TR: Skelton & Pika Lake with kids. 7/27-7/29
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 10:31 pm
Just got back from a great 3 day trip with the kids to Skelton & Pika Lake. Beautiful weather all weekend, getting a little hotter each day, but not a cloud in the sky. Almost no bugs either, apart from a few around Pika Lake at dusk on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
With the little ones (my 7 yr old and a friend's 5 yr old) we decided to take two days to get over Duck Pass which gave us plenty of time to laze around and swim in the lakes. Definitely recommended as an introductory trip with kids. Skelton Lake was very nice, though busy with day trippers in the afternoon. By dusk it calmed down, except for the fish which were jumping everywhere.
Saturday morning we headed up over Duck Pass, and reached Pika Lake in time for a late lunch. Though not stunning, there were still quit e a few nice flowers on the damp slopes above Duck Lake. We found a great site on top of the ridge between Pika and Duck Lake with 360 degree views and nice shady trees. There were 3 other groups there, but well spread out around the lake Sunset at Pika was spectacular as always (though there was far less snow than when we were there the same weekend in 2010) and after a pleasantly warm night (for 10500ft), probably in the low to mid 40s, we walked out fairly quickly Sunday morning getting down to the trailhead in about 3 hours.
With the little ones (my 7 yr old and a friend's 5 yr old) we decided to take two days to get over Duck Pass which gave us plenty of time to laze around and swim in the lakes. Definitely recommended as an introductory trip with kids. Skelton Lake was very nice, though busy with day trippers in the afternoon. By dusk it calmed down, except for the fish which were jumping everywhere.
Saturday morning we headed up over Duck Pass, and reached Pika Lake in time for a late lunch. Though not stunning, there were still quit e a few nice flowers on the damp slopes above Duck Lake. We found a great site on top of the ridge between Pika and Duck Lake with 360 degree views and nice shady trees. There were 3 other groups there, but well spread out around the lake Sunset at Pika was spectacular as always (though there was far less snow than when we were there the same weekend in 2010) and after a pleasantly warm night (for 10500ft), probably in the low to mid 40s, we walked out fairly quickly Sunday morning getting down to the trailhead in about 3 hours.