Chuckanut mtn. 4 lakes loop hike

Today we would be hiking on our home stomping grounds again. We chose a lollipop route with a very short stick for our route from the North Chuckanut trail head.

After a short stretch on a trail we began our uphill journey on an old road.

It's not yet fall, but these Maple leaves looked like they are getting the fall bug.

When we came to this sign near Lost lake showing where we'd come from, we continued straight on the trail. If we'd turned right it would have led us to the Rock trail.

It wasn't long until we got to Lost lake

Lake #1 Lost lake

Salal bush with berries

Oregon grape bush with berries

We came to a junction in the trail, if we turned right it would take us to Burnout point.

We turned left towards Mud lake.

Foxgloves still in bloom 

Our trail came out to another old road. We turned right at the small green patch.

Heart rock❤

Daisy

Heart rock❤

A fairly long road walk brought us to Mud lake

 Lake #2 Mud lake

Lunch at Mud lake

Then it was time to head up the trail to another old road that would take us to Pine lake.

Heart rock❤

We walked up a VERY steep old road to get to the trail that would take us to Pine lake. Whew!

The trail as it turned off the road.

Finally at the Pine lake trail sign post

Pine lake water trail.

Huckleberries!

Lake #3 Pine lake

The sign post for Cedar lake

Lake #4 Cedar lake

Happy to see the sign for the Hemlock trail, 4 miles to go!

This has got to be the largest Trillium plant I've ever seen.

Heart rock❤

Closer ever closer to the North Chuckanut trailhead.

A very large heart rock❤

What a serene corridor to walk along as we finished our "4 lakes" hike on Chuckanut mtn.

I saw so many heart rocks today, it was as if Chuckanut Mtn. was welcoming us back❤

Garmin stats:

total miles - 14.5

total ascent - 2864 feet

total descent - 2969 feet

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/mMSN-ymUgRg

PCT Section i Day thirteen, White pass to Snoqualmie pass

Goodbye Dewey lake, goodbye camp

The trail was a maze of roots

Looking back at Dewey lake, where we'd camped the night before and the endless sea of ranges in the distance. This is where my heart longs to be, in the "high country".

The weather had been kind to us these 13 days, no rain. Perfect blue sky weather for looking at glorious sights. Our finishing trail took us around Naches peak.

Heart rock❤

Wildflowers

A question for the permit people: Why is this permit box so far down the trail for those going south? Another question for the permit people: Why wasn't even one in sight at the Chinook parking lot trailhead for those heading north. Hmmmm.....

Phlox and Pasque flowers

Snow to end our journey

Remember how far away Naches peak looked in the photo a few pictures up. Here we are on the other side of it! Keep putting your feet one in front of the other and you'll eventually get somewhere.

The flowers gave us their best show for our last bit of hiking❤

Chinook pass

One more snow patch

❤

PCT Section I White pass to Snoqualmie pass has been completed! 

What a journey.

Time to cross the road and head to our car.

Back to our shuttle car parking lot

Off we go to White pass to collect our Van. One last glance at Rainier as we leave Chinook pass.

*Funny ending note. After we'd picked up our Van we stopped at the White pass grocery story and while we were there we saw several of the "thru hiking" people we'd seen on the trail. One of them was a person we had given lemon drops and coffee candies to at a creek. He was filling his water bottles at the time and said he was hiking long miles and was so tired and didn't do well in the heat. We offered him our candies and told him we hoped they would help. He gratefully took them. When we saw him at the store, I asked "did the candies help?" He said yes, the lemon drops did the trick. Turns out he didn't need more electrolytes as he thought he just needed a good old sugar rush. 

Trail community❤

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/PNhT0BW62BA

Garmin stats:

total miles - 3.04

total ascent - 719 feet

total descent 525 feet

Trip two (White pass to Chinook pass) totals:

total miles - 29.38

total ascent - 4,826

total descent - 3,897

Complete trip (White pass to Snoqualmie pass) totals:

total miles - 98.66

total ascent - 16,157 feet

total descent - 17,370

Special thanks to my husband: my sherpa and guide who puts up with all of my dreams and goals, who carried many pounds of extra water many times so we could have nice warm meals morning and night. He does all of this without complaint, for which I am very thankful.

Heart rocks found on the trail from White pass to Snoqualmie pass

Heart rocks of the PCT❤ "12"

Just me Alive, savoring my sixties❤