Seattle Trip Part 7: Pete's Lake Day 1

One of the highlights and reasons we took the trip out west was to meet up with some of Rufina's camping friends. She and a group of friends have tried to plan a hiking/camping trip each year. Rufina had missed the past 2 years, so she wanted to reunite with them for a hike. Our initial numbers dwindled and we (Rufina & I) even had to select a different hike because of some health concerns, but the faithful few met up and had a great time. Her is the team from left to right: Zee, Grace, me and Rufina.

It was my first time backpack camping. I had done some day hikes and done some car-camping, but this was a different experience to have 30+ lbs on your back and hike in and out to a site. You can see I was packed like a mule.

Here's the team again just before the hike started. Zee planned the hike which would include: 1) hiking 5 1/2 miles with 180 feet of elevation to Pete's Lake from Cooper Lake and setting up camp. 2) hiking 4 1/2 miles from the campsite up 1400 feet of elevation (mostly at the end) to have lunch overlooking Spectacle Lake and hike back to the campsite. 3) take down the campsite and hike back to the trail head.

This is Pete's Lake and this was basically the view from "our kitchen". This photo really doesn't do the view justice. The water was so clear and blue-green in spots.

One of the aspects of back country camping is there aren't water fountains, so you have to find water another way. We each carried in about 2 liters of water, but most of that was used up on the 5+ mile hike in. So here is Zee pumping water from the lake through a filter. Each day, we had to pump about 10 liters of water to have water to drink and cook with.

Speaking of cooking... here is Rufina eating dinner. We got dehydrated meals from REI to eat for dinner. You boil water, pour it into a bag with the dehydrated food and then shake and stir and then pour the food into a bowl and you are good-to-go. This was Sierra Chicken (I think).

Sunset at Pete's Lake.

Fire on the mountain... not really, but the clouds did look like flames on the mountain tops which still had snow on them from the previous winter.

The girls finishing dinner as the darkness sweeps across the lake.

After hiking in, settling up camp, pumping water, cooking dinner, eating, washing dishes, disposing of the water away from the campsite (bears) and brushing our teeth, it was time to go to sleep.


Up Next: The hike to Spectacle Lake and Attack of the Blisters