Alpine Lakes High Route

In via Lake Dorothy. Traverse from Big Snow to Hinman. Out via Pea Soup Lake, Jade Lake, and Marmot Lake. Awesome the whole way!

  • Date:
    2016/08/10 to 2016/08/14
    Car-to-car:
    5 days
    Round-trip distance:
    47 miles
    Elevation gain:
    16,000 feet
    Trip type:
    scramble
    USGS quads:
    Big Snow Mountain, Mount Daniel
    In:
    Middle Fork Snoqualmie Drainage, Alpine Lakes Wilderness

    • Day 1

  • Dorothy Lake Trail Head
    Dorothy Lake Trail Head
  • Dorothy Lake
    Dorothy Lake
  • Remains from a 1967 accident. http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=16723&key=0
    Remains from a 1967 accident. http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=16723&key=0
  • Our camp, on a granite slab at 5,800' on the NW side of Hardscrabble Dome.
    Our camp, on a granite slab at 5,800' on the NW side of Hardscrabble Dome.
  • On Hardscrabble Dome's west ridge.
    On Hardscrabble Dome's west ridge.
  • On top of Hardscrabble Dome.
    On top of Hardscrabble Dome.
  • Dinner!
    Dinner!

    • Day 2

  • A tarn between Big Snow and Hardscrabble.
    A tarn between Big Snow and Hardscrabble.
  • Big Snow Mountain
    Big Snow Mountain
  • The Hardscrabble Lakes drainage.
    The Hardscrabble Lakes drainage.
  • Looking south from the summit of Big Snow Mountain
    Looking south from the summit of Big Snow Mountain
  • Hardscrabble Dome, Overcoat, Chimney Rock, and Lemah.
    Hardscrabble Dome, Overcoat, Chimney Rock, and Lemah.
  • Gold Lake and Big Snow.
    Gold Lake and Big Snow.
  • Camp Robber Peak
    Camp Robber Peak
  • Ascending a key slot through the cliffs of Wild Goat Pk's NW side.
    Ascending a key slot through the cliffs of Wild Goat Pk's NW side.
  • The col east of Wild Goat Pk's summit.
    The col east of Wild Goat Pk's summit.
  • The Snoqualmie Range from the summit of Wild Goat Peak.
    The Snoqualmie Range from the summit of Wild Goat Peak.
  • Summit Chief Mountain, Middle Chief Peak, and Little Big Chief Mountain from the summit of Wild Goat Peak.
    Summit Chief Mountain, Middle Chief Peak, and Little Big Chief Mountain from the summit of Wild Goat Peak.
  • At the pass between Wild Goat Pk and Tourmaline Pk.
    At the pass between Wild Goat Pk and Tourmaline Pk.
  • We were tired of boulder fields, so we dared the brushy north side of Chetwoot Lake. We quickly got tired of the brush.
    We were tired of boulder fields, so we dared the brushy north side of Chetwoot Lake. We quickly got tired of the brush.
  • Camp on the east end of Chetwoot Lake.
    Camp on the east end of Chetwoot Lake.

    • Day 3

  • Wild Goat Peak over Chetwoot Lake
    Wild Goat Peak over Chetwoot Lake
  • Tourmaline Peak over Chetwoot Lake.
    Tourmaline Peak over Chetwoot Lake.
  • Wild Goat Peak, Tourmaline Peak and Chetwoot Lake
    Wild Goat Peak, Tourmaline Peak and Chetwoot Lake
  • Azurite Lake
    Azurite Lake
  • The lake in the arms of Iron Cap Mtn.
    The lake in the arms of Iron Cap Mtn.
  • Otter Lake. Bald Eagle Peak in the distance.
    Otter Lake. Bald Eagle Peak in the distance.
  • Iron Cap Mountain
    Iron Cap Mountain
  • Overcoat Peak and Chimney Rock from the summit of Iron Cap Mountain.
    Overcoat Peak and Chimney Rock from the summit of Iron Cap Mountain.
  • Summit Chief Mountain, Middle Chief Peak, and Little Big Chief Mountain from the summit of Iron Cap Mountain.
    Summit Chief Mountain, Middle Chief Peak, and Little Big Chief Mountain from the summit of Iron Cap Mountain.
  • Bears Breast Mountain
    Bears Breast Mountain
  • Summit Chief Mountain
    Summit Chief Mountain
  • Little Big Chief Mountain
    Little Big Chief Mountain
  • Bears Breast Mountain
    Bears Breast Mountain
  • Chain Lakes
    Chain Lakes
  • Our camp at La Bohn Gap.
    Our camp at La Bohn Gap.
  • The view from our dinner spot.
    The view from our dinner spot.

