Fourth of July Hiking Holiday

July 2 - 5, 2008  I played hard all weekend despite the high temperatures and challenged myself to see "how far, how high, how long" I could hike.   The answer astonished me.  I logged in 36.4 miles and 9684' of elevation gain between July 2nd and July 5th, went home to a well-deserved (and much needed) shower and clean clothes, and completed a CHS hike on the 6th, bringing the total for the entire weekend to an unbelievable 44.4 miles and 11,684' gain. 

My original plans had been to hike to Alpine Lookout via Merritt Lake on Wednesday, to Caroline Lake on Thursday, and backpack to Navaho Pass with a dayhike to Navaho Peak on Friday, coming home on Saturday for a CHS hike to Melwaka Lake on Sunday.  A recent trip report made me re-think the Alpine Lookout hike as being unwise to hike solo in the middle of the week, so I substituted a hike to Nada and Snow Lakes in its place.  I did not feel up to hiking to Caroline Lake in the heat on Thursday, so I hiked to Eightmile Lakes instead.  I kept my Navaho Pass/Navaho Peak plans, but the Melwaka Lake hike was changed to Lake Serene due to lingering snow in the Cascades. 

I spent most of this weekend in the Stuart Mountains and the Teanaway, which I have come to love and am beginning to know well. 

The weekend statistics:

  • One penny found on the Snow Lake Trail below Nada Lake
  • Two mountain goats seen on the Snow Lake Trail below Nada Lake
  • One penny found on the Eightmile Lake trail below Eightmile Lake
  • One (garter) snake seen on the Eightmile Lake trail below Little Eightmile Lake
  • One thunderstorm
  • Too many wildflowers to list
  • Too many bug bites to count
  • Six alpine lakes
  • One peak
  • Zero blisters
  • I met 13 people I knew on my solo hikes this weekend
  • I hiked with 10 people to Lake Serene

It was raining as I drove over Snoqualmie Pass on my way home Saturday, which always seems to be the way my trips to the Teanway end.  It felt odd to be back in the City, but I felt well rested, refreshed, and ready to get back to work. 

 
Hike/Destination Roundtrip Miles Elevation Gain
Snow Lakes (about 1/4 mile around Upper Snow Lake) 14     miles  4200' gain
Eightmile Lakes (to the inlet stream at trail's end)  8.4   miles  1361' gain
Navaho Peak 14     miles  4123' gain
SUBTOTAL 36.4  miles  9684' gain
     
Lake Serene  8      miles  2000' gain
GRAND TOTAL 44.4  miles 11684' gain