Island Peak - 131 days till Departure - Chelan Lakeshore Trail

Several years ago, and I’m not sure where, I’ve heard about a trail that lets a hiker venture into an world of nearly never-ending sunshine, astonishing display of wildflowers, and amazing views. Of course I wanted to go and see it for myself but at that time backpacking was not an option and hiking the 17.5 miles in one day was out due to a limited ferry schedule.

Now that there are no longer restrictions on my recreation activities; and with rain in forecast for the long weekend on our side of the mountains, I was eager to visit Chelan Lakeshore Trail and witness its beauty in company of resident rattlesnakes, bears and cougars.

The adventure started on Saturday morning when after a night at Best Western in Wenatchee and a very non nutritious breakfast consisting of waffles, muffins, and other gluten-full goodies, we drove to Field’s Landing and boarded Lake of the Lake II. Its front was loaded with overnight backpacks; obviously we weren’t the only one with this brilliant idea. It made us little uneasy first. While we were aware of the fact the trail will be busy, competing for camp sites with crowd of this size was not on our to-do list. Luckily after talking with several of the frequent visitors we gained an understanding that the hoards spread in the net of trails available in the area, which helped us ease a little and enjoy the rest of the hour long cruise taking us deep in the mountains, miles past civilization.

The on-foot part of our trip started at Prince Creek where we disembarked the vessel in a sort of organized chaos with everybody picking up a piece of luggage closest to their hands, bringing it to the shore, and then running around in a search of their own packs.

Once united with our belongings, our journey along the lake shore could start. The flower displays did not disappoint. Some slopes were purple with lupines while paintbrushes toned other ones red. We saw an amazing variety of other flowers including giant tiger lilies, columbines, yarrow, balsamroot, wild currant, and many more whose name I’m yet to learn.

Wildlife was also present. Chipmunks, lizards, Osprey flying above our heads. We closely missed a bear encounter (the other wildlife – group of boy scouts just ahead of us – must have scared it away), and as much as I was hoping we will avoid the snakes, I managed to step close to one, and it made me jump when it started slithering in the bushes. I did not see much of it, only part of the body and the rattle, but quite frankly even that was more than plenty.

Our Western Washington bodies not conditioned for the hot and dry 70 degree day broke quite a lot of sweat considering the trail was not much more than rolling hills. Finally after 11 miles we arrived at Moore Point, our destination for day one. It was busy with families already settled in, many who took the ferry all the way here, and were now using their big stoves and ovens to cook gourmet meals, setting up net for badminton, or simply displaying the collection of wine they had for later that the evening. And then, of course, there were backpackers like us, using their jet boils to prepare freeze-dried Mountain House dinners.

Finding a site little away from this scene was surprisingly not a problem. A perfect one right on the beach with large fire pit was calling our name. We made ourselves home and headed to pick firewood for the evening, cooked dinner and rested with cup of chocolate wine after the long day.

The morning came, and we found ourselves hitting the trail before 9:00 a.m, beating many others, including the Boy Scout group that just like us headed for Steheiken. Not only we beat most of our fellow hikers, we also managed to cover the first 2 miles of uphill while the sun was still hidden behind trees, and not so scorching hot.

The day was supposed to warmer than yesterday; but the wind came and it accompanied us for the rest of the way, making it rather pleasant to stroll along the bluff soaking up great views all around us. There was something very calming about the way the wind played among straws of a grassy meadows, about its power forcing waves to crush against the rocky shore, and it’s tenderness with which it carries scent of fragile wildflowers.

Getting up early paid off once more when we arrived to Steheiken and learned there the camp ground was full and there was a very last spot open at the overflow area. We gladly took it. People arriving after us got accommodated on the grassy picnic area which was not sheltered from the wind, as a matter of fact the wind never seemed to calm down there, and they did not have the opportunity to have a fire.

We spent the rest of the time exploring Steheiken and its surroundings. Dinner at the only restaurant in town was good, but the wait was about an hour just to get seats, and of course they run out of the ribs which we were looking forward to.

The social life in town consists of talks the rangers give every evening. The day’s topic was use of plants by Native Americans. It was actually very educational, not only we learned that bulbs of lilies are edible, we also learned how to make rope from bark of trees, soap from leaves of others, and at the end of the presentation we made some smoke using wood plank and a stick.

