Indian Heaven lake loop: Junction, Lemei, Clear, Dear and Bear Lakes. (and a few smaller ones.) Nov 2nd, 2020
Posted: November 3rd, 2020, 8:56 pm
I wonder if any one person has been to all the lakes in Indian Heaven? Just counting the ones on the map, I come up with about 240, and there’s a few more, maybe many more, not on the map or that are ephemeral. I might take a stab at visiting all of the named ones, next year, though.
This was Kelly’s birthday hike, postponed a couple of weeks on account of weather and when the restaurant (Trout Lake Country Inn) is open in Trout Lake, and she insisted on a hike that didn’t involve any rocks or off-trail. Heck, I couldn’t even find a tree on the trail for her to climb over! A change from the past month or so, to be sure.
It was another frosty morning in Trout Lake but the temperature quickly rose above freezing and got as high as 50 on the trail as we wandered about. The ground was still very cold, though, and frost lingered in shady spots all day. A little wind, now and then, but basically a perfect day.
We started out on the East Crater trail and got most of the EG over in the first 2 ½ miles or so, up to Junction Lake. After a short cookie break, the rest of the hike went through delightful meadows, and past some of the best lake views in Indian Heaven. I know this won’t last, but I’m sure liking this November weather!
The red in the fall colors has faded but the yellows are still out in force. Especially the larch along the roads in the area:
Junction Lake:
Small pools in the shade were solidly frozen. Lemei rock in the distance:
Typical meadow views:
Lemei Lake:
Clear lake:
Bear Lake:
We spotted this old PCT sign near Junction Lake. I haven't seen one like this in many years:
As we got back to Trout Lake, Mt. Adams illuminated by the soon-to-set sun:
Closer:
The map:
9.3 miles, 1250 EG
This was Kelly’s birthday hike, postponed a couple of weeks on account of weather and when the restaurant (Trout Lake Country Inn) is open in Trout Lake, and she insisted on a hike that didn’t involve any rocks or off-trail. Heck, I couldn’t even find a tree on the trail for her to climb over! A change from the past month or so, to be sure.
It was another frosty morning in Trout Lake but the temperature quickly rose above freezing and got as high as 50 on the trail as we wandered about. The ground was still very cold, though, and frost lingered in shady spots all day. A little wind, now and then, but basically a perfect day.
We started out on the East Crater trail and got most of the EG over in the first 2 ½ miles or so, up to Junction Lake. After a short cookie break, the rest of the hike went through delightful meadows, and past some of the best lake views in Indian Heaven. I know this won’t last, but I’m sure liking this November weather!
The red in the fall colors has faded but the yellows are still out in force. Especially the larch along the roads in the area:
Junction Lake:
Small pools in the shade were solidly frozen. Lemei rock in the distance:
Typical meadow views:
Lemei Lake:
Clear lake:
Bear Lake:
We spotted this old PCT sign near Junction Lake. I haven't seen one like this in many years:
As we got back to Trout Lake, Mt. Adams illuminated by the soon-to-set sun:
Closer:
The map:
9.3 miles, 1250 EG
Clear Lake looks mostly frozen, but the others seem like normal - how frozen over was it so far? I assume that water in the trail was ice. Makes me think of my late October trip last year where the whole pond and meadow at the Racetrack was just one big lake topped with about an inch of ice!