Spider Meadow Back Pack Trip

 Spider Meadow Back Pack Trip 2012 from Kurt Haunreiter on Vimeo.


The troop hiked to Spider Meadow this past Saturday, spending one night, then returning the following day.   The hike was 5.5 miles to the edge of the meadow.   It wandered through a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and  ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest starting at the 3500' elevation.  

  At about 2.75 miles, we reached the Glacier Peak Wilderness.   Here you begin to find aster (Aster ledophyllus) growing along the trails.   After 5.5 miles of hiking, you reach the basin at 4750'.    Along the slopes climbing to the peaks of the mountains, you see subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa).    Snow persisted in the shadows of the peaks.  Visible are the avalanche chutes and the destruction that they created in the valley below. 

The trail up to the meadow is very dusty.   The dust is the ash from former eruptions of Glacier peak.   There are several established camp sites to stay in.   One of which is a designated horse camp.    The meadow stretches for nearly a mile so there is plenty of room.   Trails criss cross the valley and a few the forest service has marked off in an attempt to return those to nature - we attempted to improve the barriers to these areas, but still observed hikers stop, read the signs, and promptly ignore them.
The creek running off the glaciers is cool and clear, having a wonderful flavor.    I definitely plan to return for an extended stay and hike up to spider gap and perhaps even to Lyman lakes.
Directions: drive Highway 2 about 20 miles east of Stevens Pass to Coles Corner and turn north onto Lake Wenatchee Road (SR 207). Cross the Wenatchee River Bridge and stay right as the road splits onto the Chiwawa Loop Road. Turn left onto Chiwawa River Road (FR 62), drive 22 miles and turn right onto Phelps Creek Road (FS 6211). Note:  The last 10 miles of this road will test the shocks on your vehicle and cover it in many layers of dust.