Trail Running Ancient Lakes
With warming weather making for less-than-ideal touring conditions, and already finding myself at the Nason Creek Rest Stop on the other side of Stevens Pass, I decided it was time to start running again. Ancient Lakes is a popular backpacking spot due to the mild weather and easy access, but I wanted to start getting in shape, so I decided to do it in a day.
After enjoying the area’s dispersed camping the night before, I set off for a lazy 10am start. I quickly dropped into the lower basin - the area’s glacial history has created a series of lakes in the “Pothole Coulee”, and although the first lake I saw was rather unimpressive, I enjoyed the cruisy downhill singletrack and the snow-free terrain.
The next lake - Dusty Lake - was far nicer to look at. The trail itself however disappeared into the rocks at its edge and I got to practice my choss-running skills. I also saw someone on a small raft paddling around.
From there it was back on singletrack all the way down to the Columbia River. Unfortunately the various lakes along the route are full of agricultural runoff, so even with a filter this was my only chance to top off my water (although I’ve been told that the river itself is not much cleaner - I’m gonna say it’s at least more diluted, I personally did not experience any adverse effects).
Then it was time to head back up. While I had had the place to myself thus far, this was where I started to encounter the crowds as I approached the more accessible lakes and a waterfall.
I found it hard to fully capture the scale of the landscape. A wide-open bowl, towering cliff bands, and no vegetation taller than your ankles blocking the view.
I continued heading upwards, climbing out of the basin and onto the ridge whose base I had scrambled across around Dusty Lake earlier in the morning. Before I knew it I was back at the car, for a nice half-day outing and a good start to the running season.
