r/PNWhiking • u/slowhorses • 6d ago
Abundant blueberries, marmot families...Cooper River TH -> Spectacle Lake -> Snoqualmie Pass. Incredible ridge traverses abound!!
It was a beautiful weekend to hike on the PCT :^) So many nice folks out. There was an altercation at Spectacle Lake on Saturday that led to hours of chicken noises being played for all campers to hear, but everything else was grand, view-wise.
This was my second trip of the season and reminded me that I need to do some conditioning and walk around unstable surfaces with weight on my back more. It was hard for me but worth it.
We didn't see any bears but we did see plenty of marmots and pikas. People were mostly very respectful, but at Ridge Lake we found a large toilet paper graveyard. Packing it out is the way to go!
We could only smell smoke at night at Ridge Lake but it was pretty hazy over the weekend.
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u/thulesgold NW Washington 6d ago
Chicken noises? Like someone goading others with "bock bock!" That's unfortunate and not the typical attitude of PCT hikers from what I've found.
On my trip out to Spectacle lake years ago, I saw some white mountain goats. It's a neat spot.
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u/Psycrotes 5d ago
Spectacle Lake is close to the road so it probably wasn't a PCT hiker.
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u/thulesgold NW Washington 5d ago
Happy cake day! Which road? Have I been doing it the hard way?
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u/Psycrotes 4d ago
Pete Lake trail head: 8.1 miles, 2150 feet gain. Not exactly a short hike but definitely in range for almost anyone that does much backpacking around here.
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u/thulesgold NW Washington 4d ago
Ah you were serious. I thought you were popping in from r/ultralight_jerk and making a joke.
I've done the Pete's Lake route and the Snoqualmie Pass route. They weren't a typical day hike or what I would consider close to the road (e.g. the Pete's lake route is clocked at 18 miles round trip on AllTrails and 22 miles round trip on WTA.org due to the detour).
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u/Psycrotes 4d ago
Oh I assumed that the arguing was backpackers. 18 is a pretty long day hike for most people, but for a backpacking trip I consider 8 miles to be pretty close to the road.
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u/Menshevik206 6d ago
So jealous you saw that marmot family!
I was also at Spectacle that night when the two parties got in an altercation. It was very bizarre. We heard the shouting but were far enough away that we weren't subjected to the chicken noises.
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u/ksmith35801 6d ago
Oh my gosh, the marmot family portrait made my day! Thank you.