Circle the Cirque Crest

And who could pass up a chance to look back into Lake Basin? "L Lake", Red Point and Marion Peak draw your eyes to their profiles and shapes.

Cartridge Pass

Circle The Cirque Crest - By D.W.Donehoo (All rights reserved)

Shortly we were resting and eating at the base of the trail near the outlet of "Cartridge Pass Lake".

In the barren upper Lake Basin at the head of a clear shallow unnamed lake, looking back along the Cartridge Creek Drainage.

Dave headed up the pass first, and the steepness was such that we felt it was better that one was out of rockfall danger of the other. The trail actually breaks into two routes, and if you were on one you could easily miss the other better one. We (I) found a wrong one the day before, and found another wrong one on this day! No harm done, it was just steeper than the correct route. The trail climbs steeply in places until it reaches a steep rocky, and in places, potentially dangerous section. The trail looks constructed, and in some sections even well made. After the steep cliffy sections it switchbacks upward, with a steep spur going nearly straight up (the one I took). Look to your left for trail in this section to avoid the steep spur route. I finally made it to the top of this steep section and admired my work. I took some pictures too!