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Larch Lakes Outing
Rampart 7693, Devils Smokestack 7620, Fifth of July 7696

(USGS Saska Peak)

10/7/00 – 10/9/00

Party:

Mike Torok, Matt Burton

Introduction:

I always hope for golden larches in fall and for sunrise alpenglow from a high point. This trip delivered on both, as you can see in the sunrise photo above.

Although the title destination was Larch Lakes, we ended up only briefly passing by the lakes during out exit. Instead of camping at the lakes, we found a high campsite on a larch-covered ridge that positioned us much better for views, summits, and privacy.

On Saturday we hiked up to the high camp (yellow line). Sunday we scrambled Rampart, Devils Smokestack, and Fifth of July together (red line). Monday we exited.

I made extra side trips for photos (purple lines) – sunrise from the ridge-top in the morning (photo above), and larches in the meadow beyond Devils.

Mike made extra side trips for summits (blue lines) – Garland Peak at the south end, and “Pomas Point” at the north end.

Details:

Saturday

From the Cottonwood Camp trailhead (3150), we hiked 4.2 miles up the Entiat trail to the Cow Creek Meadows trail (3740), then another 3.7 miles to the junction with the Larch Lakes trail (6637). We had planned to drop down to Larch Lakes for camping, but the junction was much higher and closer to our other destinations, plus it was covered with larches. We searched uphill and found a flat space among the larches just big enough for our tent at 6800, with a small stream not far below.

On the hike in, I learned the value of the trekking poles that I had used on all of my earlier trips this year. For this trip, I left them behind, and my legs were dragging all the way. Being able to push with my arms really makes a difference in my endurance. After this trip, I brought my poles everywhere.

Sunday

To photograph the peaks in sunrise light, I arose before dawn and hiked up 800 feet to Point 7637 on the ridge crest above our camp. I was rewarded with spectacular light on the Maude group and Spectacle Butte to our north.

After breakfast, our first destination was Rampart. We took the trail south to the base of Fifth of July mountain, then angled upward to traverse a tilted plateau covered with larches at 7000 feet. From there we went up the prominent gully in Rampart’s west ridge, and followed the ridge east for easy scrambling to the summit (7693).

The next destination was Devil’s Smokestack. We went back down Rampart's west ridge until we could drop down in meadows to reach the trail between Rampart and Devils. We followed the trail to Devil’s west ridge. Again we followed the ridge crest east, but this time had harder scrambling. We dropped onto the south side to bypass several gendarmes and then followed a steep gully up to the final crest and summit (7620).

Garland was the next peak south of Devils. However, between Devils and Garland, I could see a grassy meadow full of larches, ranging in size from waist-high twisted babies to straight youths to multi-limbed patriarchs. I wanted to photograph the larches and Mike wanted the next summit, so we split up. Mike took the high road, following the ridge-top trail from the shoulder of Devils south to the summit of Garland (7525). I took the low road, dropping 900 feet down the side of Devils into the meadow (6700). While Mike ran the ridge, I wandered among the trees. In the middle of the meadow, you could lie back on the soft grass and watch larch needles slowly swirl down from the trees like a golden rain out of the bright blue sky.

Fifth of July was the final peak of the day. Mike and I met near Rampart and retraced our path down the gully and across to Fifth of July, where we followed the hikers’ way trail to the summit (7696).

Monday

Monday dawned cloudy, which muted the colors of the trees. I exited by heading north down to Larch Lakes (5700), then taking the Larch Lakes trail east down to the Entiat trail (3784) and taking the trail back to the car.

Mike wanted to do an even longer loop north in order to summit Point 7250 near Pomas Pass. From Larch Lakes, he continued north to Pomas Pass and his bonus summit, then even further north to take the Ice Lakes trail back down to the Entiat trail. He left camp a couple hours ahead of me, since his bonus loop added about seven miles to the trip, but he still arrived at he car only a few minutes after me.

Statistics:

Approach: 7.5 miles, 3800 gain, 5:30 hours.

Point 7637: 0.4 miles 800 gain, one way.

Summits: 8.2 miles, 4900 gain, 9:20 hours.

Exit: 9.5 miles, 130 gain, 5:00 hours..

Total: 26.0 miles, 9630 gain.

Related Trips:

Garland Peak (4/23/05) – The orphan left from the Larch Lakes trip.