Expedition Lake
July 30, 2007
The Sentinel Creek Trail to the Hilgard Basin was highly recommended to the summer camp scouting party. We had no other information on this besides maps, from which it looked to be a 14 or 15 mile roundtrip. Turned out to be a good 18 miler, with over 3000 ft. cumulative elevation gain. This one of the trails which start at Potamogeton Park, just five miles from camp.
We set out at a brisk pace, knowing that it was going to be a very long trip, and noted that there were too many downhill sections—they’d be nasty uphill parts on the way back. The trail climbs through forest for the first few miles, then alternates through forest and wildflower meadows, each seemingly more lush than the previous ones. Finally (after about seven miles) it reaches a broad glacial valley, carpeted with wildflowers, springs gushing out all around, and Skyline Ridge visible far to the east. From there we climbed up over the ridge and into the lake-dotted Hilgard Basin, where we rested by Expedition Lake and ate our lunches. Some waded in the lake to cool their feet. Too soon we began our trek back to the trailhead as the distance was so great. This would make a better backpack than a day trip.
Later in camp, another group took this trip, adding a few miles to it to visit Expedition Pass.
Hikers were: Marianne Camp, Doug McCarty, Chris Minirich, John Pegg, and Wayne Deeter, leader.
Sentinel Creek, near Expedition Pass
First view of Expedition Lake, with an unnamed lake beyond
Doug, Chris, Marianne and John at Expedition Lake
President John at the ridge between Sentinel Creek and the Hilgard Basin
Looking down the Sentinel Creek valley
photos by Wayne Deeter