Lake Sawyer (WA) - June 16, 2015

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Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Getting ready3 (inset - IK floor partially delaminated. Easiest thing to try is reduced floor pressure, and just 'ride high')2


With Keith and Debbie on Lake Sawyer, with Mt. Rainier in the hazy background


Mt. Rainier closeup


Verification photo3


Looking back to launch and $5.00 parking fee


Water lilies at many places


Lake outlet


At the outlet3


Looking over edge of dam


Back to open waters


Under island bridge3


Little duckies


Quite enjoyable paddling day, until the motorboats and jet skis started just after 1:30pm (in violation of the 2pm rule)


Trip route3. 279 acres, 58 ft. max. depth Ski boats allowed 2pm-7pm M-F; 11am-3pm Sat-Sun


Jun-26 Helicopter view4


Shadow Lake (WA) - June 30, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

After years of passing by it on the way to work, I finally decided to paddle Shadow Lake (Discover Pass req'd)


Access canal to lake proper


Duckies lead the way


They seem unaffected by my presence


Looking back to access


Mt. Rainier can be seen to the south


Surrounding lake properties


South end, in the lilies


Stitched panorama (3 frames)


Chatting with a 'local', he mentioned the earlier history of resorts and ballroom dancing


Return trip to access channel, following the same path as other to minimze the water lily damage


Shadow Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 50 acres, 45 ft. max. depth


Spring Lake (WA) - July 2, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Early 8:44am start at Spring Lake. Trying to beat the heat. High 93 F forecast


Not suprising, a Mt. Rainier view


Looking back to launch. Note that without the end covers, the boat is starting to fall apart


In the shade along the east side


Water lilies at south end


Stitched panorama (2 frames) looking north


At the north end, looking south. Not 10am yet and I'm already baking in the sun


Spring Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 68 acres, 32 ft. max. depth


Lake Desire (WA) - July 6, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Since the IK was falling apart, I decided to get a Lifetime 8 ft Sit-On-Top Daylite Kayak. Fits in vehicle!


Sit-on and sit-in kayaks3


9am at the put-in again trying to beat to 90F heat. Keith joins me for the maiden voyage of the new kayak


Verification photo. Note scum line on new kayak3


Paddling along east side (no shade)


The scupper holes are mostly full of water. The scum later required Inflatable Boat Cleaner to remove


South end, in the water bog vegetation


Lakeside boathouse


Stitched 2 frame panorama (looking north)


Looking for outflow3


Paddling along apparent outflow channel


Only got in about 100 feet or so


Keith was wondering if I got lost


Mama protecting the nest


Keith's view3


Interesting house


Grass dock


Almost back to put-in. Others still fishing from dock


Looking south


Lake Desire Layout - WDFW access in red. 72 acres, 21 ft. max. depth


Shady Lake (WA) - July 8, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #2 in the new kayak


Stitched 2 frame panorama (looking west)


'Purplish' water lilies in Shady Lake


Looking east. Perimeter is quite shallow, so residents moor craft a fair distance from shore


Chatted with a few of the local females


Not sure what this is. Water aerator?


Contrary to the name, there is no shade on the lake


Returning to access after 2 laps (counterclockwise, then clockwise). No slime to clean off the kayak this time


Shady Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 21 acres, 40 ft. max. depth


Lake Number 12 (WA) - July 9, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #3 for the new kayak


The east end is solid mass of water lily pads


Also quite hazy to the east


Looking west


2 of the locals are trying to bump a floating log away from their water intake


Looking east again. You can barely see the outline of the distant mountain. The haze is likely due to wildfires in British Columbia


Stitched 4 frame panorama (looking north).
The Puget Sound area's heat wave tied a 38-year-old record today when the temperature at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reached 80 degrees for a 15th consecutive day. That tied a mark set in late July and early August of 1977


Fisherman putting in as I return to the access


Lake Number 12 Layout - WDFW access in red. 41 acres, 28 ft. max. depth


Morton Lake (WA) - July 10, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #4 for new kayak, Finally cooler and overcast


Keith checks out the unique suspended boat


Placing the perimeter flags on the platform prevents the geese from pooping on it, so says the owner


That's what the owner claims. This is on the narrower south end


Stitched 3 frame panorama (looking north, wider end). Not as impressive when overcast


Lake Morton Layout - WDFW access in red. 66 acres, 23 ft. max. depth


Lake Holm (Neilson) (WA) - July 14, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #5 for new kayak. Couple of kids fishing at the access. Mostly cured the 'wet butt' issue by plugging the scupper holes in the seat


Parked in a private alcove on the north end that doesn't show on the lake layout


Stitched 4 frame panorama (looking southeast)


Many of the residents have the exact same model


In the water lily pads at the southeast end, looking at the access after my second 'lap'


Looking northwest. Didn't find any dockside locals to chat with today


Lake Holm (Neilson) Layout - WDFW access in red. 19 acres, 31 ft. max. depth


Lake Meridian (WA) - July 15, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #6 for new kayak. Arrived early today


Keith is on time


Geese surround me at the put-in


The geese are on many platforms


Some sort of private park


Goose poop


On a mission...3


Mt. Rainier view to the southeast


Northwest end is a vintage trailer park


'Trapped' in the water lily pads


Verification photo3


As mentioned, a trailer park


Keith enjoys the day


Stitched 2 frame panorama looking southeast


Float plane envy


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking northwest


Lake Meridian Park


Paddling towards assumed outlet


Kids feeding the geese


Checking out the outlet3


End of the road culvert. I've got to think eventually it goes to Big Soos Creek


Channel was quite shallow


Enjoying cool shade under bridge


Back to WDFW public access wedged between homes


Lake Meridian Layout - WDFW access in red. 150 acres, 90 ft. max. depth Ski boats allowed 9am to 6pm


