Splish Splash, I Was Takin’ A Bath, Bathtub Lakes, 5.31.15
After my hike where my legs cramped up I did a few more milder hikes to get the legs functioning properly and with all systems go it was time to give ‘em a real test. Boy did I.
Not very far from the madding crowds of the city lies an area so unbelievably gorgeous you would think it would be overrun with hikers, campers and all kinds of assorted noodniks every day of the week. This area is so fine it should have special status and protection but it is merely in a state park. Such incredible beauty usually means there is toilet paper stuffed around every tree and bush, boot paths and campfire remnants near every body of water and even trash scattered about by the idiots that have no sense of decency.
So how is it that this place remains so pristine and stunning? By the grace of God (and no maintenance whatsoever) it is guarded by possibly the absolutely worst piece of trail I have ever set boots upon. Despite it being relatively short distance and moderate elevation gain, every step is a torture chamber of slippery roots, deep mud holes, jagged rock and eroded switchbacks. To even call it a trail is perhaps too kind but here I was with Neighbor Greg and Neighbor Tony lacing up the boots to visit an area only known as Bathtub Lakes.
The first leg was a 1.8 mile exercise in stupidity to the lovely Pinnacle Lake. Of course the entire way there we realized that eventually we would have to go back down this ankle breaker but too much coffee and too little common sense prevailed and we pushed forward. Just before the lake we spotted the second phase of our waltz through the woods, a friendly little section called Iodine Gulch.
Our first view of Iodine Gulch as seen from just before reaching Pinnacle Lake
Any semblance of a trail ends when you arrive at the outlet to Pinnacle Lake. From the outlet one must get to the opposite end of the lake. This involves climbing over two boulder fields with rocks the size of cars blocking your path. A small price to pay to have the privilege of ascending Iodine Gulch. Iodine Gulch is the route to Bathtub Lakes which involves climbing up the middle of a creek as steep as a waterfall in some places.
To get to Iodine Gulch we first had to follow the left shoreline around to the other end of Pinnacle Lake
At the end of Pinnacle Lake we turned south and headed up this creek bed
Tony and Greg starting up the creek
As you climb straight up above Pinnacle Lake you start to get views of the surrounding peaks. Not that it really matters though since your eyes are focused on every step to avoid breaking an ankle on the loose scree you have to scramble over to gain altitude. Just when you think you have gained access to the top of the gulch you find that you haven’t even reached Iodine Gulch yet. Above a giant mass of boulders the route eases a bit and before you Iodine Gulch rises extremely steeply to a gap on the ridge. Descending this stretch in the rain would be nothing short of suicidal as the slippery grass would be impossible to negotiate. Luckily, we had no rain and even a nice cool breeze to assist us as we scampered up the Gulch to the gap.
Approaching the base of Iodine Gulch
Tony and Greg running up Iodine Gulch
Glacier Peak, Sloan Peak, Big Four Mountain and Vesper Peak above Pinnacle Lake
Greg had promised (he’d been here before), once we got to the gap we would be entering the basin that held Bathtub Lakes. As we hiked into the basin we came to a dried up mud hole, then another dried up mud hole and then a dank tiny pond covered in scum and gnats. Tony and I were considering tying Greg to a large boulder and rolling him down Iodine Gulch to see how long it would take him to reach Pinnacle Lake but we pushed a little further over several little hills and knolls and suddenly in front of us was an actual lake!
This was just the beginning of a huge basin filled with possibly over twenty lakes and tarns of all sizes and shapes surrounded by tons of granite and quartz slabs. Every corner turned held another hidden gem and every hill climbed revealed another lake or two or three nestled in a bathtub of rock.
Adding to the scene were great views stretching southeast to the peaks near Snoqualmie Pass and even Mount Rainier towering to the south. West of the basin we could see the lookout on the top of Mount Pilchuck and it struck us that as we had the entire Bathtub Lakes area completely to ourselves on a Sunday afternoon, there was probably over a hundred people crawling around the summit of Mount Pilchuck just a short way from us.
Greg and Tony over a tiny Tubbie. Mount Pilchuck is the peak in the far back. Interestingly enough, years ago this was once the main route to climb Mt. Pilchuck.
Lakes everywhere
Closeup of Del Campo Peak and Gothic Peak
Glacier Peak
The trip back down was every bit as gnarly as we anticipated, but Bathtub Lakes was so amazing, I would even consider lugging a backpack up there sometime so I could spend a couple of days roaming the basin and swimming in all the lakes.
Preparing to descend back down Iodine Gulch
Greg (minus the boulder) descending Iodine Gulch