Lower Siamese Lake & Straight Creek: On Tuesday & Wednesday I hiked into the Lower Siamese Lake from the West Fork of Fish Creek and came out Straight Creek via Chilcoot Pass for a total of 23.3 miles. An additional goal was to summit Straight Peak, but settled for the bald high point above Chilcoot Pass on trail #510. I have't completed this loop in a number of years and was due for the effort. I ended up leaving several things at home this trip; fishing gear, chair/stool, some extra clothes, etc. that I usually take and got my pack down to 28 lbs before water. Not up to the ultra lightweight crowd standards but very good for me.
I was on the trail around 8:30, but didn't get into camp until almost 4:30. I tried to keep a conservative pace and keep a schedule for rest breaks but I still ended up feeling the day at Foley Basin with 2 miles to go. The last 2 miles are not at all easy, especially at the end of the day. It was such a nice day that I thought I would be able to forgo the tent fly and sleep under the mesh. As I was setting up the tent the thunder clouds came in for the evening. It held off with the rain until 7:30, but was ready for bed anyway. Had several hours of wind, lightning and some rain, but not that bad. I was up early and was back on the trail, a 700 foot grind out of the lake in less than a mile before leveling off for the last half to Chilcoot Pass. I ended up climbing an additional 300 feet and a total of a mile (out&back) to get to the knob on trail #510; but it was worth it as the views are very good.
I finally dropped off Chilcoot Pass and into Straight Creek at 11 and unlocked the truck at 4. I barely recognized much of the upper Straight Creek as it has been so long since I was in there. The water levels were low enough that I was able to skip across on rocks for all the crossings until the last one. I met a MT Conservation Corps group (2 of them) working on the trail up the West Fork. The other part of their group must have been working close to the stateline as I didn't see them before I took the trail split at Foley Basin. I scared up a couple grouse down in Straight Creek, but that the only game I saw in 2 days on the trail.
Lone Lake: On Friday, Skye & I headed to Lone Lake, just outside of Mullen, ID. Skye hasn't been going with me much this summer due to her advanced arthritus in her elbows. I try to get her out for shorter hikes when I can. While at the lake we met Zoila (sp) and ended up hiking out together. She was doing a quick hike on her way back from Missoula to the coast. We also chatted briefly with Trish (?) from Post Falls along the trail. Talked to a young couple when I arrived at the trailhead in the morning that were making an early morning exit from the Stevens Lakes. Skye had a good hike and swim at the lake. I did not go up to the little pond above Lone Lake locally known as Long Lake.
