And although I’m an accomplished hiker, the trails I frequent are typically pretty flat. This uphill stuff kicked my butt. And then kicked a bunch of clouds of dust in my face, just for good measure.
So, yeah, it was a tough climb to our campsite. The advantage of a crazy trail like this, though, is that you get the whole place to yourself. Once we reached Ice Lake and set up our tent, we saw that no one was around… probably for miles.
The lake was a brilliant blue, with hints of green from glacial meltwater. Up close, the water is crystal clear. Beautiful.
As we did a day hike around the area, I was reminded of why I love the Cascades. What a view!
Since it’s autumn, the weather is always dicey, and sure enough, our hike back out was done in a steady 45-degree cold rain. Despite the crushing hike up, and the cold rain down, it was a grand time. I love this tradition and already look forward to another trip with Thom in a year.