Rainbow Lake
A few days ago I went out to Rainbow Lake in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (North Cascades National Park Complex). The trip itself had a few ups and downs --literally and figuratively -- to keep things interesting, but seeing autumn at the lake made the hike a great experience.
The trailhead begins off of the Stehekin Valley road and climbs for about the first 3 miles through an area that burned a few years ago, so the trail is pretty dry, dusty, and exposed with only a few nice spots for views. The next few miles are like a roller coaster where there is a net gain in elevation, but there is so much uphill and downhill that it ends up being more tiring than just hiking straight uphill. Luckily, the next mile does just that! There's a steady climb, then a relatively level portion for a couple of miles, and another final push up to the lake.
The trailhead begins off of the Stehekin Valley road and climbs for about the first 3 miles through an area that burned a few years ago, so the trail is pretty dry, dusty, and exposed with only a few nice spots for views. The next few miles are like a roller coaster where there is a net gain in elevation, but there is so much uphill and downhill that it ends up being more tiring than just hiking straight uphill. Luckily, the next mile does just that! There's a steady climb, then a relatively level portion for a couple of miles, and another final push up to the lake.
Originally, I intended to do about a 25 mile loop, but when I found out my friends Claire and Kevin could join me, we all decided that we really just wanted to see Rainbow Lake, about 10 miles out. Since we wouldn't be going quite as far, we figured we could leave later in the day, which resulted in cinnamon rolls, multiple cups of coffee, and hanging out with other folks at the Bakery. This was a great way to start the day with lovely company, but by the time we finally got moving, it only took about 4 miles for me to crash after my caffeine and sugar rush.
Normally it takes me at least a little longer to start getting loopy, but this time we were only about halfway there before I started yelling pop songs and playing with my trekking poles. Once we were about a mile and a half away from the lake, I felt like a toddler at the end of a long day of getting dragged around to run errands with her parents. Thankfully, my hiking buddies gave me enough motivation to keep going.
The last stretch was bursting with fall colors in huge expanses of meadows where the wildflowers have gone to seed and the grasses are almost completely dried. At the lake, the bright blue of the lake gave one of the most magnificent contrasts to the yellow-orange hues radiating from the branches of larch trees.
That night, it rained heavily as we got settled into our tents, and the next morning, we found the nearby peaks dusted in fresh snow. We made a short scramble up onto a hill next to the camp where we could look down into the lake if we faced north, and views into the expansive valley through which we hiked previously to the southeast.
Some clouds clung to the tops of surrounding mountains while light winds nudged thin fog to tumble over ridges and break apart just long enough to expose patches of sunlight. Anywhere the light touched the surface, oranges and reds would glow so bright I could think I was watching the embers of a fire slowly flicker and fade, giving me incredible warmth in spite of the brisk air brushing my face and numbing my fingertips.
Normally it takes me at least a little longer to start getting loopy, but this time we were only about halfway there before I started yelling pop songs and playing with my trekking poles. Once we were about a mile and a half away from the lake, I felt like a toddler at the end of a long day of getting dragged around to run errands with her parents. Thankfully, my hiking buddies gave me enough motivation to keep going.
The last stretch was bursting with fall colors in huge expanses of meadows where the wildflowers have gone to seed and the grasses are almost completely dried. At the lake, the bright blue of the lake gave one of the most magnificent contrasts to the yellow-orange hues radiating from the branches of larch trees.
That night, it rained heavily as we got settled into our tents, and the next morning, we found the nearby peaks dusted in fresh snow. We made a short scramble up onto a hill next to the camp where we could look down into the lake if we faced north, and views into the expansive valley through which we hiked previously to the southeast.
Some clouds clung to the tops of surrounding mountains while light winds nudged thin fog to tumble over ridges and break apart just long enough to expose patches of sunlight. Anywhere the light touched the surface, oranges and reds would glow so bright I could think I was watching the embers of a fire slowly flicker and fade, giving me incredible warmth in spite of the brisk air brushing my face and numbing my fingertips.
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