Backpacking to Pete Lake So We Can Hike to Spectacle Lake

Introduction

I came across Spectacle Lake in Craig Romano's Backpacking Washington book (however, I can't remember which edition). It looked like the quintessential alpine lake in the Cascades—the answer to all of my longings for wilderness in the backcountry of my home state.

The lake is close to Snoqualmie Pass (as the crow flies), and despite looking like an isolated oasis, the mileage didn't read that difficult: It's:

• Close to Seattle
• Beautiful
• on the PCT
• Moderate mileage

Therefore, I wasn't surprised that this lake is very popular.

We planned a trip for mid-week in July and ended up fighting the heat and mosquitos instead of the crowds. We spent two nights at Pete Lake with a day hike to Spectacle Lake for an easier trip.

Overview

Two nights (July 19-21, 2023)

Total Mileage: ~19.6 miles

Trailheads: Pete Lake Trailhead

Permits/Fees: Northwest Forest Pass, Self-issued Alpine Lakes Wilderness Permit

Camps: Pete Lake

Before the Trail

I only had a few concerns before this hike that I kept checking in on. The main being:

1. Camp availability
2. Lemah Creek ford
3. Bugs

Of course, I didn't forget also to check the following:

• Weather for Pete Lake
• Fire restrictions for Okanagan Wenatchee NF
• Pete Lake Trail Information
• Trip reports on WTA for Pete and Spectacle Lake

Finally, I had the thought to give fishing a go on this trip because I anticipated some downtime at Pete Lake. Therefore, I also looked up Pete Lake on WDFW.

Camp Availability

Camp availability is the top consideration in my mind when planning a trip. Which camps are the most desirable? Which camps can we get to based on mileage? Which camps can fit all of our tents/hammocks?

Both lakes, I read, were popular on the weekends. To avoid crowds, I planned the two-night trip to start on a Wednesday and end on a Saturday. The decision to do a mid-week trip was confirmed after reading a few reports from weekday trips this season. Hopefully, backpacking when it's less busy would give us a better chance of getting a good site.

In addition to the possible inconveniences of finding a camp, we also had a group experience level and demographic that favored staying in the same camp for two nights. This had a few key benefits:

1. We wouldn't have to find a camp twice
2. Less time hiking with a heavy pack on

Pete Lake has a large "backpacking camp" on the east side, where the trail first comes up to the lake (I did not want to camp there, but the views across the lake are really nice). Then, some sites sit higher above the lake on the north side. Some of these camps were more exposed, with varying privacy and a trek to the lake for water access. Finally, continuing to the west side of the lake, where Lemah Creek flows clear and cool into Pete, is where I most desired to camp. Camping on the west side had trees, it was relatively close to the backcountry toilet, and Lemah Creek provides ideal water filtration options and a place to hang out—maybe slide your feet into ice-cold water after a day on the trail. I had a hunch it would be the best out of them all.

Lemah Creek Ford

Most backpacking trips I go on have very little trail danger. This trip had an exception. One mile beyond Pete Lake, the trail crossed Lemah Creek, but the bridge that once stood washed downstream years ago. The creek can run fast, cold, and somewhat deep in the spring and early summer.

Thankfully, every trip report for Spectacle Lake seemed to give an update on the situation. A few weeks before the trip, in early July, it seemed we might have a bit of a challenging ford. But, a day or two before the trip started, a report said that ford was easy and unconcerning.

Even if the creek was running high, a series of logs traverse the river upstream from the trail crossing.

Bugs

The mosquitos were a part of every report and seemingly in every comment on AllTrails. There wasn't a way to avoid them, but I was hoping that the reports would say they were getting better—they never did.

The day after our trip ended, I came across this report from Pete Lake on WTA.

"One of our dogs faces was completely covered in mosquito bites and was pretty alarming [...] I don’t remember the last time I was bit so many times by mosquitos, and I’ve hiked / backpacked alot through this region. [...] I suggest hiking in a beekeeping suit or maybe soak in a bath of 100% deet for a few hours prior to your hike."

Yes. The mosquitos were pretty relentless.

