Did a 3 day/2 night jaunt on the WUT 2nd loop July 4-6 - here's an overview:

Sunday (July 4)
Beautiful day, sunny and warm. Some mosquitoes and deer flies as expected, but nothing intolerable. Hit the trail at 10 am - encountered many trekkers heading out but it became quiet after Ramona Lake. Trail was very worn and mucky in spots, but became noticeably less traversed north of Ramona. Planned to eat lunch at Thunder Lake, but spot was occupied by other hikers taking a break so lunched at Lupus Lake instead. Had another break at Susan Lake where I also replenished my water supply. Hit Rainbow Lake around 3 pm feeling fatigued, and immediately took a swim. Nice site on the point! Setup camp, attempted to fish (no luck) and went to bed after a brief evening fire. 

Monday
Awesome morning, mild but with a nice crispness in the air. Spent slow-paced morning at camp before trekking to Clara Lake. Great morning hike and very warm. Had a snack/rest stop at Gervais Lake. Encountered a pair of hikers soon after, the only other people I would see for the day. Arrived at Clara around 12:30 and had a swim first thing to cool down. Leisurely setup camp while skies became greyer and thunder rolled in. Attempted some more fishing with no luck. Thunderstorms hit and I spent a couple hours under my tarp enjoying some beverages and an early dinner. Tried to fish after rain stopped - again no luck. Went for an early evening swim, had a very brief camp fire and turned in before dark. 

Tuesday 
Unpredictable weather morning. Packed up ASAP and stowed things under the tarp shelter while disassembling camp and having breakfast. A long hike back to the trail head awaited. The section of trail between Clara Lake and the East River is quite technical in spots - the wet rocks/roots and multiple blowdowns and limb debris added to the challenge. This is what I consider the toughest (and least maintained) section of the WUT. Slippery ground was precarious in spots. A fine drizzle in the air cleared off well before noon. Bugs a little worse today due to stillness and dampness. Again, trail became noticeably more worn once connecting to the 1st loop. Ran into people first at Maggie Lake and many others after that. Encountered just one other solo hiker on my whole trip between Maple Leaf and Maggie. Had a lunch/rest/water stop at the southern site on Steeprise Lake and pushed it back to the car. Knees were starting to bother me along with other mild aches and pains. Upon reflecting, realized I was older than 95+% of everyone else I encountered  Got back to trail head just past 2:30. Looking forward to many more such hikes (hopefully)!

Last edited by hiker72 (7/07/2021 9:28 pm)