Serene Lake 7/31-8/2

[williwaw]

Just a quick trip report for Serene Lake. The key information you probably want to hear:

• Bugs: I'd say a 7 out of 10. When there was no wind, long pants and long shirt needed with Deet on the skin. Mosquitos, no-seeums and biting flies. Not awful, just come prepared and select a site with sun and openings for wind. We never felt the need for netting, but people were wearing head nets.
• Crowds: This was the busiest we've seen at the lake. Including some yahoo-ness (who packs in double air mattresses and glass bottles of booze...) But everyone was good at night and no one (as far as I could tell) got hurt.

Nice day hike up to the rocky peak to the southwest of the lake along the trail to Cache Meadows.

Despite these natural and anthropogenic challenges, a nice and pleasant weekend for the kids and our family. We drove to Frazier Turnaround in a vehicle with 8" of clearance no problem. Just slow going over large stretches to be careful of the sidewalls.

[leiavoia]

Are the canoes still up there?

I've only been there in October, long after crowds have gone home. Last time there was an aluminum canoe, a fiberglass canoe, and a no-kidding lashed log raft with a burger spatula tied to a stick for an oar. In the midst of fog and redding leaves, I could sense the yahoo-ness of a bygone season...

[justpeachy]

This was the busiest we've seen at the lake. Including some yahoo-ness (who packs in double air mattresses and glass bottles of booze...)

I've never visited during the height of summer and I always suspected there was yahoo-ness at this time of year.

[williwaw]

Are the canoes still up there?

I've only been there in October, long after crowds have gone home. Last time there was an aluminum canoe, a fiberglass canoe, and a no-kidding lashed log raft with a burger spatula tied to a stick for an oar. In the midst of fog and redding leaves, I could sense the yahoo-ness of a bygone season...

There is a wreck of one canoe in the outlet (blue plastic one). Last year we went up this same time and it was soooo quiet. We were listening to the OPB piece about massive increases in forest visitation and I worried....

[Swede]

Is this one of the canoes? Photo is from 2013. It had everything needed for a good time on the water: paddle, a spray can of rubber leak sealant, and a roll of duct tape. All that was missing was a bucket to bail out the water. I had to wonder who would carry a canoe that size all the way into Serene Lake!

And it came with a message:

Besides the canoe, someone left some nice camp furniture:

Also with inscriptions:

When I returned the next year there was no sign of the furniture. I suppose someone used it for firewood. I thought that was a real shame.

[williwaw]

Is this one of the canoes? Photo is from 2013. It had everything needed for a good time on the water: paddle, a spray can of rubber leak sealant, and a roll of duct tape. All that was missing was a bucket to bail out the water. I had to wonder who would carry a canoe that size all the way into Serene Lake!

That is the boat - it appears that it must've been pinned on rocks with some more flows at the outlet and pulled apart by the water.

[TwoPaw]

I guess just because the map says it's a Wilderness Area doesn't necessarily mean it's treated like one

[leiavoia]

From October 2013: