Lyman Lakes, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA

Joined
May 3, 2018
Messages
290
Sorry for no highlight video. I've been strapped on time, I'll get one out eventually.

This was a 3 day 2 night trip into GPW in the southern part of the North Cascades Sept 27-30.

We left after work on Thursday and drove up Stevens Pass US-2 toward Phelps Creek TH where we front country camped at a site just 3 miles from the Trailhead. The weather forecast was good but wasn't too favorable for Sunday morning as it called for snow (which thankfully we never got). Our intention was Phelps Creek TH to Spider Meadows then up Spider Gap and use a "route" atop Spider Glacier to the gap where we would drop down and base camp at Upper Lyman Lake.

So we set off bright and early friday morning!

9MUGhyr.jpg

The first 5~6 miles were a gradual 1300ft gain and pretty unremarkable until we hit Spider Meadows where it opened up with Red Mountain and Chiwawa towering over the fields and fall colors coming in full bloom (almost!).

The meadows resident bear wasn't present for this trip :(

9V5Ln5e.jpg

P906IiP.jpg

fjRuoNf.jpg

We crossed the meadows and started heading to the Spider Gap turnoff.
msp3MIU.jpg

Once we hit the spider gap turn off we started to climb fast... Over the next 1.2 miles we'll gain close to 3000 feet in elevation. (from base to the gap)
This is the view on our way up of where we came from.


P1ijoJ3.jpg

The trail levels out a little near the saddle where there was a cool rock and drainage feature. We loved this area so much that we wish we had more time to camp there. There was a nice CG up around the area with pikas protesting it's presence.

From there we start up Spider Glacier...
e2zpLKZ.jpg

Spider Glacier is not a glacier anymore but a long snowfield. I don't know when the glacier got dead though.
yzRtYhL.jpg
Looking back down from where came. The rock feature on the left has a route to avoid the snowfield but if you're in good shape it's quicker just doing the snowfield. We were slipping a bit but we brought yaktraks and the second we put them on we were solid.
A2YSd1H.jpg

Lacey and I keep on climbin' higher and higher.
On our approach we thought we saw the top and got all excited. It turns out it was A FALSE SUMMIT. MORE WALKING.
i50h70l.jpg

:(

rU4o10a.jpg

NOW we finally made it to the top of the gap! We were greeted by the massive lonely mountains of Glacier Peak Wilderness. Chiwawa, Plummer, Sitting Bull, Sinister, Gunsight, Cloudy and North Star Mountain with the biggest boy of the show (Bonanza) off camera right.

Upper Lyman lake had a perfect light blue color.
g7G95hG.jpg

Last look back at the big boys who have been watching over us the whole trip. Fernow and Seven Fingered Jack. We begin our descent to our campsite with 6 hours to spare (of daylight)!

riIe0kl.jpg

HLoRelw.jpg

ZwWcUzX.jpg

After exploring a bit we found our favorite campsite.
GW67LU0.jpg

VtPifUJ.jpg
gIaKWeY.jpg


With day 1 coming to a close we started to wander around at sunset to catch any cool things we could see as Saturdays forecast it would be too rainy/cloudy for colors.

uojzuE3.jpg

DFnrUcU.jpg
uxmae5i.jpg
l1SvD9a.jpg

KPFR7Ku.jpg

Lyman Glacier on Chiwawa Mountain
DvxacKI.jpg

P5yefMZ.jpg

I was giddy! My first sight ever of Bonanza peak, so many times looking at it in pictures this year and now I finally see it. The tallest non-volcanic peak in Washington. Though, it's local relief isn't as impressive as other washington 9ers (Jack & Goode both have local reliefs larger than the Grand Tetons) it's more in line with washington's Mt. Stuart @ 5800ft local relief. It is a very beautiful and towering mountain despite the "numbers".
SBStvlD.jpg

The beautiful Isella Glacier in view on Bonanza. My last view before the clouds took her from me.
vUo4yIf.jpg

Out of all my star gazing this year (even in the 0.0 LP pasayten) I saw the most shooting stars and satellites on this trip. The basin started to turn into a hardcore windtunnel when the moon slowly started to crest the mountains and ruined the star gazing so we retreated to our tent for a good nights sleep...

Except for the fact our sleeping pad now HAS A HOLE IN IT AND WE HAD NO PATCH KIT. So we had lots of tossing and turning on the hard rocky ground trying to use our clothes to soften up our hip/shoulder areas.


