Placid Lake Loop

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
User avatar
Sugar Pine
Posts: 182
Joined: April 28th, 2017, 12:23 pm

Placid Lake Loop

Post by Sugar Pine » September 26th, 2021, 7:29 am

The Placid Lake Loop was stunning with fall colors in the numerous meadows along this route.

The abandoned section from Chenamus Lake to the Cascade Crest Trail was relatively easy to follow. We lost the trail briefly at a meadow and by downed trees but it wasn't hard to find again. There is quite a bit of flagging where the abandoned Chenamus Lake trail parallels Rush Creek. We veered from the field guide route a bit, taking the Cascade Crest Trail between Bear and Elk Lakes to meet PCT north of Deer Lake.

Chenamus Lake.JPG
Chenamus Lake
IMG_1392.JPG
Trail along Rush Creek
IMG_1393.JPG
Meadow near Rush Creek
IMG_1396.JPG
Post along abandoned Chenamus Lake Trail
IMG_E0145.JPG
IMG_0151.JPG
IMG_1398.JPG
Acker Lake on CCT
IMG_1400.JPG
Searched a bit for the trail above Deer Lake on CCC, but found this sign.
IMG_0166.JPG
Along Placid Lake trail, which overall had fewer meadows than Chenamus Lake Trail and CCT, but was still phenomenal.

The field guide mentions the book "Indian Heaven Back Country by Mel Hansen". I found it on Open Library and enjoyed reading it before our hike.

User avatar
bobcat
Posts: 2764
Joined: August 1st, 2011, 7:51 am
Location: SW Portland

Re: Placid Lake Loop

Post by bobcat » September 26th, 2021, 6:54 pm

Looks pretty stunning up there right now. Thanks for posting!

User avatar
BigBear
Posts: 1836
Joined: October 1st, 2009, 11:54 am

Re: Placid Lake Loop

Post by BigBear » September 27th, 2021, 8:19 am

Yes, it was a grand weekend to have been out to enjoy the colorful huckleberry leaves. I was on the Thomas Lake trail with a thousand of my closest strangers on Saturday. The closest we could get to the trailhead was about 6 car lengths outside the permit boundary. Saw two groups of boy scouts: 17 and 24 in number and two groups of 12 with lots of 2, 4 and 6-person groups - all heading for Blue Lake (half dayhikers and half backpackers). That must have been quite the battle for campsites.


I've walked the old Chenemus Lake trail about ten times over the years and i cannot recall seeing a CCT post that hadn't been sawed off to the ground. I do recall seeing some in-tact makers on the trail leaving Grand Meadows toward Rock Lake. I stopped hiking that route when the blow down became too cumbersome. The last time, we all had scrapes on the legs from those pesky branches. It's a shame they didn't maintain that trail because the grade was so pleasant.

justpeachy
Posts: 3066
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: Placid Lake Loop

Post by justpeachy » September 28th, 2021, 7:56 am

BigBear wrote:
September 27th, 2021, 8:19 am
Saw two groups of boy scouts: 17 and 24 in number
Group size is supposed to be 12 or less so I really hate it when the Boy Scouts set such a bad example like this. They're creating future "the rules don't apply to me" hikers. :roll:

User avatar
rubiks
Posts: 114
Joined: February 12th, 2020, 7:49 pm
Location: Hillsboro

Re: Placid Lake Loop

Post by rubiks » September 28th, 2021, 8:35 am

justpeachy wrote:
September 28th, 2021, 7:56 am
BigBear wrote:
September 27th, 2021, 8:19 am
Saw two groups of boy scouts: 17 and 24 in number
Group size is supposed to be 12 or less so I really hate it when the Boy Scouts set such a bad example like this. They're creating future "the rules don't apply to me" hikers. :roll:
When I passed by early Saturday I didn't even think about group size. But I did notice that one of the groups was congregated on the lakeshore just behind a prominent "Area closed for restoration" sign.
You know exactly what to do.
There's no need to be afraid.
Keep walking.

Post Reply