| Day after Daniel - Alta mtn. Trip Report |
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| Day after Daniel - Alta mtn.   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Washington, United States, North America Date Climbed/Hiked: Jul 30, 2005 Activities: Hiking, Scrambling Season: Summer | Page By: tazz Created/Edited: Mar 17, 2006 / Mar 18, 2006 Object ID: 181553 Hits: 803 Loading... Page Score: 87.58% - 5 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Another HOT day!After climbing Daniel (Daniel TR) with 16 miles RT and 5500' acc. Gain I wanted to hike something that was a bit less strenuous and give me plenty of time to drive the 4.5 hrs home. Alta and Hi Box are my back up peaks for poor weather and extra day hikes/climb in the Alpine Lakes area. I really wanted to climb Hi box but it is class 4 and I didn’t think it was too smart of me to do it solo. Solo on class 4 is not a good idea in my book now that I have a child.. I can wait and do it another time when I have a partner with me. I chose Alta. Alta is a peak located to the North of the beautiful Ramparts Lakes area.
I camped in the back of my truck down the road from Mt Daniel TH after my climb the day before. I had a little drive(hour/ hour and half maybe) from camp to the trail head for Alta. I arrived at the Rachel Lake TH a little after 9am or so. The parking lot was full. The trail to Rachel lake and the Ramparts is very popular and heavily used by day hikers and backpackers. I wasn’t in much of a hurry so I took my time getting my things together for the days trip. I was on the trail by 10 am. Late start in my book but like I said I was in no hurry at all. The day was already ho and the forecast for the valleys was up to 95 degrees F and above. The Alpine lakes are on the warmer and dryer side of the cascade crest so it was going to be a hot one.
Starting at 2800' I heading up the trail. I passed many hikers headed up to the lakes. Being only 4 miles and 1900' gain to the lake it was a trail that attracts all sorts of day hikers. There was young kids to older folks. Also some real unusual characters. One such man I spotted of the trail in the woods a bit. He was talking to someone or something. I could not see who or what it was. I thought it might be a dog down in the scrub that I could not see. This man was dressed all army fatigues. Pants coat and hat. His backpack was also camouflage. It looked as though he would be camping up at the Ramparts. He must have been very hot in all that clothing. I was in shorts and a tank top and I was hot. I thought no more of him and was on my way. I will be running into him couple of times through out the morning.
The first three miles are fairly easy as the grade it almost level. You gain 600' feet in the first 3 miles so my pace was quick and I reached the beginning of the switchbacks in little under an hour. The last mile you gain 1300'. The trail is steep but they make it a bit easier with many switchbacks. As I slowed a bit for the climb up the friggen deer flies started to attack and follow me. Damn things ate at me till I found the sun at the lake. You couldn’t sit in the shade cause the damn things would eat you alive! So I had to sit in the blazing sun and cook. Wasn’t sure which option was better. I did know that the flies were driving me batty! Aarrrrggghhh
As I sat and had some lunch and watched the swarms of people at the Rachel lake. The guy in the fatigues came by. The critter he was talking to back in the woods was his, get this now... a CAT! No kidding folks... a feline, a orange and white tabby kitty-cat! He had the cat riding on his shoulders with a leash and all. Now I have seen dogs, goats, llamas, horses, I even saw a snake around someone’s neck during a day hike but never a cat. I damn near fell over trying to hold my laugh in. I saw him one more time at the top of the ridge resting in the shade. Sitting there petting his kitty. I hope they had a good time camping and the kitty didn’t take off.
I headed up the trail to the ridge. This section you gain 600' in about a half mile on a bunch of small switchbacks. Great views of Rachel Lake and starting to get some great views of Hi Box and other surrounding peaks. Once I reached the top of the ridge the trail takes a right and a left. The left take you down to the rampart lakes area. I had already been here a few years back and spent some time at the lakes so no need to waist time running down there. Took a left and headed to Alta. It was at this time 92 degrees F at 5300' and that was when I was in the shade. It had to be way above that in the sun!
The trail takes you along the ridge with some views but doesn’t really open up till you are .4 form the intersection. I saw only two people after reaching the ridge and they were coming down off Alta. Most of the crowds are at Rachel Lake and the rest head over to the Ramparts. The trail takes a right and a climbers track takes a left and heads up to the south ridge of Alta. I stayed to the right cause I wanted to see Lila lake and knew I could bushwhack and scramble my way up to the south ridge from the lake. After checking the lake out I looked up to see a peak that I assumed was Alta. From there I could bushwhack up a slope to the ridge and run the ridge to the summit. Just that easy.
I scramble up to the ridge running into a climbers track that ran the ridge and headed for the summit. I took a break in some shade. After gulping down some water and taking in the views, I got my tired , melted ass up and huffed the rest of the way to the summit. Signed the summit register and took some shots and headed a 20' down the trail to some shade to rest and take pics. The views are really nice from the summit. You get a great view of Daniel and the ridge I climbed the day before and many other surrounding peaks like Daniel, Hi Box, Chikamin, Three Queens, and Kendall among many others. What was raelly cool was sitting atop of this peak and looking over to the climb I did the day before. I could see the entire ridge route! As seen below. Beautiful area, just beautiful!
After resting for a while I headed back. I was in 5th gear on the descent, passing people looking at me like I was crazy or something for going so fast... LOL. I ate the six mile in less than 1 hr 45 min. I was beat and very hot.
After a weekend of awesome peaks with incredible views and 28 miles and 9400' acc. gain I was satisfied and ready to go home. What a great weekend in the Alpine Lake area Washington!
notes:-6151'
-12 miles rt - day hike It would make for a nice overnighter at the Ramparts and Alta the first day and drop packs to climb Hibox on the way out the next day.
-4200' acc gain
-no gear just a hike
-bring lots of water in late season, it is dry and hot!
- to avoid the crowds maybe get an early start so you can get ahead of them.
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