Eastern Washington Region

1. Ingalls Lake
2. Longs Pass

Ingalls Lake

Length (RT): about 9 mi Diff. Level: mod/stren Elev. Gain: 2600 ft in; roughly 500-600 ft out depending on actual route to lake Season: mid July-October

If you like abundant wild flowers, superb views of Mt. Stuart, rocky country with a mix of trees, gushing cold springs, and a beautiful lake situated in a rocky bowl on the sides of impressive Ingalls Peak, then you must do this hike! Even though you climb over 3000 feet all together, I found this trail to be well-graded so it never felt very steep to me. Ok, hike a quarter mile from the trailhead to the junction with Ingalls Lake/Longs Pass trail. Straight goes to Esmeralda Basin. Turn right and at about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, note the signed junction with the Longs Pass trail. Keep left and continue winding up through beautiful rocky country with a mix of trees and flowers. I just loved the color variation of the rocks around here and I saw a lot of tempting scramble routes to top of ridges. I'll definitely do that someday! The trail becomes a bit rougher as it switchbacks up to 6500-foot Ingalls Pass.

Here you'll note a signed junction. The right fork goes to camps in the Headlight Creek Basin and will meet up with the other fork after crossing Headlight Creek. I didn't take this one but it looks to be about a quarter mile shorter according to the TOPO! mapping software, but more elevation gain on way out. I took the left fork which traverses down talus to a beautiful little basin with a gushing, cold stream. I saw a nice camp on a knoll next to the trail in this area. Here is a shot of the stream with Mount Stuart in the background (44.0 KB). Also, note views down to Headlight Creek Basin. Ok, the way goes down a bit before climbing back up to navigate around rocky hillside (section of trail marked by cairns) and then drops down to cross Headlight Creek and unsigned junction with the other fork. Keep straight and finally, climb up to the crest of a rocky ridge and drop down to the rocky shores of Ingalls Lake (30.2 KB). Neat thing about this last stretch of trail is that you have no idea that you are getting close to the lake until you actually see it as it is hidden in a rocky bowl on sides of Ingalls Peak. Note incredible views out to Mount Stuart (40.0 KB) and surrounding country. Note: no camping is allowed around Ingalls Lake.

How to get there:

Take I-90 east to Cle Elum. Now, be on the alert for Highway 970 exit which will be the next one after the South Cle Elum exit. Turn right on Highway 970 and drive it about 5 miles to North Fork Teanaway River Road which will be on your left after just crossing the river itself. Drive the Teanaway road 23 miles to its end and trailhead.

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Navigation

Longs Pass

Length (RT): about 5 mi Diff. Level: moderate Elev. Gain: 2100 ft Season: July-October

This one gives you a front porch view of Mount Stuart! Hike 1.5 miles to junction with Longs Pass trail and turn right on it. Make a fairly long traverse and then switchback somewhat steeply to a bench before making the final ascent to 6300-foot Longs Pass (34.2 KB). Don't stop here!! Follow the ridge to your right another 0.2 mile or so to another higher viewpoint and junction with another ridge on your right which divides the Turnpike Creek drainage system from the Teanaway River system that you had just climbed up from. I followed this ridge a short bit for a good view of Longs Pass (39.3 KB) below me and here a shot of the Ingalls Creek valley (29.3 KB). Finally, here is another shot of Mount Stuart (45.4 KB) from this ridge.

How to get there:

Take I-90 east to Cle Elum. Now, be on the alert for Highway 970 exit which will be the next one after the South Cle Elum exit. Turn right on Highway 970 and drive it about 5 miles to North Fork Teanaway River Road which will be on your left after just crossing the river itself. Drive the Teanaway road 23 miles to its end and trailhead.

Hike List