Day 1

I met the rest of the hiking party at the trailhead since I was driving from Spokane. The trailhead had more cars than I expected but still plenty of room, maybe 50% full.

I didn't have a Northwest Forest Pass for parking, but the trailhead has self-issue parking permits with envelopes for payment. I slid $15 (3 days worth) into the drop box and hung the permit on my dash.

The mosquitos were already on me. We ate lunch and dowsed ourselves with bug spray before hitting the trail about 10:30 a.m.

The Hike

Hiking in was terrific. Large conifers shade the trail, and the grade hardly seems to increase. Some of the trees were surprisingly large.

The occasional horse pile was on the trail, but no horses, and we were only one of a few groups that morning. We passed a group of older ladies that had camped on the west side of the lake the night before. Since they were leaving, we figured our chances of taking their spot were good. They also informed us that bugs were not as bad at the lake.

I brought a Katadyn BeFree water filter. It's a cap filter that screws onto a 1-liter reservoir filled by dunking it in water (the reservoir, not the cap). It's ultra-light, effective, and can fill larger reservoirs or plastic water bottles by squeezing the reservoir, forcing water through the filter and out the top. It was perfect for this trail. Occasionally, a stream crossed the trail, and I bent down, filled the reservoir, and kept walkin

It took us just about 2 hours to hike the 4.3 miles to the east side of Pete Lake.

Pete Lake Camp

As predicted, a large group was in the Backpacking Camp on the east side. Although they were the only group, they were spread out with four or so tents and had command of the beach area.

Hardly stopping, we continued along the lake, climbing up to a rocky outcropping with two exposed sites with several flat areas to pitch a tent.

You wouldn't get much privacy from your neighbors. The walk to the water is a bit steep, but—theoretically—there may be more of a breeze to keep the bugs down, and it may be cooler than being nestled into the muggy trees. Staying cool and away from bugs were two priorities in camp on a mid-July weekday when the temperature rose over 80 degrees.

Pete Lake West

Not long after passing the trail to the toilet, another splitter trail appears on the left with rocks crossing where it splits off to direct hikers going to Spectacle Lake to continue along the trail.

A few steps off the trail, there's a makeshift fire pit near a seasonal creek, and to the right, tucked a little back in the trees, is a camp big enough to fit three tents (with room for a fourth tent a few yards further down the splitter trail.

From here, the "trail" slopes towards the lake before rising to a mound overlooking Lemah Creek, the most desirable camp spot.

Just before the slight incline, another fire pit appears near what I remember as a large cedar. There's enough room here for two tents while still giving the other camps their space.

However, I was focused on the excellent layout of logs, a fire pit, and a delicious campsite on the mound. The spot I had been hoping to get, but it was not to be! I noticed a single tent; just as we approached the camp.

We trekked around the area looking for another spot to camp, coming across a single tent campsite close to the nice site but further down towards the lake. After assessing the flatness of the potential options, we chose to camp back just off the trail.

Although disappointed, the campsite fit our three tents nicely, and I was able to find two trees to string up my hammock. It was the first time I used my Kammok Ultralight system.

Water

The drinking water situation was simple. Walk the short distance to where Lemah Creek flows into Pete Lake and get your fill. Two of us had the Katadyn BeFree filters, which we shared with the others in the group.

Bear Hang

When I backpacked in the past, there was either a bear pole or bear wire, or I brought my bear canister to store food. However, my uncle has been foraying into ultra-light backpacking, and I've mostly followed along. Consequently, I didn't bring my bear canister because of its weight, and there are no bear poles or bear wires to hang food from at Pete Lake.

I brought 100 ft. of rope (too much) and carabiners, and we put our food in stuff sacks. Finding a good branch was difficult. I was looking for a branch that was 20 ft. off the ground and strong enough to support our food 6 ft. out from the trunk (although 8ft. is ideal).

This was my first-time attempt using the PCT Method. I was trying to get too cute with the carabiner setup, which was a struggle. We eventually got it hung. Six feet out and about 10-12 ft. up.

Pete Lake

With camp set up and our food secure, it was time to head down to the water. The bugs were terribly annoying at camp, and our spot in the trees was uncomfortably muggy. It was an unfortunate combination that had my cousin rattled.

