Trip Date: September 28-30, 2007
GOLDEN LARCH OUTING: SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS
South Sawtooth Climbing Trip & Golden Lakes Loop: Cooney Lake to Eagle Lakes
Cooney Lake
Cooney Pass
Angel’s Pass
Cooney Peak aka Switchback Peak (8321′)
Old Maid Pass
Old Maid Mountain (7882′)
Boiling Lake
Horsehead Pass
Eagle Lakes
Trip Report Summary
Region: North-Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Sawtooth Mountains
Area: Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest
Starting & Ending Point: Crater Creek Trailhead at end of Crater Creek Road (Elev. 4750 feet)
Way Points: Crater Creek & Eagle Creek & Martin Creek & Cooney Meadows & Cooney Lake & Cooney Pass & Angels Pass & Angel’s Staircase & East Fork Prince Creek & Old Maid Pass & Middle Fork Prince Creek Meadows & Boiling Lake & Horsehead Pass & Eagle Creek & Middle Eagle Lake & Crater Creek (trail hike)
Campsites: Cooney Lake & Middle Eagle Lake
Summit: Cooney/Switchback Peak (rock scramble via Southwest Ridge)
Summit: Old Maid Mountain (off-trail hike & rock scramble via East Ridge—South Face)
Approximate Stats: 26 miles traveled; 7000 feet gained & lost.
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Related Post
Foggy Dew Loop + Cooney Lake + Cooney/Switchback Peak – September 19, 2003
Full Trip Report
For our golden larch trip this year, Eileen and I headed to the southern Sawtooth Mountains in hopes of escaping the forecasted foul weather. We did the classic Golden Lakes Loop (as per 100 Hikes, but clockwise), which is a superb trek through vast meadowland, over alpine ridges, and past several nice lakes—all on well-maintained trails. The weather was very good when it needed to be, and the dusting of snow merely added to the picturesque terrain.
Day 1: Trailhead to Cooney Lake
We started at the Crater Creek Trailhead and hiked to Cooney Lake. The afternoon was sunny and mild, and the trail was bare the whole way, although we did encounter scattered skiffs of snow beside the trail above 6500 feet.
- Cooney/Switchback Peak From Cooney Meadows
Most larch trees around Cooney Lake had turned golden but didn’t appear to have peaked yet. A cold, gusty wind whipped up as we established camp, and it stayed with us all night–along with a full moon.
- Cooney/Switchback Peak from Cooney Lake
Day 2: Cooney Lake to Middle Eagle Lake + Summit Climbs
Thanks to effective radiation cooling during the cloudless night, we awoke to many frozen water bottles in the morning. But the air was calm, and sunny mountains beckoned. We broke camp and hiked up to the Cooney Pass and over to Angels Pass on the south shoulder of Switchback/Cooney Peak. Here, we dropped packs and scrambled up the peak’s south ridge.
- Eileen Scrambling Up Cooney/Switchback Peak
The clear sky allowed views as far as Mt. Rainier to the south, Glacier Peak to the west, and the Craggy Peaks to the north.
- Eileen On Cooney/Switchback Peak Summit
- Jim and Cooney Lake
After retrieving packs, we continued down Angel’s Staircase the rolling meadowland at the head of East Fork Prince Creek. Just below and to the south was Sunset Basin. The Sawtooths feature many gorgeous meadows but perhaps none finer than Sunset Basin.
- Sunset Basin From Angels Staircase
At a broad saddle (“Old Maid Pass”) 1 mile to the north, we dropped packs again and headed out for Old Maid Mountain. Alluring meadow slopes curve upward from the saddle, but these slopes belie the fact that this Old Maid is quite craggy and aloof.
- Hiking up Old Maid Mountain
- Traversing To Summit Of Old Maid Mountain
It took us nearly 2 hours to get beyond all the false summits and then determine which of the twin summit points is higher (it’s the east one). We rebuilt the summit cairn and left a small register there. On top, we were surprised by the sudden appearance of another climber, whom we soon learned was part of a ten-person group doing the Golden Lakes Loop in a counter-clockwise direction.
- Star Peak and Oval Peak From Old Maid Mountain
It was late afternoon when we returned to Old Maid Pass, re-shouldered our packs, and continued northward to the middle fork of Prince Creek.
- Mt Bigelow From Old Maid Pass
From a major junction, we hiked past Boiling Lake, over Horsehead Pass, and then dropped down to Eagle Lakes by headlamp.
- Cheops Peak From Boiling Lake
A very light snowfall started just as we finished pitching our tent at Middle Eagle Lake.
- Middle Eagle Lake
Day 3: Middle Eagle Lake to Trailhead
Despite a steady snowfall throughout the night, there was only ½ inch of snow outside our door in the morning. It continued snowing lightly all morning, which made for a delightfully scenic hike back to the 4800-foot trailhead.
- Leaving Middle Eagle Lake
Somewhere around 4000 feet, the snow transitioned into rain. Our timing had been spot on for this wonderful three-day trek!
Route Map
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