After an evening spent by fire, and a good night sleep, it was time to say good bye. It was a great trip, which gave us ideas for several future trips, and the fact we were able to get on the earlier ferry and arrive home at somewhat reasonable time, made a great ending to it.

Distance: 17.5 miles + couple short side trails
El. Gain: Appr. 2000 ft

Island Peak 214 Days to Departure - Pratt Mountain

The alarm woke us up into a recognizable sound of rain. Drop after drop splattering on the window, an orchestra of drums practicing Verdi's Requiem. Even before I fully opened my eyes I could clearly picture them leaving wet trails on the glass against dark grey sky of the wee morning hour.



It was the kind of morning when all you want to do is to crawl deep under your covers and stay there for the rest of the day... so we got up and packed, wondering what happened to the "partly sunny" that the forecast promised yesterday.

As we drove to the meeting spot at Eastgate, the sky remained grey and the clouds lingered low, producing heavy drizzle. Half hour later we left Eastgate under the same conditions, headed for exit 47. Our mood was not the greatest, the Jeep was rather quiet as we tried to brace ourselves for the rainfest.



We were so preoccupied with the unpleasant thoughts we did not really notice the conditions started to change, and what a surprise it was to get out at the trailhead and see patches of blue above us that got bigger and eventually took over the sky completely transforming the mood of the entire day.

We covered the first several miles of the route reasonably fast. The trail was broken, and except for several interesting stream crossings and sizable avalanche debris we we stopped to check out for a brief moment, there was not much to slow our progress.



Things got slower once we left the beaten path, and started heading up towards the ridge of Pratt Mountain. Snow got deep quickly here, and it was the typical energy sucking cascade concrete, yet still we managed to keep a decent pace. Perhaps it was the promise of the great views that drove us up fast, and it's for sure we were not disappointed.

On the ridge the winter transformed the trees into frozen status, frosty white limbs beautifully ornamented with sparkling icicles. Further on the other side of the valley our eyes could feast on grand views of Granite Mountain, West Granite, Kaleetan Peak and many more.



Thank you Mother nature, for treating us with such an amazing day!

RT: 9 miles
Elevation Gain: 3400 feet
Trip Duration: 8.5 hours

Island Peak - 219 Days to Departure - Lake Serene

Winter brings a whole new level of peacefulness to the mountains. It keeps the crowds away and those who are prepared to venture into the outdoors and break through a deep layer of fresh powder can enjoy solitude even along otherwise popular and overcrowded routes.

Lake Serene is one of the destinations where in the summer one has to arrive early, before the parking lot fills up, and then fight his way up among hundreds of others just to be met by barking dogs and screaming kids. Nothing serene about it.



In the winter it is a different experience. We arrived at the trailhead around 9-ish and we were the first ones to lay tracks in the fresh snow. Later another group caught up to us and they were the only people we encountered the whole way up.

The fresh snow under our boots reminded me of my childhood. It was almost always snowing hard in Czech Republic from November all the way to February or March and the sweet sound of snow crunching under our feet brought back so many happy memories.



It wasn't until we reached the more open areas higher along the trail when we decided to put snowshoes on. They made the remaining part of the trip much easier as we found a significant amount of snow there. The lake was hidden under a white blanket and the serenity of the area was disturbed only by occasional avalanche sliding of the cliffy face of Mt. Index.

What a great day at Lake Serene!



Sunday February 26, 2012
RT: 7.9 miles
Elevation gain: 2600 ft
Time: 8 hours

Island Peak - 231 Days to Departure - Ouch Ouch Ouch

Not all preparations for trip are as much fun as training hikes. Traveler has to deal with hours in front of computer screen, stretching his/hers eyes to find the best deal on air fare and accommodation, and research on what immunization is needed to improve chances for the trip to be successful.

I hate needles, so comparing the list of recommended vaccines with my immunization record nearly made me freak.... Hep A, Hep B, Tetanus, Typhoid, maybe influenza.... that did not sound like much fun at all. And indeed my arms hurt badly 3 days afterwards.

Perhaps next time I need to drink few shots before getting shots.

Island Peak - 233 Days to Departure - End of the Lazy Days

Even though I hiked during weekends, my weekday workout routine seemed to suffer from a streak of laziness during last couple of weeks, and often I found myself heading down to watch TV or play on the computer instead of a planned workout.

