Indian Heaven Fall Color (and Huckleberry) Show

Let the fall hiking season begin!  After another blazing hot summer, when September rolled around I was more than ready for autumn's cooler weather and changing leaves.

Leaves growing out of an old stump

SW Washington's Indian Heaven Wilderness is one of the best places to catch early season fall color.  Known for it's high concentration of huckleberry bushes (and berries!) come early September, the leaves of these brushy plants transform into a kaleidoscope of autumn hues.

Trailsign

My friend Catherine was game for a hike in this beautiful, lake-dotted wilderness.  After a long 2-hour drive from Portland, we parked at the East Crater Trailhead and began our day's trek.

Catherine gazing at the beauty

The first mile and a half was a boring slog through unremarkable woods.  But then the path wound by three tiny ponds, all rimmed with crimson-colored huckleberry leaves.  The tiny water bodies offered picture-perfect reflections of the surrounding forest.

Tiny pond rimmed by crimson leaves

Last September a forest fire charred several acres in this area, and soon after we passed the ponds Catherine and I came upon some of it's aftermath.  The blackened tree trunks were a somber reminder that these special wilderness areas can be taken away at any time at a moment's notice.

Fairy-tale mushroom

Fall is also the start of mushroom season and Catherine, much better versed in this specialty, kept a watchful eye on the forest floor.  She spied many different varieties, including this cute spotted one we dubbed the "fairy-tale mushroom."

Lots of these cute log bridges

The further we hiked down the East Crater Trail, the better the fall colors.  Huckleberry bushes are unusual in that their leaves can change into three colors - red, orange and yellow - all on the same bush.

Multicolored huckleberry leaves

Oh, and there were still lots of ripe berries hanging off the branches.  Catherine and I made a couple of quick stops in order to sample the goods.

Three different colors in the same bush

Our first major lake, Junction Lake, appeared through the mossy trees.  Someone had staked a tent near the shore, and this idyllic setting looked like the perfect place to spend a weekend.

 

Junction Lake's idyllic setting

Appropriately named, at this lake were many trail junctions.  We passed by the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) before continuing a short distance to the Lemei Lake Trail, the next stage of today's hike.

Trail to Lemei Lake

The Lemei Lake Trail skirted Junction Lake's shoreline, rimmed by more colorful huckleberry bushes.

Passing by Junction Lake

Then we climbed up a ridge above Junction Lake.  The ridge flattened out into a lovely high alpine meadow chock full of - you guessed it - more huckleberry bushes.

Very pretty leaves

These bushes were full of juicy, ripe berries.  All forward progress was halted as Catherine took out a container she'd packed along and began harvesting handfuls of huckleberries.  Not being as prepared as my partner, all the berries I picked went straight into my mouth.

Huckleberry picking frenzy

My tummy was beginning to rumble, so finally I persuaded Catherine to step away from the bushes and continue on to Lemei Lake, our day's designated lunch spot.  This tiny lake, set in a woodsy valley, is always my favorite spot to enjoy a bite.

Like someone drew a paintbrush across this meadow

After lunch, we continued on towards our next junction with the Cultus Lake trail.  The trail passed through more spectacularly-colored huckleberry bushes.

More huckleberries!

And of course all laden with more plump berries!

Another berry picking break

Such tempting concentrations of berries, Catherine couldn't resist.  She was determined to fill her bottle and settled in for a long-term picking session.  I just hoped we'd make it back before dark!

Clear Lake

Of course, it really didn't take that long to get a bottle full of berries, and 15 minutes later we were back on the trail.  Past the Cultus Trail junction we passed by lovely Clear Lake. 

Catherine is not sure if my climbing the talus slope is a smart move

On the uphill side of the lake, we passed by a steep talus slope.  And I heard the distinctive "meep-meep" of a pika.  These tiny rock rabbits that live in boulder fields are hard to spot.  Despite their shyness I was hoping we'd see one of these cute creatures.  Then, lo and behold, eagle-eye Catherine spotted one perched on a rock above us!

I actually saw a pika!

The zoom on my camera lens wasn't strong enough to adequately capture the little creature, so I began carefully climbing up the rocks hoping for a better view.  Usually pikas bolt for cover if they see humans, but this one stayed put.  I got fairly close, enough for two good shots, before the little guy spotted me and dived into a crevice.  What a thrill to finally see a pika instead of just hearing it!

PCT photo op

We ended our loop taking a stretch of the PCT back to Junction Lake, and then retracted our steps on the East Crater Trail back to my car.  Another great autumn hike in the Indian Heaven Wilderness.  Fabulous fall colors, ripe berries, and a cute pika sighting, my fall hiking season was off to a great start!

