Ingalls Lake trail is a cool route into autumn

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NWsource

September 4, 1997

Ingalls Lake trail is a cool route into autumn

By KAREN SYKES
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Don't make the mistake of backpacking into Ingalls Lake in early fall with summer gear. I once scheduled an overnight photography outing in October -- the sun was out, the day was warm and we were able to hike in shorts though the surrounding ridges and peaks were dusted with ice.

A savage sunset kept us busy with cameras and tripods as we chased a dramatic reflection of Mount Stuart across a burnished pond.

In the morning the ponds around us were crazed paintings of ice and water.

That followed an endless night of trying to stay warm in a summer sleeping bag and clothing. Some of us got so cold, we had to get up and walk around to warm up. Some of us thought the night would never end, but dawn finally came and our fingers and toes began working again.

Despite the intense cold that moves into Eastern Washington after summer's heat, early fall is my favorite time to visit Ingalls Lake. The lake is always pretty, even when caught in the dreamscape of fog. And if the weather is clear, Mount Stuart will command your attention.

Experienced mountaineers can reach the summit of south Ingalls Peak without technical gear, but the north peak of Ingalls is climbers' country.

My husband, John, got me to the summit of north Ingalls once, but I was so scared that all I could think about was getting back down. You don't have to be a climber to scramble to the summit of south Ingalls, but this route is not for small children or novices.

You'll probably want a camera. If I were an artist, I would bring paints and try to capture the colors of the slabs and boulders bordering the lake -- gold ocher, raw umber, burnt sienna, jade -- all the colors of the natural world.

Expect it to be cold at night, even in September. And expect company. This is one of the most popular trails in the area and with good reason. It is not a difficult hike and most everyone in the family can reach the lake.

The trail is so easy to follow that we hiked it once by moonlight without turning on our headlamps (this was back in our wilder days). We don't recommend stumbling around in the dark, but strong hikers can explore several long loop trips or include a scramble of Fortune Peak or south Ingalls Peak.

Map Getting there
Take Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass. Past Cle Elum take the exit to Highway 970, then turn left onto North Fork Teanaway Road and drive to end of pavement (29 Pines Campground). Then drive to the end of the North Fork Road, to the parking lot (23 miles from Highway 970).

Trail detail
The first half-mile follows an old jeep road before reaching the junction for Longs Pass and Ingalls Lake. Turn right and follow the trail, which is well marked as it climbs into open country through forest. The trail passes through meadows to another junction at 5,600 feet, where the route turns left and heads upward toward Ingalls Pass at 6,500 feet, a scant three miles from the trailhead. The trail to the right climbs a half mile to Longs Pass at 6,250 feet.

Enjoy the views of Mount Stuart, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams. You might make Ingalls Pass your destination, since it is an excellent place to stop for lunch or simply to look about.

The trail drops 300 feet from the pass and travels through a meadow with many good campsites (camping is not permitted at Ingalls Lake). Golden larches blaze in mid- to late September. The Ingalls Lake trail crosses a creek and climbs to a crest before dropping to the lake.

It is possible to scramble around the west (left) side of the lake on boulders. Hikers can continue on to Stuart Pass and access the Ingalls Creek trial.

Camping is possible in the meadows near Ingalls Creek. Strong hikers may consider a long one-way hike beginning from the Beverly Turnpike trail and following the Ingalls Creek trail to Stuart Pass. You'll need to leave another car at the Ingalls Lake trailhead in order to pull this one off.

Trail data
Nine miles round trip, elevation gain 2,600 feet. For more information refer to "100 Hikes in the Alpine Lakes" by Harvey Manning, Vicky Spring and Ira Spring (The Mountaineers, 240 pages, $14.95) or "Teanaway Country" by Mary Sutliff, Signpost Books (out of print but available at libraries).