Lake Wilderness (WA) - July 17, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #7 for new kayak. First visit to Lake Wilderness since 21-Jun-2012 when my IK floor first started to delam


Looks like some residents did some branch removal to get a lake view rather than cutting down the trees


Found a few locals to chat with today


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking north


Fair amount of downed trees in the lake


Lake Forest Estates


Fisherman paddled over from the same access I did


The normal Mt. Rainier close-up


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking south


Geese violate the swimming area


Guessing this has to be the Jenkins Creek outflow


Back to access


Lake Wilderness Layout - WDFW access in red. 67 acres, 38 ft. max. depth


Nearby lakes recap - up until now, the lakes I have been paddling are all within 20 minutes of home. Now I'll have to drive a few more miles. BTW-Peterson Lake is a 4 acre 'puddle'


Shadow Lake (WA) - July 20, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #8 for new kayak is a revisit to Shadow Lake. Was overcast in the morning, and I wasn't enthused about kayaking, but once the skies cleared, this was only minutes away. In the WDFW access channel


Stitched panorama (3 frames) looking south with a very hazy Mt. Rainier barely visible


I've got to wonder if the intent here was to restrict access or block the lake view for the neighbors


Giant home or hotel? Who knows ...


Shadow Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 50 acres, 45 ft. max. depth


North Lake (WA) - July 22, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #9 for the new kayak


Weather weenies promised it would clear by 11am


Water lilies in south end look high and dry, like the water dropped recently


Stitched 4 frame panorama looking north


Secluded alcove on the south end


Under the dock


Either this one is too high, or the others are too low


One less bass in the lake. Interesting boat name


Bottomed out in the marshy south end


Backing out the way I entered


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking south


WDFW access from parking area


North Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 55 acres, 34 ft. max. depth


24-July - Biking on the Cedar River trail. Stitched 2 frame panorama2


Steel Lake (WA) - July 27, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #10 for the new kayak. Waited until noon the the clouds to clear


Stitched 4 frame panorama looking west


Not sure what species of tree this is, but it growing in standing water


Eye level view of goose pooped dock


Was 4 turtles there as I was pulling the camera out, but 2 took a quick dive


Only 1 remained for the closeup


Hidden alcove/inlet on the west side. More than paddle deep


Alcove exit back to lake guarded by concrete piers


Stitched 4 frame panorama looking east


Steel Lake Park


UW Research buoy anchored in center of lake


Steel Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 46 acres, 24 ft. max. depth


Spring Lake (WA) - July 28, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Trip #11 for the new kayak. Revisit to Spring Lake


Cut a trail thru the water lilies. Like paddling thru molasses. Probably 15 of the 68 acres are this way (my estimate)


Stitched 4 frame panorama looking north


Savoring shade under a high dock


Looking south from under dock. The south end is the Spring Lake / Lake Desire Park and has a number of trails for a future visit


Chatted with a long time local when he was staining his dock


In the reeds for a shade and water break


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking south (didn't overlap cleanly)


Ah, the Mt. Rainier view


Geese are lazing on the dock adjacent to the WDFW access


Spring Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 68 acres, 32 ft. max. depth


Rattlesnake Lake (WA) - July 29, 2015

Jun-16 Sawyer | Jun-30 Shadow | Jul-2 Spring | Jul-6 Desire | Jul-8 Shady | Jul-9 Number 12 | Jul-10 Morton | Jul-14 Holm | Jul-15 Meridian | Jul-17 Wilderness | Jul-20 Shadow | Jul-22 North | Jul-27 Steel | Jul-28 Spring | Jul-29 Rattlesnake

Goal today was to hike to Rattlesnake Ledge then kayak the lake, but 3/4 of the way up, my left calf muscle started aching again, so we turned back. Bummer...


Trip #12 for the new kayak


Rattlesnake Ledge after launch


Big exposed stump


Keith is trying to keep me out of trouble today


Verification photo #13


Verification photo #23


Parked in a hollowed out stump


Keith's view3


Suprising side creek flow


Lots of stumps at low levels


Mt Si and Teneriffe in the distance


More side creek flow in southeast corner


Flotilla of kids canoeing


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking northeast. Taken during a brief shallow portage, and my kayak almost floated away!


Alcove in southwest extreme of lake


Hiker 'specks' on Rattlesnake Ledge


Navigating thru the low water stump farm


Stitched 3 frame panorama looking southwest


Back to crowded access. Given the overall number of people here, plus the fubar traffic on WA-18 to get here, doesn't make this a favorite


Swig of water before the takeout3


GPS Route for both hike and kayak. At the low lake level the northeast end is dry ground. The farthest point reached on the hike is 1.7 miles with 850' elev gain. So we still had about 0.3 miles and 300' of gain to do3


Rattlesnake Lake Layout - SPU access in red. 108 acres, n/a ft. max. depth


    Credits:
  1. U.O.N., Olympus Stylus 770SW Digital Photography by William F. Smith (7.1 MP, 2304x1728 SQ1, 3X optical 38-114mm)
  2. Canon ELPH 150 IS Digital Photography by William F. Smith (20 MP, 3648x2736 M1, 10X optical 24-240mm)
  3. Panasonic DMC-TS25 Digital Photography by Keith Felderman (16.1 MP, 4X optical 25-100mm)
  4. Panasonic DMC-ZS25 Digital Photography by Keith Felderman (16.1 MP, 20X optical 24-480mm)

Last Update 26-Aug-19