Turquoise Lake and Pt St Charles

A quick overnight in the Mission Mountain Wilderness with Tara. On day 1, we hiked up the incredibly well graded trail to Turquoise Lake, arriving at our lakeside camp just as the weather began to blow in for real. We tried to explore here and there, but wind and rain kept us pretty close to camp. After a windy night, the weather finally broke in the morning, so we took off in the direction of Pt St Charles, figuring we'd ascend until time or conditions turned us around. In the end, the mountain was happy to have us, and we enjoyed a nice lunch on his summit. When it was time to leave, we headed back to the lake, gathered out packs, and headed out to the car.

Mission Sign
Our first real look at Daughter of the Sun
Daughter the Sun from Trail
Glacier Lake
Glacier Lake Pan
Daughter of the Sun and Mountaineer Peak from the beginning of the descent to Lagoon Lake. A small piece of Turquoise Lake can be seen in the distance.
Daughter the Sun Lagoon Lake
Mountaineer Peak
Mountaineer Peak
Looking down on camp and Tara in her yellow poncho. The high peaks to the west held back the storm clouds just enough that they kept stacking and unleashing on us all afternoon. Meanwhile, just to the east, the sun continued to shine. Daughter of the Sun marked that boundary. It was like we were stuck just in front of a perpetual storm front.
Daughter the Sun and Turquoise Lake
The goats didn't seem too concerned about the weather.
Goat and Turquoise Lake
Home at Turquoise Lake. Around 10:00 the next morning, the weather finally broke.
Turquoise Lake Camp
Morning at Turquoise Lake
Turquoise Lake
One of our buddies and a look across the Swan Valley
Goat and Swans
Tara on the way up toward Pt St Charles
Tara and Mountains
Continuing above Turquoise Lake. Daughter of the Sun and Mountaineer Peak provide a nice backdrop.
Tara Walking
Another look at Daughter of the Sun
Daughter the Sun
Jewell, Lagoon, and Lace Lakes on the left. A small piece of Turquoise Lake is visible beneath Daughter of the Sun.
Daughter the Sun
Daughter of the Sun. I just couldn't get enough of this mountain.
Daughter the Sun
Glacier Peaks from the summit ridge of Pt St Charles. Lone Tree Pass, the gateway to Lake of the Clouds is visible just right of center.
Glacier Peaks
Glacier Peaks and Lone Tree Pass. Lake of the Clouds is still frozen, but visible beyond the notch.
Lake the Clouds
Tara looking south from the summit. Daughter of the Sun, Mountaineer Peak, and the head of Turquoise Lake are visible in the foreground. Gray Wolf and East St Mary Peaks can be seen in the background.
Charles Tara
The summit
Charles
Somewhere along the summit ridge
Charles
Looking west at the high peaks of the Missions. Panoramic Peak is in the foreground. McDonald Peak (the highest in the Missions) is poking up behind it.
Charles Summit Pan
Summit panorama from southwest to northwest. Just about every major Mission peak can be seen from here.
Charles Summit Pan
Zoom shot of Gray Wolf. East St Mary is visible as well.
Grey Wolf
Glacier Peaks and a still frozen Lake of the Clouds
Lake the Clouds
Tara descending the summit ridge.
Tara and Summit Ridge
Daughter of the Sun rises above Turquoise Lake
Daughter the Sun Turquoise Lake
Daughter of the Sun rolling out the green carpet for us on the way down
Daughter the Sun Green Carpet
Always walking toward Daughter of the Sun
Tara and Daughter the Sun
Almost back to our packs and the trail back to the car
Tara and Turquoise Lake

Turquoise Lake and Pt St Charles

Turquoise Lake and Pt St Charles

Thoughts on this gallery