I got out for a hike in Indian Heaven Wilderness, one of my favorite places, on Saturday. With the early snow I was not sure I was going to get my Fall hike into this area this year. I went in at the Placid Lake trail-head and joined several abandon trails make a loop out of it. I wanted to do some off trail this time and look for some of the 140 lakes in this area and to explore some more of the abandon trails. I was on trail and off for about 7 hours. Cool but clear weather.
Heading into Indian Heaven Wilderness at the Placid Lake Trail head.
Placid Lake in the morning. I begin and end my hike at this lake.
Lake Chenamus. At this point the official trail ends and abandon trail begins.
The trail around the lake. Just a little up ahead and this trail was under water. With the snow that fell and melted several week before this hike the water table was high.
Just a little Fall color. The early snow really knocked out the fall colors in Indian Heaven this year. Normally this time of year is prime season.
Finding the abandon trail at the end of this meadow is key to going any further. This abandon section was part of trail 29A last shown on a Forest Service map in 1931.
Abandon trail 29A goes past this lake with no name. This is just one of the 140 lakes in Indian Heave and as far a I have found out many do not have names.
Yes, the morning was cold. This is Ice on Rush Creek.
This is Rush Creek the main drainage for this area. When it gets wet this slow moving stream can be a challenge to find a place to cross. Not that there is lot of water moving through it but it can turn into a long lake.
One of things I did on this trek was to do some off trail to find new lakes. This is one of the those lake. This one shows on the map but has no name.
There was just a little water running over Jeanette Falls. When you get Spring melt this can be a respectable water fall.
This one of the meadows that make up a meadow complex I have found going off trail. I have come to call this complex Elk Shit Meadows because I have to spend so much time watching where I place my foot.
This is a lake with no name and does not show on the map. I found it this trip by following a game trail. The elk really know where the best places are.
This is the first meadow in the what is the major meadow complex in Indian Heaven. Part of my goal for this hike was to go off trail and explore this complex of meadows.
Follow another game trail from the main meadow and found this pond. Not on the map and no name.
I continued on the game trail and found this lake. Not one the map and no name so I decide to name it Lake Marilee.
This is the big meadow. This is where the abandon trail 29A meets the abandon Cascade Crest Trail. I spent some time finding the meadow the connect to the main meadow.
Exploring meadows and finding water. All of the steams that a normally dry this time of year had water. So at times streams crossing became a challenge.
In exploring the large meadow system which I think was actual the real location of Indian Race Track the problem of wet fall becomes evident. This stream is about three feat deep and I have to find a way across it.
The multiple ruts of the abandon Cascade Crest Trail can be seen in this meadow.
This Archer Lake. It is along the abandon Cascade Crest Trail
This is Bear Lake. To the right of the photo is a peninsula and that is where I had Lunch. It is also a great camp site but no taker this weekend. I on saw two groups of hikers all day.
Another Lake with no name along the Cascade Crest Trail
Another lake with no name along the Cascade Crest Trail
One of the signs still along the old Cascade Crest Trail. Deer Lake Just quarter mile.
Deer Lake. It looks a lot bigger on the map.
There was still some spots of snow left around.
I followed the Cascade Crest Trail further north then I have before. This is one the new meadows I came across.
I found an old Forest Service junction sign that let me know I was still on the abandon Cascade Crest Trail. This also let me know that once another trail crossed here but there is no trace of it now.
This was the last meadow I crossed. I found the Cascade Crest Trail on the other side of it but lost it a short ways in. From here I backed track and followed the old abandon Placid Lake trail back to the Placid Lake
Back at Lake Placid. Shot bit of trail and I will be back at my car.
A last look at Mt. St. Helens before heading home. There are a few place in Indian Heaven where you can see St. Helens and Placid Lake trail head is one of them.