Huckleberry Hunting

Ugh, August.  Blazing hot temperatures......wildflowers beginning to wilt.......fall colors still over a month away.  What's the incentive to hike?

One word.

Huckleberries.

The prey!

These wonderfully sweet bits of goodness start ripening by mid-August, and by month's end are prolific in forests around the Pacific NW.  And the very best place to find huckleberries is SW Washington's Indian Heaven Wilderness.

Eagle-eye Young spots the first berries

No one loves picking huckleberries more than my good friend Young.  She's got a nose for finding them.  So when planning a mid-August hike into Indian Heaven, naturally I invited her along.

Busy bee

After a long drive down a dusty, gravel road, and navigation over a hairy washed-out area (super glad for my high-clearance Subaru), we arrived at the East Crater Trailhead.

Last of the asters

We hadn't traveled more than a few hundred yards from the trailhead when eagle-eye Young spotted the first ripe berries.  A harvesting session ensued - we'd both brought along containers for this very purpose.  I used an old Nalgene bottle, while Young packed a large plastic jar.

Scanning the bushes for berries

After a good ten minutes of combing the bushes, my friend and I continued our hike.  Young, jar in hand, continually scanned the forest for more berries, while I looked for wildflower photo ops. Plentiful ripe berries kept enticing us from the trail, and we succumbed to many "picking breaks."

Junction Lake

Despite the persistent huckleberry temptations, we did finally cover the two miles to Junction Lake.  The Indian Heaven Wilderness is also known for it's many sparkling water bodies, and this lovely lake is a favorite of my camera lens.

Trail junction

At the junction with the East Crater and Pacific Crest Trails (PCT) my friend happened upon the next huge huckleberry field.  Time for another picking frenzy!

Berry picking time!

Huckleberries resemble very small blueberries.  Their tiny size mean you have to gather a lot to fill up a container (in my case, a water bottle).  Despite the morning's frequent berry stops, Young and I's jars were barely half full.

Old PCT sign

Hanging out along the PCT, we happened to meet a group of northbound thru-hikers.  Young told them about the ripe berries, but those hikers seemed determined to cover miles, and weren't interested.

Follow the trail to Lemei Lake

I decided scenic little Lemei Lake would be our day's lunch stop, and persuaded Young to abandon her latest berry patch so we could arrive close to the noon hour.

Relaxin' at Lemei Lake

From Junction Lake, my friend and I traveled up and over a wooded ridge.  Winding down the other side, I was happy to see Lemei Lake's marshy shoreline peeping through the trees.  Aaahhhh......Time for a rest and lunch break!

Almost half full!

As we ate our lunch, Young and I discussed what we'd do with our huckleberry haul.  My full Nalgene bottle is usually just the right amount for a cobbler.  Young however, with the larger container, had plans to make jam.

Queen of the rock

Lemei Lake is such a scenic location, I couldn't resist a few photos posed on a large shoreline rock.

Now it's Young's turn

Young and I took turns being "Queen of the rock."

Looking for huckleberries

Lunch and photo session over, my friend and I continued on the trail, heading for more lakes and huckleberry fields.  We remembered gathering berries in past years from a large field just beyond Lemei Lake.  Hopes high, we eagerly crossed the lake's outlet creek and ascended the other side.

Scenic creek

But this year, there were no berries to be found......

No berries, but lotsa lupine

However, we did discover a huge field of lupine in peak bloom.

Another busy bee

Oh, it was gorgeous!  Berry picking momentarily forgotten, Young and I grabbed our cameras.

Young has a "Sound of Music" moment

It's not often we see large fields of wildflowers this late in August.  Young was so happy, she had a "Sound of Music" moment amidst the blooms.

Ultra-blue Clear Lake

Then we continued on our loop, past another ultra-blue lake until meeting up once again with the PCT.  A mere mile and a half would take us back to Junction Lake, completing the loop. 

Young's jar is almost full

But Young and I weren't going anywhere until we filled our jars.  This section of the PCT had the most ripe berries we'd seen all day.  A few stops along the way, and my bottle was full.  I pitched in and helped Young gather enough huckleberries for her jam making plans.

Huckleberry cobbler - yum!

Normally all I have to show from my hikes is a camera full of images.  But this time I also brought home enough huckleberries to make a delicious cobbler.  Not too shabby for a 10-mile ramble!

Maybe August hiking isn't so bad after all.... 

