Chapter 13
Dayhike to Pawnee Pass

Today was our first venture into the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Duncan had planned a 9.5 mile round-trip hike up to Pawnee Pass. We drove to the Long Lake Trailhead. From there we took (you guessed it) the Pawnee Pass Trail. It started out as a nice gentle walk around the northern shores of Long Lake. Then it gradually started to climb uphill.

At the outlet of Lake Isabelle there was a junction. The trail straight ahead lead up to Isabelle Glacier. We took the left-hand trail which started climbing up to Pawnee Pass. After the initial climb there's a leveling off of the trail on a short plateau from which you get a good view of the pass ahead. Then it's just a short climb up thru a talus slope via switchbacks to the saddle forming the pass.

We were going to climb to the top of Pawnee Peak but the weather was clouding in and we were getting occasional drizzle so we turned around and headed back. Along the way the drizzle turned to snow showers and we all put on our rain jackets and rain pants. By the time we reached Long Lake there was a 1/4 inch dusting of snow/sleet on the ground.

Above is the outlet stream of Long Lake. In the far background is Apache and Navajo Peaks.   To the right is Diane. We're near the beginning of Isabelle Lake. Just ahead is the junction where the Isabelle Glacier Trail leads straight up into the mountains to Isabelle Glacier. We turned right to go to Pawnee Pass.

^ Here's me and Duncan at the plateau, just before the final ascent to the pass.

The photo above shows us at Pawnee Pass. Behind us is Pawnee Peak. We didn't get to climb to the top of the peak because the weather was turning bad.   The photo to the right is Diane and Duncan walking thru the snow on the trail around Long Lake.