It’s Labor Day and I’m hoping that most of the crowds are on their way out. Despite a typically busy weekend, the Strawberry Lakes / Lime Creek drainage shouldn’t bring out the crowds. The access is a little more difficult and Woods Lake is surrounded by private land with cabins and structures that look completely out of place in an area so pristine. Past Eagle Lake the Forest Service no longer maintains trail and this is usually where people stop their outing.
Kelly and I depart the trailhead and I immediately begin to sweat in the summer heat. I begin to think of how much cooler the air will feel in the next few hours. We skirt around the private property and end up crossing the creek on a bridge just past a small hydro-electric shack.
Waterfalls are a common sight right off the trail throughout the route to Strawberry Lakes.
Kelly crossing the south end of Eagle Lake.
Halfmoon Lake.
The trail from here encounters wet swamps, deadfall, thick brush and miscellaneous trails that dead end to nothing.
Fairview Lake.
Another waterfall with Avalanche Peak (12,803 ft) looming in the background.
We eventually made it to both Strawberry Lakes and begun scouting for camp. I found this old cabin sitting above the lake valley.
The rain came. The rain went.
Killing it.
Kelly’s best impression of Wilson; this time at a different cabin.
The next morning our plan was to scramble up to the unnamed lake below Avalanche Peak. Some mild class 3 scrambling required to move up, and then down. I’ve read there’s a rumor going around the Colorado peak bagging community that suggests the Sawatch range is mild.
The hike up.
And the reward.
Scoping out the shores.
Returning back to the original drainage and the view north to Fairview Lake.
Pika territory.
