[Matt]

Dates: July 12-13, 2014 Destination: Desolation Peak via Lightning Creek Camp People: Sadie's Driver, Middle E, Snowdog, BarbE, Dicey, Matt Dogs: Gusto, Isabella Why climb the Desolation Peak trail on an 84-degree day? Because it was someplace to hike from Lightning Camp on Ross Lake. So why go camp at Lightning Camp? Because it was the very first campground that Gusto ever stayed at, and this weekend was a last chance to visit it again and celebrate his 11th birthday. Please read Sadie's Driver's North Cascades Adventure Reprise & Farewell report for the story of the campground and a celebration of Gusto's rambunctious energetic food-stealing stick-chasing water-loving snow-playing mountain-climbing big-hearted life. This report covers the other part of our trip, the hike up Desolation Peak.

Gusto's birthday party at Lightning Camp

Desolation GPS Track

Hiking Up We left camp at 11:45am, just in time for the hottest part of the day. Dicey and I wanted to camp high to enjoy the views overnight, so we were carrying overnight packs. First the trail ran two miles north along the shore of Ross Lake. At 1.5 miles was a major stream where we filled all of our water bottles. Since we doubted there'd be any water up high, I was carrying 4 quarts of water on the uphill section (plus another quart that Barb carried for me). Going up Desolation, the bottom third was hot, the middle third was somewhat better in mature forest, and the final third was very hot again. In the woods at 3700 feet was a small stream with a trickle of water still flowing, enough to refill some bottles. The heat was getting to me, slowing me down and making feel like my legs were about to start cramping.

Trail junction near Lightning Creek

Old stock gate near the creek 1.5 miles north of Lightning Creek

At 5120 feet the trail reached the mountain crest and a branch turned aside to Desolation Camp. We left our overnight gear there and went up to enjoy the evening and sunset. It's about a mile from Desolation Camp to the summit, a nice run along the crest with lots of flower meadows.

Flowers & Ross Lake

Variety of flowers along the way

Tiger Lilies in front of the Prophet Range

More flowers along the trail

Hazy view back toward Jack Mtn

Desolation Summit When you come over the crest to the lookout, Hozomeen dominates the view. It's just so steep and abrupt that it's difficult to look away at anything else.

Desolation Lookout & Hozomeen come into sight

Hozomeen from Desolation

Once you can look away from Hozomeen, the views along Ross Lake are also fine, with the Prophet Range and Pickets straight west, the Chilliwack Peaks up north, the rest of the Cascades down south, and all of them stretched out above the amazing miles-long "inland fjord" of Ross Lake. Sunset We watched for hours as the hazy day became low sunbeams between the peaks, then the sun setting, and afterglow colors going up into the sky. It was especially cool to have Ross Lake far below to catch subtle reflections of the colors.

Late afternoon sunbeams, 7:24pm

Dicey watching the sun go down, 8:34pm

Crossing the horizon, 8:47pm

The big peaks:

Hozomeen, 8:41pm

Jack, 8:44pm

Afterglow

Ross Lake, 9:00pm

Jack

Hozomeen, 9:12pm

Last Light

Chilliwack Peaks

Dark Hozomeen

Ross Lake, 9:22pm

Supermoon Rising, 9:18pm

Sunrise Long days make for very short nights between the last glow darkening to black after sunset and the first bands of color descending the sky before sunrise.

Morning colors descending toward the Prophet Range, 5:06am

A cup of tea to salute the morning

Dicey watching the sunrise, 5:23am

First light on Snowfield Peak, and reflecting in Ross Lake

First light on the Prophet Range

Alpenglow:

Genesis Peak, with Stetattle Ridge & Elephant Butte in the background, 5:30am

Mt. Prophet

The Pickets, with Mystic (shadowed), Saint & Sinner in the foreground

Morning Light

A cornucopia of morning light: flowers, rock, trees, lake, mountains, all catching the light in their own way, 5:35am

Summit trees, deep lake, and distant peaks, all reflecting light in different ways

Desolation casting its shadow onto the Prophet Range, 5:42am

Hiking Down Reluctantly we had to leave Desolation as the day heated up and bugs multiplied. We also discovered that Desolation has a scenic privy, perched above a cliff that looked out across Lightning Creek to Skagit Mountain.

Hozomeen's shadow on Little Jackass

Last view of Hozomeen

View of Skagit from the Hozomeen privy

The morning descent provided clearer air for views on the way down.

Butterfly on phlox

Flower Riot & Ross Lake

Trail & Skagit Peak

Ross Lake with peaks from Jack to Snowfield to Sourdough

Calmer Ross Lake

Back at Ross Lake We arrived back at Lightning Camp in time to bid farewell to SD, Middle E, and Gus, who were taking an early boat back. It felt great to cool off and be rinsed clean by a swim in the lake. Even water-phobic Dicey submerged herself for a few microseconds. I managed to nap on a picnic table for awhile until the later water taxi arrived to take us back.

Saying farewell to SD, MiddleE & Gus

Cooling off in Ross Lake

Desolation Peak and a corner of Hozomeen from the Ross Lake water taxi (Lightning Camp is the forested shoreline right in the center of the photo)

Stats: 7 miles, 4900 gain, 400 loss, one way

[Jim Dockery]

Great pics, as usual Matt

[BarbE]

Very nice alpenglow and supermoon shots! I didn't mind not carrying overnight gear while hiking up there during scorching heat but wished I did once I saw the amazing scenery. The 7 miles back to camp seemed harder than the going up, but we knew there was a full cooler with beverage and food waiting plus a beautiful lake to swim in.

Ross Lake boat ride

on the way to Lightning Creek camp

Carla has been there also

Desolation lookout

summit

Hozomeen from Desolation

leaving Desolation

on the way to Desolation

tent views

a fine campsite

morning stroll

what's for lunch?

Barry showing off his yacht

defoliating

chillin'

[Sadie's Driver]

Lovely pics and what a great way to celebrate Gus' birthday with his friends from whom, at some point on some trip, he probably stole food. He knew Matt was a soft touch! Thanks, gang! P.S. I think it was MUCH hotter than 84, Matt - well, at least it felt hotter.

[Middle E]

[Magellan]

Sweet overnight, Matt.

[Get Out and Go]

Looks like a wonderful get-together. This picture reminds of countless times at my grandparents' cabin at Lake Crescent in another life.

chillin'

[raising3hikers]

very nice ! i was just talking about this trip as a possibility for a family trip for next year

[olderthanIusedtobe]