August 2-3, 2003

Labyrinth Mountain Climbing Trip

Minotaur Lake
Labyrinth Mountain (6376′)

——————– Trip Report Summary ——————–

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Upper Wenatchee Mountains

Area: Henry M. Jackson Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Minotaur Lake Trailhead (Rainy Creek Spur Road #6704)

Way Points: Jove Creek & Minotaur Creek & Minotaur Lake (trail hike)

Campsite: Minotaur Lake

Summit: Labyrinth Mtn. (ascent & descent via Southeast Slope)

Approximate Stats: 6 miles traveled; 2600 feet gained & lost.

——————– Related Trip Reports ——————–

Minotaur Lake + Labyrinth Mtn via Southeast Slope – August 9, 2004
Minotaur Lake + Labyrinth Mtn via Southeast Slope – August 23, 1977

——————– Full Trip Report ——————–

Following last weekend’s high-mileage trip to Mt. Olympus, Laura and I were more than happy to take my daughter Brooke on a short backpacking and climbing trip this weekend.  I selected Minotaur Lake as our backpacking destination because it’s on her “Little Bear Trek List” and because I remembered it as being particularly scenic (from a day hike I made there over 20 years ago).  Besides, it would give Brooke a chance to climb her first alpine peak: Labyrinth Mountain, which is also on her list.

Day 1 – Trailhead to Minotaur Lake:

I was pleasantly surprised to find only two other cars at the trailhead on Saturday morning.  This was unexpected, considering the popularity of Minotaur Lake, and allayed my concern about not finding a campsite.  The weather was warm but not hot.  We ground out the steep (switchbacks are scarce here) trail to the lake in short order (1.3 hours from TH), with Brooke keeping a good pace—greatly aided by the biting flies that tortured us if we stopped for a rest.

We found a nice campsite overlooking both Minotaur and Theseus Lakes, set up our tent, then changed into swim suits for a dip.  Naturally, the sky clouded over and a cool wind arose just as we reached the shore.  Laura and I begged out of swimming, but Brooke was unfettered and spent 30 minutes exploring the lake’s sunken treasures.

Afterwards we retreated to our tent for my dramatic reading of a Goosebumps book about a vengeful mummy.  This oratorical fright went on for several hours, interrupted only by a stove-side dinner of chili and nachos (Brooke’s favorite).

Day 2 – Labyrinth Mountain Summit Climb + Exit:

Sunday morning dawned partly cloudy, slightly breezy, and a tad cool for August.  We hurried through breakfast, then headed up the climbers’ path (really more a hikers’ trail) toward the summit of Labyrinth Mountain.  Our route took us through charming heather meadows peppered with stark white boulders of weathered granite.  A bit of Class 2 scrambling in the last 100 feet earned us the summit (1.1 hours from camp).

We took some summit photos and admired the grand views of the north-central Cascades.  Then came another pleasant surprise:  we found a register in the summit cairn!  It had been placed there by Fay and Walter Pullen in 1999.  Brooke proudly penciled in “Brooke Brisbine, 9½ years old” as her first-ever register entry.  I hoped this would be the first of many.

After an uneventful descent to camp, we dismantled the tent and packed up.  However, Brooke demanded one more dip in the lake before hitting the trail!  Laura again declined, due to the overcast sky, but I owed it to Brooke for being such a trooper on the climb.  The water was…refreshing…and its after-effects kept us nicely cool all the way back to the trailhead.

————– Photo Gallery (click to enlarge) ——————–