DAY 2

Day 2 we just explored around with some windy weather.
5ft6Ji5.jpg

nCdftv1.jpg
Zk43m3I.jpg
a6CYxb7.jpg
40ysOWD.jpg
ulTz5DF.jpg

Lyman Lake! (Lower Lyman Lake) and a giant Cascade!
QZFTpYJ.jpg
zSxqJFw.jpg
cVw0L7e.jpg
osEBrWG.jpg
rfJ7EAR.jpg



We wanted to get back at a decent time on Sunday and avoid the awful US-2 traffic we normally don't deal with. Plus we didn't' want to go back over the gap while it was snowing since the impending snow was incoming (which it didn't, just rain). So we went back over the gap later on Day 2 to that cool campground we saw on the saddle.
JZ3nUoF.jpg

Lacey climbin' back up to the gap.
xjNM2oY.jpg
I scouted ahead on that rock feature route down to the saddle CG, it was beautiful and more scenic than the Spider route(Mt Dumbell was imposing all over me) plus the view of the colorful Phelps Creek Basin. BUT, it was indeed quicker to just use the snowfield. We elected to do that as we were sore and hungry and just wanted to sit down, something we haven't done all day.
V7tkA8T.jpg

DINNER TIME at our saddle CG! Yes, sleeping that night still sucked with the flat air mattress. One thing I loved on this trip though is I abandoned the pump water filter for a gravity filter and I LOVE IT. So much excess water for such minimal work!

The rain rolled in at 6pm and the sound of it hitting the tent helped me sleep at least.

CxO7yLC.jpg

Day 3 was a chilly morning, the sunrise tried to wake us but ultimately got taken over from the rain/clouds. It was dry from 7am to when we got back to our truck at 10am. THEN it started raining again.

I loved the area and strongly am considering using this place as part of the loop I'm planning for next years back country post trip I'm going to attempt to organize!
 
Beautiful area and pics.

Grav filter is mankind’s greatest acheivement...
 
Wow! Jaw-dropping photos. Beautiful fall scenery. I love the picture of the two of you sitting down for dinner, awesome view! The cascade photos with the blue lake and all the red fall colors, wow.... and I thought 1,000 ft in 1 mile was considered steep, but you two did 3,000 ft over 1.2 miles (6,336 feet)- ouch!
Are you both still sore? Great report- thanks for sharing. Sorry about the flat air mattress, bummer.
 
Last edited:
Wow! Jaw-dropping photos. Beautiful fall scenery. I love the picture of the two of you sitting down for dinner, awesome view! The cascade photos with the blue lake and all the red fall colors, wow.... and I thought 1,000 ft in 1 mile was considered steep, but you two did 3,000 ft over 1.2 miles (6,336 feet)- ouch!
Are you both still sore? Great report- thanks for sharing. Sorry about the flat air mattress, bummer.

Haha thanks! Yeah we were pretty sore the day after. Due to our wedding/family obligations this summer we weren't in the shape we usually are this time of year. Last years Glacier Peak trip we did 20.3 miles and 6800feet gain in a day. 'twas rough.
 
Dang. This TR has me way more stoked on the PNW than I was previously. Great photos, great trip, great time of year. Thanks so much!
 
Dang. This TR has me way more stoked on the PNW than I was previously. Great photos, great trip, great time of year. Thanks so much!