    • Day 4

  • La Bohn Lakes
    La Bohn Lakes
  • La Bohn Peak
    La Bohn Peak
  • On the remains of the Hinman Glacier.
    On the remains of the Hinman Glacier.
  • The Snoqualmie Range from Hinman's SW ridge.
    The Snoqualmie Range from Hinman's SW ridge.
  • The summit of Mount Hinman?
    The summit of Mount Hinman?
  • One of the four high points that we visited as we tried to figure out which one was Mount Hinman's true summit.
    One of the four high points that we visited as we tried to figure out which one was Mount Hinman's true summit.
  • Descending the Foss Glacier toward the East Hinman Lakes. Pea Soup Lake across the valley.
    Descending the Foss Glacier toward the East Hinman Lakes. Pea Soup Lake across the valley.
  • An ice worm on the Foss Glacier. It must have been cooking in the direct sunlight, but it was still moving around.
    An ice worm on the Foss Glacier. It must have been cooking in the direct sunlight, but it was still moving around.
  • Mount Daniel from the Foss Glacier.
    Mount Daniel from the Foss Glacier.
  • Dip Top Peak above one of the East Hinman Lakes.
    Dip Top Peak above one of the East Hinman Lakes.
  • East Hinman Lakes.
    East Hinman Lakes.
  • East Hinman Lakes.
    East Hinman Lakes.
  • The Lower Foss Glacier with lots of evidence of fresh rock fall. Descending the glacier and then traversing the unstable west-facing dirt slopes felt like the most dangerous part of the route.
    The Lower Foss Glacier with lots of evidence of fresh rock fall. Descending the glacier and then traversing the unstable west-facing dirt slopes felt like the most dangerous part of the route.
  • Dip Top Peak
    Dip Top Peak
  • Pea Soup Lake outlet creek.
    Pea Soup Lake outlet creek.
  • East Fork Foss River valley.
    East Fork Foss River valley.
  • Dip Top Peak
    Dip Top Peak
  • Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
    Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
  • Mount Hinman from a moraine between Dip Top and Pea Soup Lake.
    Mount Hinman from a moraine between Dip Top and Pea Soup Lake.
  • Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
    Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
  • Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
    Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel
  • Jade Lake from the Dip Top/Lynch col.
    Jade Lake from the Dip Top/Lynch col.
  • Jade Lake and No Name Lake.
    Jade Lake and No Name Lake.
  • Oops! We should have descended all the way to Jade Lake. Short cutting across the west-facing slopes just made us sad. Very sad.
    Oops! We should have descended all the way to Jade Lake. Short cutting across the west-facing slopes just made us sad. Very sad.
  • Jade Lake
    Jade Lake
  • Marmot Lake
    Marmot Lake
  • Late camp on Blue Ridge.
    Late camp on Blue Ridge.

    • Day 5

  • Cedar shadow on cedar bark.
    Cedar shadow on cedar bark.
  • Deception Creek
    Deception Creek
  • Devils Club
    Devils Club
  • Deception Creek Trail Head, where our friends helped us shuttle our car.
    Deception Creek Trail Head, where our friends helped us shuttle our car.
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