Route:  Eastern half of Alpine lakes
Climbed:  Aug, 1992




Day1: Hike in from Cleelum  to Peggy's Pond, up the ridge and over to
the outlet of Circle lake.  Cross outlet stream and up slabs S of
outlet the traverse and gain ridge S of lake.  Descend S.W. from ridge
to benches above Venus Lake.  Camped with views of Shovel lake.

Day2: Cross Venus Lake outlet and ascent to saddle W of lake.  Descend
and traverse valley to outlet of (Rebecca or Rowena) lake.  Fair
amount of brush in this crossing.  Very remote lake, but there was one
big campsite east of lake.

Day3: Explore toward LaBohn Gap.  May be possible to cross the gab -
unclear.  Return to camp and pack up leave by noon.  Descend outlet
stream.  Walk in stream for a while, then on S side of steam.  Descend
to xxx lake.  Water level down about 10 ft.  Circle lake on W side to
outlet stream on S end.  Found small foot path descending on E side of
outlet but this soon disappeared in rubble left by spring floods.  This
narrow valley drains a large basin above.  Probably floods each
spring, destroying all signs of a trail.  Most difficult going when we
reach canyon exit and try to cross to the E side and traverse into
forest.  But once in the forest we come across an old trail that leads
to a large, old camp (on first flat ground S of canyon exit, about 100
ft E of stream.  From here there is a very faint trail that leads off to
the S.E.  Very difficult to follow.  Eventually joins the abandon
valley trail (there may be a cairn at this point).  Follow abandon
valley trail E till it joins new valley trail.  This junction is
clear.  Hiked further east till we find a nice campsite on the shore
of Waptus lake.

Day4: Long trail day, up from Waptus lake to deep lake.  Over ridge
and back to car.






[Route description written by Tom Unger]