Indian Heaven / Tr 29A Loop - 06-Oct-2012
Posted: October 6th, 2012, 5:21 pm
I found an old copy of Mel Hansen's 1977 Indian Heaven Back Country at Powells a while back. In it he shows several what he calls "abandoned trails" - one of which is shown running from Chenamus Lake to Junction Lake (the dotted line next to the "9"). The last time this trail showed on any USGS map was 1931, so exactly when it was "abandoned" was unclear.
If this trail existed, it could be combined with the PCT and Tr 29 to make a loop past Junction Lake. Had to explore this option. So this near-perfect Fall hiking day - breezy but sunny and crisp - found me leaving the Placid Lake TH and heading toward Chenamus Lake on Trails 29 and then 29A.
As I rounded the lake to the S on Tr 29A, it became obvious that this trail didn't stop at the lake and was not at all hard to follow on into the woods and beyond. From here to Junction Lake there were a few minor sketchy spots but, for the most part, this "abandoned" trail was in better shape and as easy to follow as some unabandoned trails. It wandered SE through the forest, skirting one major water feature,
then crossing above it where, due to the lack of rain for several months, was not hard to cross.
This trail must have been "official" at some point, because it still has one of the yellow painted posts used to mark trails - like the CCT - back in the day.
It crosses the old CCT trail in a huge meadow below East Crater,
and continues on from there for a short distance to connect with the PCT at the NW end of Junction Lake (the arrow points to the wooden PCT emblem).
I'd expected to spend half the day route-finding this trail and thus was a little surprised to arrive at Junction in only an hour! It was good to see that there is a new bridge across the muddy water feature/trap at the outlet of the lake.
To fill out the day, I decided to hike up East Crater. I went straight up its N face to the rim, where I found a dim use trail, which I followed around to the E to get a view of Sleeping Beauty and Adams,
and of Rainier.
I'm not sure about the status of the Cascade Creek fire, but the strong wind that blew all day seems to have pushed any smoke away from the Wilderness, so the views were pretty good. Continuing around the rim, I came to the E summit.
Thinking that the use trail might lead down the crater to the PCT, I followed it back around to the W summit, which offered views of Hood,
and Red Mtn (R), Berry Mtn (B), and Gifford Pk (G),
and the LO on Red Mtn.
After the W summit, the use trail largely disappeared and so I headed XC directly down to the PCT, which took me back to Junction Lake for lunch.
After lunch, it was N on the PCT to the Placid Lake trail (#29), which I followed through fields of Fall colors,
back past Placid Lake (which, in this low water year, is showing quite a bit of beach),
to the TH. Good loop (12.5 mi, 1700' EG) on an easy to follow "abandoned" trail.
Whether it's part of a loop or not, Trail 29A is a less steep and more direct way to get from the Placid Lk TH to Junction Lk than going via the Placid Lk trail (#29). From where it crosses the old CCT in the big meadow, you could make a big loop by taking the CCT S to Rock Lake then Blue Lake, and use the PCT to return via the Placid Lk trail.
If this trail existed, it could be combined with the PCT and Tr 29 to make a loop past Junction Lake. Had to explore this option. So this near-perfect Fall hiking day - breezy but sunny and crisp - found me leaving the Placid Lake TH and heading toward Chenamus Lake on Trails 29 and then 29A.
As I rounded the lake to the S on Tr 29A, it became obvious that this trail didn't stop at the lake and was not at all hard to follow on into the woods and beyond. From here to Junction Lake there were a few minor sketchy spots but, for the most part, this "abandoned" trail was in better shape and as easy to follow as some unabandoned trails. It wandered SE through the forest, skirting one major water feature,
then crossing above it where, due to the lack of rain for several months, was not hard to cross.
This trail must have been "official" at some point, because it still has one of the yellow painted posts used to mark trails - like the CCT - back in the day.
It crosses the old CCT trail in a huge meadow below East Crater,
and continues on from there for a short distance to connect with the PCT at the NW end of Junction Lake (the arrow points to the wooden PCT emblem).
I'd expected to spend half the day route-finding this trail and thus was a little surprised to arrive at Junction in only an hour! It was good to see that there is a new bridge across the muddy water feature/trap at the outlet of the lake.
To fill out the day, I decided to hike up East Crater. I went straight up its N face to the rim, where I found a dim use trail, which I followed around to the E to get a view of Sleeping Beauty and Adams,
and of Rainier.
I'm not sure about the status of the Cascade Creek fire, but the strong wind that blew all day seems to have pushed any smoke away from the Wilderness, so the views were pretty good. Continuing around the rim, I came to the E summit.
Thinking that the use trail might lead down the crater to the PCT, I followed it back around to the W summit, which offered views of Hood,
and Red Mtn (R), Berry Mtn (B), and Gifford Pk (G),
and the LO on Red Mtn.
After the W summit, the use trail largely disappeared and so I headed XC directly down to the PCT, which took me back to Junction Lake for lunch.
After lunch, it was N on the PCT to the Placid Lake trail (#29), which I followed through fields of Fall colors,
back past Placid Lake (which, in this low water year, is showing quite a bit of beach),
to the TH. Good loop (12.5 mi, 1700' EG) on an easy to follow "abandoned" trail.
Whether it's part of a loop or not, Trail 29A is a less steep and more direct way to get from the Placid Lk TH to Junction Lk than going via the Placid Lk trail (#29). From where it crosses the old CCT in the big meadow, you could make a big loop by taking the CCT S to Rock Lake then Blue Lake, and use the PCT to return via the Placid Lk trail.