Conversely, down by the water, the temperature dropped, and the bugs decreased. The water ran crystal clear out of Lemah Creek into the lake.

Before leaving, I stopped at Walmart to buy fishing gear and a three-day license. I read up on high lakes fishing and talked to my Dad about tackle to bring. In his more youthful days, he fished in Alpine Lakes Wilderness at places like Rainey Lake. He recommended rooster tails with a bit of red in them.

I brought rooster tails and spoons. One of my trip companions, Dan, has also spent a lot of time fishing. He remarked that they liked using 1/8 oz. or even 1/16 oz. tackle. My rooster tails were 1/4 oz, and my spoons were 1/8 oz.

Short story shorter: we didn't catch anything. But it was a pleasant experience, and we saw trout chasing our lures. Despite lacking luck or skill, the joy of being at the lake on a beautiful summer afternoon wasn't missed.

The evening was hot. I was sweating by the time I finally situated myself in the hammock. Then, of course, around 3 a.m. I was cold. It was the first time I slept without a rainfly. The stars were calming, but I didn't see them till after midnight because it stayed light for so long.

I tried to sleep with only my Pongo Pad air mattress for insulation below and the Big Agnes Kings Canyon UL Top Quilt for insulating above, possibly only rated to 45 degrees. Even with the warmer temperature, it wasn't enough to stay comfortably warm through the morning. But I was backpacking and happy to be out on the trail.

Day 2

Nature called early in the morning, and that was fine with me because I was cold and ready to get out of my hammock and walk around so I could warm up.

The morning was quiet and promising. After my trip to the surprisingly comfortable pit toilet, I wanted to head down the water to view the Chikamin Ridge as the sunrise hit it.

On my way down to the water, something caught my eyes—it was the camper who occupied the tent currently in the desirable Lemah Creek site—and he was leaving.

I took a few pictures but couldn't stop thinking about that wide-open campsite! I returned to where the rest were still sleeping and quietly moved my things over. I was so excited.

The rest of the group was up and choosing new spots to pitch their tents. The camp is almost broken into two areas, both with firepits, but they are so close together that it would be strange to think someone else would camp that close if they weren't all part of the same group.

Everything was instantly better with our new camp. Even the bugs seemed more tolerable.

Beag Hang Round II

We had a bit of a bear hang fiasco when the rope snagged against a dry bag and one of my carabiners. We built a long rod, using hiking poles and a stick, to unjam and pull down the light bags that were still fastened to the rope. I had two takeaways from this and other close calls with getting the bag stuck.

1. Always have a rock bag on the end of the hang that will provide enough weight to pull whatever is on the hang down. If a food bag is light, it might not be heavy enough to drop from the branch after being pulled to the top.
2. Keep some vertical distance between the carabiner that the rope is threaded through and the carabiner to which you're attaching your food items. This reduces the chance of them getting tangled.

With our new camp and bear hang crisis in check, we were finally ready to start our day hike to Spectacle Hike.

Spectacle Lake Hike

My uncle scoped out the Lemah Creek ford situation the day before and found the logs that would allow us to cross without a problem. So, there was nothing to think about but enjoying the walk up to Spectacle.

Going out, we moved up and over several fallen trees across the trail. However, on the way back, someone had cleared them! Leaving behind the smell of fresh-cut wood and a clear trail.

Lemah Creek Ford

The creek was running low and looked easily crossable. But we opted for the three-part series of log traversals found by heading just a few paces up the trail.

There was some bushwhacking down to get to the logs, but I was a bit amused by the reports of hikers describing some of the harrowing details of this way across. It seemed relatively casual to me.

It was a great morning to be out. The trail is easy to follow, gradual, and shaded until you hit the burn area of the 2009 Lemah Creek fire.

Old Burn Area

The burn area was hot. The fireweed made it muggy, and the sun exposure was reason to wonder when we'd see shade again. On the bright side, the view of Three Queens and the surrounding hills was enhanced due to the lack of tree coverage.

Soon, we came to the trail junction with the PCT and headed south. It's not till you're within a mile of the Spectacle Lake spur trail that the trees come back to help shade your steps.