Yeah, wow! That sure is some color! I'd love to check this place out someday. I spent some time in Washington state and around every corner was mystified at how beautiful it is, and this is just one more example. Great photos!
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
B Beartooth Lakes Info Trip Planning 1
TheMountainRabbit Dana Meadows to Twin Lakes via the High Route (Yosemite/Hoover Wilderness) - August 2023 Backpacking 8
wabenho Big Pine Lakes – John Muir Wilderness Backpacking 6
shredhiker Kings Canyon July 2022 Kearsarge, Rae, & Sixty Lakes Backpacking 8
R Wind River Range: Green River Lakes/Clarks Trail/Porcupine Creek Trail Trip Planning 3
Mikjik86 Another Wind River Trip Planning! Elkhart/Titcomb/Knapsack/Shannons Pass loop back to Elkhart, or continue to Green River Lakes Trailhead? Trip Planning 10
John Goering Boulder Lakes, Tobacco Root Mountains Off Road 0
2eez4life Four lakes or Naturalist Trip Planning 5
WasatchWill WRHR - Day 7: Beaver Park to Green River Lakes Backpacking 15
westy Invite Also, Alpine Lakes Wilderness Meet Up (Members Only) 0
Mountain Wanderer Four Lakes Basin in the Southern Cabinet Mountains - Montana Backpacking 12
futurafree Beartooth Lakes and Passes Trip Planning 2
Bob USFS cabin green River Lakes, WY Trip Planning 0
travel2walk trip report: Wind River Range – Ross Lakes, Bear Basin, Grasshopper Glacier, & Dinwoody Creek loop, Aug-Sep 2020 Trip Reports 41
marquiri Wind River Range - Green River Lakes Trailhead Trip Planning 9
Parma Sawtooth Loop: Redfish, Hell Roaring, Imogene, Edna, and Cramer Lakes Backpacking 13
NorthwestWanderer North Cascades NP : Dee Dee Lakes & the Mcallister Ledge Backpacking 0
NorthwestWanderer North Cascades - Cutthroat/Granite/snowy lakes passes Backpacking 3
Mountain Wanderer Cedar Lakes Loop in Montana's Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Backpacking 4
SteveR Headwall Lakes, Alberta Hiking & Camping 6
andyjaggy Deep Creek Lakes and Windriver Peak Trip Planning 6
norwegianxplorer Rae Lakes Loop, SEKI, June 2020 Backpacking 6
Matt Van Natta HELP: Wind River Range, Baker Lake to Green River Lakes Trip Planning 7
Dreamer Wind River Dreaming | Summer 2019 July 17 - July 29 | Green River Lakes - Elkhart Park Backpacking 14
Curt Lost Twin Lakes, Cloud Peak Wilderness, Wyoming Backpacking 16
McKee80 TR: Bear Lakes Basin Pine Creek TH 09-05/11-19 Backpacking 14
Pianomover Overnighter to Caribou lakes in the Trinity Alps. Backpacking 0
balzaccom Dinkey Lakes Trip Reports 2
fossana Bear Lakes > Royce Lakes overnighter (High Sierra) Backpacking 12
balzaccom Chain Lakes Backpacking 1
misSOULa Montana's Bitterroot Mountains: Big Creek Lakes and Ranger Point Backpacking 2
bdunn02 Stough Creek Basin via Twin Lakes Backpacking 7
Parma Idaho's White Cloud Mountains - Boulder Chain Lakes - Chamberlain Basin Backpacking 8
NorthwestWanderer Overnighter in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness : Ingalls Pass and Lake Ingalls Backpacking 9
Born to Hike Windriver 36 mile loop: Skull Lake, Washakie Pass, South Fork Lakes, Lizard Head Trail, The Cirque, Big Sandy Lake Backpacking 6
NorthwestWanderer Yellow Aster Butte & Tomyhoi Lakes Basin, WA Hiking & Camping 11
MTNgoat OHV tails close to lakes Trip Planning 1
T Day Hike to Tatoosh Lakes and beyond Hiking & Camping 1
stevecochranephotography Blue Lakes Trail... Southwest Colorado in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness Hiking & Camping 9
Shirt357 Twin Crater Lakes - 0707-0708 Backpacking 5
L Red Castle Lakes / Wilson Peak OR Rock Creek Basin Trip Planning 4
Wanderlust073 South Colony Lakes overnight Backpacking 9
NorthwestWanderer Ancient Lakes & Dusty Lake, WA 4/28 - 4/30 Backpacking 2
DrNed Upper Henry's Fork Lakes Trip Planning 1
Jimmy BANFF: Fish/Devon Lakes/Pipestone Highline Backpacking 5
AbinadiWitness Part 1: Telluride Via Ferrata and Mount Sneffels SW Ridge from Blue Lakes- Colorado Trip # 1 - 2017 Backpacking 0
RyanP Cook Lakes to Wall Lake to Indian Basin to Titcomb Basin Trip Planning 4
TrektheWorld Rawah Wilderness Camp Lakes to West Branch Loop Backpacking 3
scatman Mallard Lake and DeLacy Lakes, Yellowstone National Park - June 30,2017 Backpacking 6
S White Cloud route, Big Boulder Lakes to Boulder Chain Lakes Trip Planning 3

Similar threads

Back
Top