Spring Lake (WA) - August 4, 2016

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Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-4 Spring Lake revisit. 7:56pm launch


Sun dips behind trees


Rainier sunset view


Spring Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 68 acres, 32 ft. max. depth El. 482'


Lake Wilderness (WA) - August 10, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-10 Lake Wilderness revisit. 7:38pm launch. Had planned on doing Lake Fenwick earlier in the day, but the boat launch was plugged up with vehicles and clueless illiterates


Overcast and calm


Lake Wilderness Layout - WDFW access in red. 67 acres, 38 ft. max. depth El. 468'


Lake Meridian (WA) - August 11, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-11 Lake Meridian revisit. Looking for the mystery alligator. 7:31pm launch


Paddling into the sun with mild headwinds


View from northwest corner


Standard Rainier view


Looking north as I return to access 8:37pm


Went to main boat ramp area looking for the 'alligator' sign. Apparently they already took it down


Lake Meridian Layout - WDFW access in red. 150 acres, 90 ft. max. depth El. 376' Ski boats allowed 9am to 6pm


Lake Morton (WA) - August 14, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-14 Lake Morton revisit. 7:41pm launch. Didn't take the standard pre-launch pic as I was chatting with the shoreline fisherman


Looking east, the shore that still has sun


An exuberant 3 yo lab doing the retrieval thing


Taking the dock out for an evening spin


8:22pm shot. Official sunset is 8:20pm tonight


Lake Morton Layout - WDFW access in red. 66 acres, 23 ft. max. depth, El. 526'


Shadow Lake (WA) - August 23, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-23 Shadow Lake revisit. 7:17pm launch between the fisherwomen


View at start of lap


Tougher paddling thru the lilies


One minute after 8:04 sunset


Getting really dark in the access channel


Shadow Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 50 acres, 45 ft. max. depth El. 539'


Lake Meridian (WA) - August 11, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-25 Lake Meridian revisit. 6:59pm 'hot' launch


Big kayak with lots of people


Evening serenity


Dude hand paddling rockets by


Lake Meridian Layout - WDFW access in red. 150 acres, 90 ft. max. depth El. 376' Ski boats allowed 9am to 6pm


Lake Wilderness (WA) - August 29, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Aug-29 Lake Wilderness revisit. 7:07pm launch


Sun has dipped behind boisterous park area


7:44pm scenery. Sunset is 7:52pm today


Lake Wilderness Layout - WDFW access in red. 67 acres, 38 ft. max. depth El. 468'


Lake Desire (WA) - September 4, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Sep-4 Lake Desire revisit. 6:56pm launch


Sunshine setting on eastern shore. The 400' hill is actually the peak trail for the Spring-Desire Natural Area. Oddly you can't see Lake Desire from the peak, but you can see Mt. Rainier 40+ miles SSE


Lower water and debris prevent going further in the southern outlet


View from outlet towards main lake. Getting pretty dark already


View from northern outlet 8 minutes after sunset


Lake Desire Layout - WDFW access in red. 72 acres, 21 ft. max. depth El. 491'


Lake Morton (WA) - September 8, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Sep-8 Lake Morton revisit. Later than planned 7:09pm launch. The geese are squawking and whining


7 minutes until sunset, and I'm at the southern end. Still clear skies to the north back at home


Lake Morton Layout - WDFW access in red. 66 acres, 23 ft. max. depth, El. 526'


Spring Lake (WA) - September 12, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Sep-12 Spring-Desire Peak Trail view


Lake Desire is partially viewable if you take the alternate trail on the return from the peak


Sep-12 Spring Lake revisit after morning hike. 1:44pm launch


Only clouds in the sky surround Mt. Rainier


Spring Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 68 acres, 32 ft. max. depth El. 482'


Lake Number Twelve (WA) - September 22, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Sep-22 Lake Twelve revisit (1st time this year). 2:19pm launch


Shallow eastern end is all 'lily padded'


The deeper western end gives the best view


Rendering of photo above by budding artist Diane


The mystery buoy in the middle of the lake is still there


Back to access at 3:08pm. All the lily pads make this smaller than the nominal 41 acres. Still a worthwhile paddle trip


Lake Number 12 Layout - WDFW access in red. 41 acres, 28 ft. max. depth El. 721'


Lake Meridian (WA) - October 12, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Oct-12 Lake Meridian revisit. 2:09pm launch


A flock of geese just landed


Cloudless Mt. Rainier in the distance


View from lake outlet


A racing kayak zips past me as I return to the access, to help the boat in the distance who's motor quit. Starting to cloud up. Forecast is for 4 days of rain with some high winds. Joys of living in the Pacific NW


Lake Meridian Layout - WDFW access in red. 150 acres, 90 ft. max. depth El. 376' Ski boats allowed 9am to 6pm


Spring Lake (WA) - November 8, 2016

Aug-4 Spring | Aug-10 Wilderness | Aug-11 Meridian | Aug-14 Morton | Aug-23 Shadow | Aug-25 Meridian | Aug-29 Wilderness | Sep-4 Desire | Sep-8 Morton | Sep-12 Spring | Sep-22 Twelve | Oct-12 Meridian | Nov-8 Spring

Nov-8 Spring-Desire late fall hike with leaf covered trail


Today I went to the eastern side of the area


Nov-8 Spring Lake revisit. 70F and sunny is not a normal November day


View from southern outlet. All the lily pads are gone at the higher water level


Confirmation of higher water level


Standard Rainier view


Paddling into the sun on the return to the access


Spring Lake Layout - WDFW access in red. 68 acres, 32 ft. max. depth El. 482'


    Credits:
  1. U.O.N., Olympus Stylus 770SW Digital Photography by William F. Smith (7.1 MP, 2304x1728 SQ1, 3X optical 38-114mm)

Last Update 25-Apr-19