Copper Glance – Overnight

A late start on Friday required that we re-adjust our perspective on getting into the back country and leave on Saturday morning. Some weekends it is hard to get going and this one turned out to be one of those for Woody and I. After taming the alarm, wondering around looking for last minute stuff, having great portions of eggs and finally piling into the Jeep, we got started around noon for the drive east over Washington Pass.

The hot and dusty drive into the trail head proved uneventful after the stop for gas, food and a map in Winthrop. It is interesting to take a walk through that tourist trap of a town and see the effects of TV and inactivity on the population. If that is average America, I really don’t want to be average (average height and “weight” is no longer a reasonable descriptor). Finally at the trail head we started up the growing over road that became gradually steeper and narrower. The “trail” gains about 1000 ft. or more a mile and I was able to cover the altitude gain averaging about an hour, working harder than I should have, while Woody casually walked ahead and waited. Trails that start as roads seem to set a tone of low expectation as you segue into wilderness – the Copper Glance trail has to be an exception. Winding past two mine shafts, it becomes apparent why the way is so steep. Miners don’t like to waste time building in unnecessary trail features. Interesting to look inside the mine shaft and see the old rusted and bent tracks. What possesses people to choose this as a way to make a living?

Once past the industrial revolution, the second growth forest wraps around you and welcomes you to its fold. As we gained altitude, the forest gave way to a beautiful meadow that sloped toward the valley below. Beautiful deep green grass and the last vestiges of flowers blooming hid the small tread as it wound up-hill.

As we crossed the creek and headed upward we started looking for a climber’s track through the forest, but we couldn’t find one and decided to get the guide book pages out. (I have two copies, one in tact and one that has had the spine cut off in the table saw so you can carry the pages you need. More on that later.) It was getting dark, so we needed to get moving and as I mentioned, our late start was catching up with us. We walked to a bug infested pond that was at the foot of a talus slope and took a right (somewhat northwest) uphill with in view of the creek and climbed along the edge of the talus avoiding the brush. The map does not show it but there are several small ponds as you move up the basin. We camped around 6400 feet in a clear spot above the creek. Setting up the tarp is pretty quick even in fading light.
Sometimes the precident set early in an outing has a way of taking hold and waking early just didn’t seem with in our grasp, even with the sound of the alarm. The sun finally heated the tarp and forced us up and out. We decided to succumb to a relaxing lounge session by the creek interspersed with food and great conversation. It had been several months since I was able to spend time with Woody and we had an awesome morning followed by hours of wondering through the basin exploring and looking at things we normally would not have taken time to stop for. Found a house size rock perfectly split into two pieces wide enough to walk through.
During our conversation we decided to readjust our objectives and call this trip a conditioning and backpacking weekend. Close to the road and a beautiful area, it was surprising not to see anyone else in the basin. Most people take the day hike into Copper Glance Lake and miss the basin. Staying in the basin give you a feeling of being miles back into the wilderness and excellent views of the Craggys and across the valley. Nice way to wake up in the morning with a view like this!

After exploring the upper valley and having some lunch, we packed and headed down. Satisfied even though we did not climb the Craggys…it was just to hot anyway and we did not want to spoil the planed return in the fall when the larches are turning hues of gold. If you’ve got the time and inclination it is well worth the six mile walk.