Quick Thomas Lake Hike...

River-8

River-8

Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
683
One of my favorite trails is the #111, Thomas Lake Trail into the Indian Heaven Wilderness

Grab some gear, in this case a True North lumbar pack:

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About a half mile gets you to the trail's namesake: Thomas Lake.

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The you start getting into the sub-alpine meadows that are the heart of Indian Heaven:

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Through the trees is Mount Rainier:

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Naha Lake:

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Mount Adam peeks over the trees:

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Trail #111 through a meadow on the way to Rock Lakes, East Crater behind the timber:

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Rock Lakes:

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Then headed North on the old PCT...

More later.
 
The abandoned section of the Pacific Crest Trail brings me to one of my favorite meadows...
You can barely make out the old trail posts curving around the right side:

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Decided to do some off-trail stuff as a great addition to an already great (short) hike.
Break out the ol' map and compass to get a bearing:

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Then its off through the woods:

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There's just something about being off-trail, and on a bearing to bring the wilderness spirit closer...
Still some patches of late, late(!) snow:

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Detailed and accurate navigation isn't needed, like on a SAR mission; more just dead-reckoning and terrain navigating - Fun Stuff...!!

Here the bearing would have taken me up the hill to the left, but letting the terrain lead me around to the right made for much easier going:

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Hit the 111 Trail about where I'd hoped, then back down toward the truck:

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An odd look down at my belly-full of gear:

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Mount St. Helens teases through the timber; nice bit to finish a Great Hike!

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Thanks for looking,
8
 
I would have brought a few more knives :p

Thanks for sharing the scenery with us. :thumbup:
 
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