Basin Lakes-Berry Mountain-Indian Racetrack Loop

[AAdamsPDX]

Yesterday, we took advantage of the calm before the (rain)storm to explore part of Indian Heaven that has intrigued me ever since we stumbled on the abandoned trail that forms part of this loop.

We started from the Falls Creek Horse Camp, and took the fork to the left just past the wilderness boundary sign. For about the first mile-plus (I'm guesstimating here), the trail is easy to follow and others have made clear alternate paths around any blowdown.

The map posted by airdrum in a July 2010 trip report is really helpful as it shows the areas where the old trail tread is pretty hard to track: download/file.php?id=16176&mode=view

Five years later, the comments drawn on the map about where the trail is hard to see are still pretty accurate. As the trail approaches the lakes, it pretty much disappears into new hemlock growth and blowdown. As a result, we wound up hitting the lakes a little to the north of the southernmost lake, rather than just to the south of the lake as the old maps show.

At this point, we were too focused on wayfinding to take many pictures, so I returned home and realized that after all that trouble I have no pictures of the lakes! It did look like horse campers have found their way up to these lakes. We saw hoof-prints in several places around the lakes, and a campfire ring.

As we were north of the trail and needed to head east, we followed a compass heading south-southeast and picked up the trail just as it started to get serious about heading uphill. From this point we only lost the tread a few times: and honestly, once you get close to the saddle it's hard to miss anyway. You just keep climbing east!

We met up with the PCT on a saddle above the lakes, and from there enjoyed a fairly easy hike along the ridge on Berry Mountain. This is where we saw the only other hikers we'd meet all day - two solo backpackers (or a couple, spread out quite a ways).

The views from Berry Mountain were lovely.

We turned right at the "shortcut" trail to Indian Racetrack, passing through a small meadow before hitting the larger, Racetrack meadow.

Turning right again just to the north of the now-dried-up lakelet at the Racetrack, we followed the trail back down to Falls Creek and our car.

Even after a month in the Sierras this summer, and even though we missed the peak color at Indian Heaven, it's hard not to see the charm in this landscape. Especially in the late-afternoon sunlight.

Overall a nice little hike with just enough adventure for us as we're new to travelling off established trails.

[-Q-]

Great loop. Lotsa fun indeed.

Next time, if time allows it, head up to the summit of red mountain. Personally I find it to be one of the best views in all of southwest Washington. Love how st helens-rainier-Adams all line up nicely.

No views in IH they say...hogwash!!

[AAdamsPDX]

Next time, if time allows it, head up to the summit of red mountain. Personally I find it to be one of the best views in all of southwest Washington. Love how st helens-rainier-Adams all line up nicely.

No views in IH they say...hogwash!!

We got a late start so no time to hit the summit, though we saw the lookout tower and were intrigued. Next time!

Anyone who says there are no views in Indian Heaven hasn't seen much of the wilderness!

[acorn woodpecker]

Great photos, particularly the B & W ones. How funny you went to the Basin Lakes as I was there yesterday, as well! I did a longer loop utilizing a few mountains (getting those views IH has that people don't know about unless they get up high!) so my car was the only one at Falls Creek both when I got there and returned. At one point while at the lakes I thought I might have heard voices, but thought it was the wind in the trees. This would have been between 11-12 when conditions were still cloudy. Pictures don't really do those lakes justice as none I took adequately captured their qualities (trip report pending). As well as some horse sign, there was elk sign everywhere in that basin...except for the elk themselves! Glad you had a successful exploration. T'was a great likely last day in that area before snow arrives so our timing was good!

[AAdamsPDX]

At one point while at the lakes I thought I might have heard voices, but thought it was the wind in the trees. This would have been between 11-12 when conditions were still cloudy.

It's possible you did hear voices, beyond the voices of the trees (which count in my book!). We left the car just after 11 and would have been at least approaching the lakes by 12, considering we were making fairly decent time until we lost the trail.

As well as some horse sign, there was elk sign everywhere in that basin...except for the elk themselves!

You're right, lots of elk sign, from scat to prints to places they'd clearly been bedding down. I mentioned the horses but not the elk because I figured the elk belonged there. The horse prints I was a little more surprised to see. (Not sure why it surprised me, since we parked near the horse camp!)

Curious if you had an easier time staying on the trail? Like I said, for us this was a bit adventurous but I'm sure it's pretty tame for folks used to x-country travel!

[VanMarmot]

Nice TR! A very nice loop option. Interesting about the voices. Mel Hansen, in his 1977 guide to IH, goes on at length about the "terrifying sounds" he heard on this particular route (Gifford Way TR). Intriguing - perhaps a bigfoot sighting was possible? - but all I ever encountered was the wind in the trees and buzzing skeeters.

[Chip Down]

I have fond memories of my first Indian Heaven trip in early summer. I love looking for old abandoned/unmaintained trails, and the snow coverage (30%?) made it that much more fun and scenic. Follow-up trip in autumn was a bummer. All desiccated and boring. Still, IH is on my list of recommendations for people who ask "where should I go when I'm tired of all the well-known hikes around here?"

Thanks for the TR! Some of it brought back memories, but some seems unfamiliar. Looks like you may have gone into areas I'm unfamiliar with.

[AAdamsPDX]

Nice TR! A very nice loop option. Interesting about the voices. Mel Hansen, in his 1977 guide to IH, goes on at length about the "terrifying sounds" he heard on this particular route (Gifford Way TR). Intriguing - perhaps a bigfoot sighting was possible? - but all I ever encountered was the wind in the trees and buzzing skeeters.

I think the voices in this case were my husband and I, who lost our way for a bit in the blowdown! I remember reading about Hansen's "terrifying sounds" though and was hoping we might see a 'squatch. No such luck.

Random sidenote: I've wondered, since my first time hearing a nighthawk, if Hansen might actually have been hearing that. Surely as an outdoorsman he would know what he was hearing? But still, knowing that a nighthawk makes a lot of noise when diving isn't the same thing as experiencing it, right next to your head, after dark. To me it sounded at first like some very big lungs making a very terrifying call of some sort! I'm guessing I'm on the wrong track, especially since I haven't actually read his exact words on the subject. But I can testify that I was pretty terrified the first time a nighthawk divebombed me, until I figured out what was going on!

[AAdamsPDX]

I have fond memories of my first Indian Heaven trip in early summer. I love looking for old abandoned/unmaintained trails, and the snow coverage (30%?) made it that much more fun and scenic.

We've been developing some fond memories of IH over the years, starting at Rock Lake and branching out from there. It grows on us more every time we go! (We conveniently forget our first visit: during the peak of mosquito season!)

[acorn woodpecker]

Curious if you had an easier time staying on the trail? Like I said, for us this was a bit adventurous but I'm sure it's pretty tame for folks used to x-country travel!

Well...I didn't really stay on the trail. Once the trail crossed that first fork of Falls Creek, I left it and paralleled the drainage into the basin. I didn't reconnect with the trail until crossing it to find the one larger lake that was south of it. After visiting that lake I did take the trail up to the Gifford-Berry saddle. I removed some of the flagging in that steep stretch as some of it was redundant and/or unnecessary.

Glad you had a good safe adventure, albeit without the sasquatch sighting!