Buck Creek Pass, Suiattle Pass, Upper Lyman Lake & Spider Gap - Buck Creek Pass Loop — Monday, Aug. 23, 1999

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East

My husband and I hiked the 32-mile loop that begins at the end of road 6211 (Spider Meadow trail #1511) and finishes at the end of the Chiwawa River Road (Buck Creek trail #1513). We took five days (Aug 24-28) to complete the loop, which allowed for a couple scrambling sidetrips along the way. The path up to Spider Meadow is almost entirely clear of snow. Good camping in the upper meadows, but even better camping at the top of the switchbacks. Several high campsites, located just below the foot of Spider Glacier, are free of snow. Water is readily available here. The snow up to Spider Gap is solid and was not yet icy when we crossed (Wed Aug 25). We walked on snow all the way to the gap. On the north side of the gap, the slope down to the highest of the Lyman lakes is entirely snow covered. The easiest way down to the lakes is plunge stepping directly (use ice axe), although we did notice traversing footsteps just below the gap that seemed to lead to a partially snow-covered path (that possibly contours the east slopes above the lakes'). Once you reach the uppermost of the Lyman lake chain, the trail is marked with a LARGE cairn -- from this point forward, the rest of the loop is snowfree (except for a very small patch going up to Suiattle pass). Bugs (mosquitoes and some black flies) swarmed us at upper Lyman Lakes and accompanied us to Cloudy Pass. Awesome camping below or at Cloudy Pass. Wildflowers at Cloudy are just peaking now (paintbrush, lousewort, lupine, towhead baby). The hike up to Cloudy Peak is completely snow free. Serious bug population up there too, though. Trail crews have maintained the Buck Creek trails section of the loop (no blow-downs to hop over). Note that the bridge over Miner's Creek is in disrepair (August 27). Crews have posted a sign at the #785 and #789 trail juncion recommending that hikers take a detour to avoid crossing the Miner's creek bridge. We crossed the brige safely with little problem -- it is lopsided, but manageable. Black flies swarmed us again from Miners Creek to the trail's end.