Warm in my Sleeping Bag
Tonight, I come to you from inside my down bag (ohgoditssowarmandcozy), approximately 10 feet from Upper Eagle Lake.
It was an early star this morning, after a late night last night finishing packing and cleaning the house. 6:40am had me arriving a little bit late to the park and ride where Bill, Sue, Steve, and Jeanne all piled their stuff in the back of the Outback, and themselves into the seats. I forget how much other stuff people bring, but every thing fit just fine.
It’s a nearly four hour drive to the trail head, and we stopped at Pioneer for coffee/tea in Cle Elum, and Anjou Bakery just east of Wenatchee (or north, I wasn’t navigating, just driving).
The usual trail head preparation ensued, sharing tent portions, and finalizing everything. I got to leave my stove and second water filter behind, as it was covered by the other folks (2 stoves and 3 water filters were deemed enough).
Customary Trail Head Shot
The trail was a long, long (ok, 6 miles) of steady, but not too steep, elevation gain. We took it nice and slow, Jeanne preferring a leisurely pace, and I enjoy that as well. The weather was great – a touch cool, and overcast – letting us feel quite comfortable.
Mule Caravan
The trail in is open to horses, and we came across a pack line of mules, all loaded down with gear, the driver promising a train of horses carrying boy scouts. While we ran in to a few more horses, mostly heading out from Martin Lake. We also had two motorcyclists pass us while we stopped for a snack and some snack tending. And, I can’t not mention, a guy who had completed his 11th of the 100 highest peaks in Washington. But it was mostly a fairly empty trail.
We stopped at a ridge above a lake, got a little map and compass lesson from Steve, our resident guide, and determined we were above Lower Eagle Lake and looking at two peaks, 48something and 48somethingelse).
Campsite Meadow at Upper Eagle Lake
Another mile got us to Upper Eagle Lake, and our camp way out at the end of the trail spur. We are at a beautiful spot immediately off the lake, with a fire pit, though we are too lazy to tend to a real fire, and two lovely camp tent spots. Us three girls have taken over my three-woman tent.
We had a leisurely dinner, provided by Jeanne. (Of course, difficult person that I am, I have all my own gluten free food. Tonight was chicken soup and a chocolate pudding that was just freezer bag cooked, so was more like really thick hot chocolate, but still really good.
A Chilly Dinner in a Lovely Spot
Dinner was a fairly chilly event, as the warmth left along with the sun. Jeanne and I took the lead in heading to bed, so after the bear bags were hung (or appropriately tied up, in the case of my Rrsack), we all made our way into our sleeping bags. ( But not before Sue found the elusive, marked, but hidden “toilet”!)
And so I lay here in my sleeping bag, listening to the gurgling of the lake on the rocks which make up its shore, and the wind overhead. (Hoping that I will be sufficiently warm in the night, and wishing that the body’s response to being cold was not making you pee – three times in the middle of the chilly night.)
