2019 Backcountry Conditions Reports

[Wandering Daisy]

The main issue was weather. Rainy afternoons Thursday and Friday with some significant downpours but not too cold. Thereafter, clear blue skies and sunny, but windy. The rest of the trip was COLD! Water bottles froze even when set under the tent fly (I guess low-20's). Froze hard every night but wind died down, and days were clear but very windy. Ground was very wet due to much rain previous to my trip. I chose not to take micro-spikes so purposely avoided the snow. Driving home today, the Sawtooth Ridge out of Bridgeport had a dusting of new snow. Being mostly above timber it was impossible to avoid the wind, but I did find spots that were somewhat protected. Except for two nights, once the sun went down the wind died down too. I used every bit of clothing that I brought! Interesting that the last two days, the wind shifted from a south wind to a north wind.

1-Upper Golden Lake (rain), 2-Merrium Lake (rain), 3-L Lake (cold and windy), 4-Alsace Lake (my favorite lake), 5-Humphreys Lakes (very windy cold), 6 and 7- Muriel Lake (nice mornings, wind strong later in the day) with day-hikes to Goethe Lakes, Wahoo Lakes and Lost Lakes. Overall, an easy trip.

Snow gone now on Piute Pass.
Creek crossings easy- never had to wade.
Just a few snow patches at the higher "Humphreys Lakes".
Upper portions of the cirques to the south (Goethe Lakes, Packsaddle, etc) had considerable snow up high.
No snow on Puppet Pass.
Few people- did not see anyone for 4 days. Only a handful on first two days. A few groups at Muriel Lake last two days.
Fly fishing good in spite of wind.

[tomba]

Most lakes had some ice. Partly thawing during daytime.

Saturday people were ice skating on Loch Leven and on Emerson Lake. Ice on Loch Leven was 4 to 8 inches thick, measured by one of the ice skaters.