Monday, October 05, 2009

Goat Lake









































I try to get out just one time each summer on a little overnight trip, not only because I enjoy it tremendously and to keep in touch with my backpacking side, but to remind me of how difficult and challenging it can be. This trip was no exception: by the time I got to my destination I was already wishing I was back at the car, on my way home to enjoy a nice cold beer. My shoulders were aching, my thighs were burning and blisters were already forming on both heels.

The hike started out great, at about 930 in the morning, from the Cathedral Pass trailhead, at the very end of the Salmon la Sac road, just north of swampy Tucquala Lake. As a rare treat, Tuuli was with me for the first few miles, the first time we had been hiking together in years. The trail starts steeply up the dark side of Goat Ridge, switchbacking through a thick tangle of mossy firs and pines. At about 4500', most of the underbrush is gone, views open up and once the top of the ridge is reached, the sun came on like a furnace. The trail now continues north to Cathedral Rock and the nearby Squaw Lake, or you can hang a left and head south on the aptly named Trail Creek Trail, which ultimately leads to Waptus Lake and more specifically to the Goat Peak area, where I was headed. Here Tuuli and I parted company as it was getting late and I had to get trucking to reach my destination in time for dinner. She went to the lake and headed back home.

I had another 5 or 6 miles to go, the first couple of miles being very flat and scenic with the trail just sort of meandering through an open forest, occasionally crossing dried-up stream beds and for a very short while paralleling the quite pretty Trail Creek. Much of the area was strangely flat and open, but with few view opportunities--unusual for the high country. Of course it was very quiet with no signs of other hikers. The trail then began to lose elevation and finally at the bottom of a little gully was my turnoff, signed "Lake Michael."

The lost elevation was immediately regained, as the rough and rocky trail immediately began to climb the west flank of Goat Ridge. Nondescript at this point, the trail wound through open pine forests and blueberry bushes that had turned bright red. As the elevation approached 5000' the trail flattened out, which was a pleasant change for my worn out thighs and shoulders. The pack now felt like it weighed a hundred pounds and no matter how I adjusted the straps, I just couldn't get comfortable.

I began studying the GPS closely looking to find the best place to turn off the trail to get to my lake. The distance to the lake got down to about 1.3 miles and then started increasing, so I figured I wasn't going to get much closer. I found a little deer path and worked my way toward east and in about 1/2 hour crested a hill and looked down and saw water. It was about 5pm, the lake was bathed in a golden, late afternoon light and the acres of surrounding blueberry bushes appeared to be on fire. The unnamed lake was nestled into a little bowl with Goat Ridge to the east, Goat Peak to the south and a lovely beckoning meadow, just begging for a tent to be pitched.

After about an hour, the tent was pitched, just a few feet from the lake's edge and by 630 I was enjoying a lovely little freeze-dried Phad Thai, or Bhad Thai, as it will henceforth forever be known. A typical restless night ensued, with occasional glimpses of a black sky filled with thousands of light-filled holes. By midnight, the full moon had risen over the ridge, putting out the stars. I spent the rest of the night listening to the little FM radio on my cell phone and officially "got up" at 630am. I immediately brewed some of the Starbuck's Via instant coffee and spent the next couple hours sitting in front of the tent, waiting for critters to show up. In the end all I saw were a few birds and a couple chipmunks. Curiously, there was an area of flattened grass nearby that I had remembered from the night before. I have to assume some deer had slept there, but had done so so quietly that I never noticed.

At around 9, I started up to the top of the ridge to get a closer look at Goat Peak, which I had hoped to climb. I found that my planned route was impassable due to a recent snowfall, so I spent a few minutes with the binoculars looking for goats, without any luck. I walked south on the wide open ridge for about a mile and then worked my way back to the lake. I packed up my things and by noon I was on the way back home.

Things I learned from this hike:
a) Fleece pants a fleece sleeping bag liner don't mix--they stick to each other like velcro, making it difficult to move around
b) Invest in a better pack. The one I used for this hike was a bargain basement special. Much better to spend a few extra bucks, get a pack that's lighter, has more pockets and fits better.
c) Same can be said for the tent. While nice and light and very spacious I had one zipper nearly break and I tore the nylon in one of the corner where the pole is seated.
d) Don't experiment with non-traditional dishes like phad thai. Better to stick to the freeze dried classic like beef stew and lasagna.
e) You can never have too many batteries for your camera and your GPS.
f) Bring sleeping pills next time.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

My spouse and i ended up being cheerful when Emmanuel managed to do


his homework with the ideas he made from your very own web page.
It is now and again perplexing to simply possibly be giving for free
ideas that many others might have been making money from.
So we recognize we have the writer

to thank for that. The type of illustrations

you have made, the straightforward site

navigation, the relationships your site make it easier to engender - it's

everything fabulous, and it's aiding our son and the family understand
that situation is fun, and that is

rather mandatory. Thank you for the whole

thing!
Look at my page Www.elcheproperty.net

Anonymous said...

I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this
website has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time
& work.
Here is my web-site - spain festivals june & july

Anonymous said...

Does your website have a contact page? I'm having trouble locating it but, I'd like to

send you an e-mail. I've got some recommendations for your blog you

might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
Also visit my web page www.Explodingrabbit.com

Anonymous said...

Very good written post. It will be

useful to anybody who utilizes it, as well as me.

Keep doing what you are doing - i will definitely read more posts.
Feel free to surf my web page http://www.catral.biz/catral-almoradi-dolores-alicante-costa-blanca-life-in-spain-spain-forums.html

Anonymous said...

As a Newbie, I am continuously browsing online for articles
that can

benefit me. Thank you
Also visit my blog http://www.costablancaspain.us/costa-blanca-spain-top-beaches.html

Anonymous said...

Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I
provide credit and sources back to your

weblog? My blog site is in the exact same area of
interest

as yours and my users would truly benefit from some of

the information you provide here. Please let me know if this okay with
you. Cheers!
Have a look at my site : www.Spainproperty.us

Anonymous said...

Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and
gave it to my 4 year

old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear."
She placed the shell to her ear and

screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.

She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is

entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Also see my website :: almoradi.us

Anonymous said...

Hello there, simply turned into aware of your weblog

through Google, and located that it's truly informative. I am going to

watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people might be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Stop by my homepage ; http://www.jobsinspain.org/index.html

Anonymous said...

magnificent points altogether, you simply gained a brand new reader.


What would you recommend in regards to your post that
you made some days ago? Any positive?
My web site : www.fishingspain.net

Anonymous said...

As I site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling

fantastic , appreciate it for your efforts. You should
keep it up forever!

Best of luck.
My weblog - holiday Costa Blanca

Anonymous said...

I was just searching for this information for
a while. After six hours of

continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your website.
I wonder what is the lack of

Google strategy that don't rank this type of informative web sites in top of the list.

Generally the top web sites are full of garbage.
Look into my blog post ; jobs in javea costa blanca