Indian Heaven Lakes Loop October 1, 2022

[Rsynak]

Gobsmacking beauty. Relentless serenity. The field guide entry on this is spot on.

Did it over the course of two days with a couple friends and dogs, 1 and 2 Oct 2022. Unexpectedly warm. T-shirts and shorts. Maybe in the low 70's. We had camped a few miles east at Wapiki just two weeks earlier and were doing long johns and puffy's until mid-day.

This was a great hike. A bit confusing to follow the route just by paper map–had to periodically break out the GPS for confirmation we were on the trail we thought we were walking. No cell service. Sometimes a bit overgrown. Fairly high number of people, but all pleasant, and even with the traffic, at least on the trails, we had mostly peaceful moments to ourselves and were able to find a campsite on a lake late in the day.

[Chip Down]

Yep, Oct 1 was tee shirt weather for sure. Quite breezy a bit to the south, but felt good. You didn't mention that, so I wonder if it was calmer in IH.
I like IH even more when there's a bit of snow and lots of water, like maybe about June.
But it's nice in autumn too.

[retired jerry]

June? But isn't that when it's Mosquito Heaven?

Low 70s? In October??? That's almost unpleasantly hot.

[drm]

There is a window when there is still some snow but before the mozzies arrive. It is usually some time in June, and it can be brief, like a couple weeks, with muddy trails. This year there was still a lot of snow in June but I didn't manage to get there.

[leiavoia]

Does this loop stay generally available to November? Looking to do a slower, cooler backpack at the end of the month. Thanks.

[BigBear]

Open in November? It depends on the snow. The gravel roads are not plowed, so you are gambling on frozen precipitation if the mercury drops. For the roads, watch for a freezing level of 4,000 feet.

Also, if you like Indian heaven, you will love W.O. Douglas Wilderness on the east side of Rainier. At least there you can depend on plowed roads from the south end.

[Rsynak]

Yep, Oct 1 was tee shirt weather for sure. Quite breezy a bit to the south, but felt good. You didn't mention that, so I wonder if it was calmer in IH.
I like IH even more when there's a bit of snow and lots of water, like maybe about June.
But it's nice in autumn too.

Definitely wind, in the late afternoon/evening in the meadows north of East Crater. But just in the open meadows.

[Rsynak]

June? But isn't that when it's Mosquito Heaven?

Low 70s? In October??? That's almost unpleasantly hot.

YMMV. Just two weeks earlier we were there and I don't think it broke past 59.

[teachpdx]

I was up at IH in early November 2019 and I recall the road to East Crater being totally clear, but running into a little snow and ice about halfway up East Crater trail. We did the Junction Lake - Bear Lake loop https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... _Loop_Hike and it was really nice and mostly clear with the exception of some substantial frozen and slippery rutted sections near Lemei Lake. But there was certainly enough bare ground to find places to camp up that way.

At the end of the month you should still be good, unless we get a huge push of cold air and decent snow between 4000'-5000' before then.

[drm]

By Thanksgiving, your odds would be pretty low, but in early November I would say you have a good shot. It only takes one big storm to close the road.