It makes for a slog, especially on a hot day, which made me thankful for deciding not to haul our packs up here the day before to camp at Spectacle Lake.

Water

Ample opportunities to filter water were available on the trail. A mile beyond Pete Lake, we forded Lemah Creek, and between across the Delate Meadows and on the switchbacks up to Delate Creek, multiple clear streams cross the trail.

This spread of water filter options allowed us to travel light on water and dip our hats or shirts in to keep cool as we climbed.

Spectacle Lake

Around 12:30 p.m., we turned off on the Spectacle Lake spur trail. It was 4.40 miles from our camp at Pete Lake, and it took us about 2 hours and 50 minutes to turn off the PCT to Spectacle. Looking to the east, I spotted Mount Stuart over a nearby ridge.

Unfortunately, the trail down to Spectacle is not an interpretive nature trail. It can be very steep, rocky, and confusing. Twenty minutes later, we were down at the peninsula, ready to at least get our feet in the water.

My uncle continued up the ridge above Spectacle for a better view of the surrounding area. The rest of us were fine with finding a spot on the shore to enjoy the incredible scenery.

All in all, down to the end of the peninsula was 5.05 miles, 3 hours and 30 minutes, 1,713 ft. of positive elevation gain, and 435 ft. of negative elevation gain.

Waterfront

Spectacle Lake is special. Not only are the views of the surrounding range, the water clear and stunning, but the lake has a peninsula that creates a back channel protecting part of the lake from windy conditions.

It's hard to stop short of describing the area on the east side of the lake as nothing short of paradise. We were passed by many backpackers on the way out during our hike-in and only saw 2-3 tents at the lake during our time there. It felt like we had the lake to ourselves this afternoon.

We chose to hang out on the peninsula's west side facing the Chikamin Ridge. The water felt great. My cousin and I swam to the small rock island off the shore. For the first time this trip, we felt a decent breeze and no bugs. I could have fallen asleep on the warm rock and been perfectly content. Being out on the lake with the Cascade alpine views is what it's all about.

Mystery Privy

I searched for the toilet at Spectacle Lake about when my uncle was supposed to return from his trip up the ridge. He spotted me from across the lake and would meet me back towards the opening to the peninsula.

I stopped to talk to two women at the mouth of the peninsula that camped on the peninsula the night before. One asked if I had found the mystery privy, to which I replied no. They had failed to locate its location and wondered if it existed.

After some investigation and rock hopping, I found the remains of said privy. A bit of a mess. It looked like many campers decided to dig cat holes on the old privy trail and mark their buried treasure with crossing sticks instead.

Leaving Spectacle

It's hard to leave such a special place, but there were roughly five miles of trail between us and camp. Consequently, around 3:30 p.m., we climbed out of the Spectacle Lake basin to reunite and start hiking north on the PCT. A few clouds rolled in, helping to shade our descent.

The temperature cooled at the higher elevation, and it was noticeably more uncomfortable as we got closer to the lower elevation of Pete Lake. Oh, and the bugs came on with a vengeance. I had way more bits returning the Pete Lake on the second day than coming in on the first day.

We rolled back into camp at 6:00 p.m. with plenty of daylight to cool off by the creek, make dinner, and enjoy the twilight.

The bugs were still out but not as bad down at the creek. Nor was it as hot, so we spent the remainder of the evening by the water, preparing food and playing cribbage.

The night was better. Same temperature routine, but better.

Day 3

With my long drive back to Spokane on my mind, we didn't have a good reason to stick around. We broke camp at 8:42 a.m. and began the short hike back to the parking lot.

Unlike on the way in, we saw 3-4 groups of horses and people coming up the trail.

It was starting to get hot but was tolerable even two hours later when we returned to the parking lot. A few cars had traded spaces, but it was about as full returning on Friday as when we arrived on Wednesday.

Conclusion

On the whole, the trip was a great success. Missing the good campsite on the first night was the low point of the trip, but having the chance to camp in a better location on night two made a huge difference.

I plan to return to this area, or at least to cross paths with Spectacle Lake again.

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