I could feel my cardio was not on the top of the game during my last hike so I knew I had to kick my butt back in the gym.... and I had a really good comeback - completing 5K in less than 30 minutes. Pretty cool!

Island Peak - 236 Days to Departure - The Trip of Changes

With the weekend approaching a discussion sparked as of where to go play in the snow this time. Several destinations competed for out vote, and in the end Middle Chiwaukum with good elevation gain and superb views won unanimously. But the closer to the weekend we got, the more obvious it became that the nature wouldn't treat us with clear blue sky, afterall we are in Washington State, and 2 weekends with good weather during winter is usually only wishful thinking.

We still could climb Chiwaukum but everybody agreed it would make more sense to postpone it for a sunny day when the long journey to the top will be rewarded with views. And there came the first change. The new destination was chosen - Sparkplug Mountain via Surprise Lake, where majority of the trail leads through a snowy forest that is fun to navigate through no matter whether it's sunny or not.



Then, on Saturday morning as we drove to the trailhead, the rain picked up and grew stronger, and it was raining rather heavily at Scenic where we were supposed to start our adventure. It did not take us long to agree on another change, and off we were headed over Steven's Pass to check what is the weather doing there. What a surprise it was to be welcomed by sunshine and mostly blue sky.

The clouds came later as we made our way up Smithbrook Road towards Lake Valhalla and mount McCausland, bringing snow showers, and when we arrived to the lake there was not much more than a hazy view of Lichtenberg, a mountain rising above the lake, available to us. McCausland was completely engulfed in clouds, and for a brief moment we considered another change - climb Lichtenberg instead - but then we proceeded in Mccausland's direction.... and just when we arrived to the summit, the sun broke through the clouds, and even opened some views down in the valley. Perfect timing.



Our lunchbreak with sun and nearly no wind was most enjoyable. We sipped on tea and shared chocolate, and then another change was suggested.... since we are already here, why wouldn't we attempt Lichtenberg also? It was a mere though at first but less then an hour after it originated we found ourselves in the uphill direction again, plowing through deep snow, making slow but steady progress towards the summit.



It was hopeful that we could actually bag two peaks during the trip, but then, less than 100 feet from the summit, a narrow corniced ridge banished our hopes. Still it was a good climb, finished by a fun glissade from the top, and leaving us with a reason to come back in the future.

Date: Saturday 2/11/2012
RT: 10.7 miles
Elevation gain: 3953 feet
Time: 9 hours

Island Peak - 251 Days to Departure - Silver Peak

There is a first for everything, and the first scramble in Washington State for me was Silver Peak off I-90. It was on a windy October day in 2006 when we dashed to Annette Lake and after a short break of its shore, where most hikers find their final destination, our group of five adventurers continued up on a steep talus field, hopping from rock to rock towards the blue sky of the beautiful day.

The lake below us seemed to shrink as we gained elevation and I remember thinking that the great view was an adequate reward for the burning legs and sweat dripping down our foreheads.



Then we made the final step and gained the ridge. Rainier greeted us from the South and the rest of the views were pretty cool too. Only a short distance stood between us and out destination, and as we run the ridge towards the peak, I knew deep in my heart I was hooked on scrambling.



Few years later Silver Peak came back to my mind. This time it was the winter route promising and interesting ridge run and good photo opportunities that caught my eye.



On Saturday morning on 1/28/2012 we were headed to give it a try. We were able to drive only as far as the first intersection after leaving I-90. From there we made the half mile or so to the trailhead on foot. The snow was packed letting us maintain a swift pace, and the conditions remained good on the actual trail too where a narrow path was broken in, hard enough that we could proceed without need for our snowshoes all the way to the last switchback where according to our decision to avoid potential avalanche danger further along the route we said good bye to the trail, and accepted the challenge of the steep forested slope and deeper snow.

Once we emerged from the forest several hundred feet higher, the ridge stood in front of us, long, proud, and full of obstacles we were yet to overcome.



It was an interesting run indeed. Not the easiest one to navigate - corniced, cliffy, ice mixed with sections of deep powder.... but despite the challenges and no view of Rainier, it was just as rewarding as I remembered from my first visit up there few years ago.

RT: 7.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 3840 ft
Time: 8 hrs 35 minutes