Indian Heaven - East Crater Trail

The marathon was done.  Fall colors were here.  I had just a few short weeks 'till I'd be waylaid by foot surgery.  Time to get in some hiking!

All decked out in hunter orange!

The month of October was dedicated to visiting my favorite fall trails.  First up on the list, the East Crater Trail into Indian Heaven Wilderness.  I'd hiked here Labor Day weekend last year when the huckleberries were ripe.  But in early October, it was fall color I was after.

Cute mushroom family

The Indian Heaven Wilderness is a lovely high altitude plateau located roughly between Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.  Numerous trails crisscross it's forests, the most famous being the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  Dotted with dozens of small lakes, this place is known for mosquitoes in July and huckleberries in August.  And, if you catch it just right, spectacular fall colors in October.

Nice pond reflection

My friend Mary Ellen was a willing partner for this latest adventure.  From past experience, I knew hunting was allowed in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, so we both made sure to sport plenty of orange attire.  Although an online check showed deer season wouldn't start until the day after our hike, I wasn't taking any chances.

Vivid red huckleberry leaves

The Indian Heaven Wilderness is located in southwestern Washington.  The East Crater trailhead was a long drive from Portland, so Mary Ellen and I got an early start.  Despite the nice weather, mine was the only car in the gravel parking pullout.

Nice color mix in the meadow

Autumn colors had started in earnest.  We hadn't traveled very far down the trail when the first reddish-orange huckleberry leaves were spotted.  Although the berries were long gone, the bright colors were a fine substitute.  From there on, my friend and I were treated to a continuous display of fall finery.

Junction Lake shoreline

We passed a couple of tiny ponds, their still waters providing perfect reflections of the trees towering above.

Monet painting?

After 2.5 miles, Mary Ellen and I reached Junction Lake.  Located at the crossroads for many trails (including the PCT) it was appropriately named.  Colorful huckleberry bushes circled the shore, brightening up the already beautiful woods.  Some of the red and yellow colors reflected in the lake's ripply surface, the mirror images resembling a Monet painting.

Mary Ellen relaxing at Junction Lake

My friend and I took a short break here, admiring the beauty all around us.  Such a peaceful place!

More colorful huckleberry leaves

After a short rest and snack, it was time to start our loop through the heart of Indian Heaven.  Leaving the East Crater Trail, we climbed short, steep path that led us over a ridge and down to Lemei Lake.  Puffing up the incline, my legs, not yet a week post-marathon, protested.  But happy to be out hiking on this glorious day, I ignored their complaints and soldiered on.

A patchwork quilt of color

We descended the ridge into a lovely alpine meadow, decked out in golden hues.  Lemei Lake, a shallow, but scenic water body became our lunch stop.

Lemei Lake outlet creek

After refueling with PB & J, apples, and some of Mary Ellen's sea salt butterscotch caramels (my new Trader Joe's fave!) my friend and I followed the trail's continuation, past Lemei Lake's scenic outlet creek.

This path leads to a junction

After two miles on the Lemei Lake trail, we reached a junction with the Indian Heaven Trail.  Our path to this trail sign was lined with more golden fall goodness.

Mossy old forest

We hiked through a gorgeous, mossy old growth forest.

Hiking past a talus slope

And past several talus slopes, complete with chirping pikas.  We stopped, looked, and listened, but were unable to spot any of the elusive rock rabbits.

Clear Lake's gorgeous shoreline

A short 0.3 mile romp brought us to the shores of lovely Clear Lake, and the PCT.  For 1.6 miles, we traveled an especially beautiful stretch of the PCT, past small, sparkling lakes and giant fir trees.

Vintage PCT trail sign

Mary Ellen spotted this vintage PCT trail sign nailed to a tree.  Cool!

This way to Lemei Lake

And then the PCT took us back to Junction Lake, where we'd started our loop.  The fall colors were so nice here, Mary Ellen and I thought it warranted another short break.

Colorful shore

With gorgeous scenery like this, who wants to head home?

New life from an old stump

But sadly, we couldn't stay forever.  My friend and I finally tore ourselves away from this special place, and headed back down the East Crater trail.

Yellow leaves light up the forest

Not only did we hit the fall colors at peak, Mary Ellen and I saw only one other hiking party the entire day (and no hunters).  The weather was warm and sunny and we had the place to ourselves - fall days didn't get any better than this!

Technicolor trail

With tired feet, but a happy face, I headed home.  My camera full of colorful images, they would provide good memories from this perfect autumn day.

Stats:  9.2 miles, 1000' elevation gain.


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday and Wednesday Around the World.