白雪金松映碧水，銀河北斗照七俠

按：此次背包露營總共行走約40miles, 因為背包行回來第二天就出發秘魯，一直沒有時間寫遊記，有些細節不能一一照顧，只能大致記下來。這也是一個經驗，以後要儘量及時寫遊記。

2016 Sep 30 – Oct 05 Cathedral Lake背包行遊記

引子：A老師出發前的召集帖子，賦詩一首：

輕卸綠裳披金甲，靜立湖邊待君臨，

夏去秋來金松現，離加赴美山中居。

C計劃了三年的Cathedral Lake 背包行，2013年正當準備出發，又因美國National Park有財政問題要把National Forest暫時關閉, 計劃擱置下來， 直到2016年的今天才得以實現。

原計劃路線：

Cathedral Pass Lollipop Loop (Clockwise)

Route traveled: Cathedral Driveway trail #510A > Chewuch trail #510 > Lesamiz trail #565 > Boundary trail #533 > Tungsten trail #534 > Chewuch trail #510 > Cathedral Driveway trail #510A

實際路線：

Cathedral Pass Lollipop Loop (Counter - Clockwise)

Route traveled: Cathedral Driveway trail #510A > Tungsten trail #534 > Boundary trail #533 > Lesamiz trail #565 > Chewuch trail #510 > Cathedral Driveway trail #510A

Sept 30 - 0天

Vancouver 開車到達Osoyoos，在汽車旅館休息一夜，準備明天跨域邊境的背包行。在3號公路途中經過Spotted Lake， 斑點湖。Spotted Lake is a saline endorheic alkali lake located northwest of Osoyoos in the eastern Similkameen Valley of British Columbia, Canada, accessed via Highway 3. 平時不開放，這天恰巧是原住民慶祝秋天來臨的一個節日，開放參觀，有原住民帶領同伴的一車遊覽，可惜我們一車錯過了。

兩車同伴約六時先後到達旅館, 經旅館主人介紹, 我們步行到附近的Sage Neighbourhood Pub用晚餐。從旅館步行出來途經Osoyoos Lake湖畔, 正好是黃昏落日, 天上彩雲倒影在湖面上, 恬靜的湖面呈現出一派詳和的氣息。黃昏落日, 總是令人著迷沉醉。

晚上我們在旅館還開會制定最後的路線和計劃，老hiker就是認真！謝謝C訂到這個不錯的旅館，聽說是剛剛裝修好，還免費給我們upgrade， 結果每個人都有一間獨立的房間（當然廳也算在內），是少有的非常舒服的一晚旅館。

Oct 01 – Day 1

路線： #510A trail head – #534 行至傍晚，路程大約20公里。在Tungsten 附近一個舊礦場紮營，天氣寒冷，下飄雪。沒有水源，要辛苦3位男士下坡去1mile左右的小路遍取小溪水。

第一天從旅館開拔，出發一路順利，開車沿途有金黃色的樺樹，藍天白樹黃葉，非常美麗。

不久來到trail head ——Cathedral Driveway trail #510A。 在這裡park好車，NP (美國國家公園年票) 放好在車頭位置，有人竟然忘記帶NP出來，好在漂流MM帶了extra的，不用浪費每天5塊的費用。出發的時候天氣很好，秋高氣爽是登高的好日子啊，這時候每個人的狀態都很好，衣服也很光鮮還沒有塵土和汗水。大家背上大包合影后出發。

這次背包露營我們的路線就象一個帶線的氣球，C領隊則說象一個棒棒糖。從Cathedral Driveway trail #510A 出發就是從棒棒糖的手柄出發，不久我們到達第一個4700 英尺的junction. 這裡是trail #510A, 510 和534的交叉口，也就是棒棒糖手柄結束，圓圈開始的點。我們臨時改變方向，由順時針方向改為逆時針方向，原因是不確定順時針方向的水源，而逆時針方向根據旅遊書描述，在534 上的old mine site 或者更遠處有兩處水源，加上逆時針方向最後一天大部分會 down hill，比較容易。

沿途經過Pasayten Wildness, 也是我們7月初去看野花露營的同一片平原，所以我們出發的時候也能看到上次一樣被森林大火熏死的樹木，只剩下樹幹。由於到達舊礦場已經天近傍晚，我和K 先在礦場附近尋找水源不獲，但是前方也是未知之數，最後決定就地紮營，由三位男士下山取水，這樣上上下下也滿辛苦的，而且天已經開始黑了，天上飄下了雪花，還有風凍效應，感覺蠻冷的，我的營扎在兩棵樹之間，還有樹根在底下，做飯的時候也是把鍋和碗放地上，我們都早早處理完吃喝，就休息了。

廢礦場

Oct 2 - Day 2

路線：從 Trail #534 經過 Trail #533， 到達Cathedral Lake.

第二天從舊礦場拔營出發，不久就看到水源。一路在樹林中穿行在#534 trail 上，一路拔高到達雪線，沿途從開始有零星的金松，到後面是成片的金松林，我和C，A, K半路上將大包放在trail 上，爬上路邊的山看金松，P，H哥和HQW先出發去湖邊。我們上到山上看到很多金松，這時候天氣是多雲，我們也在耐心等待太陽，在這山上的金松林飽覽金松美景。K帶着GPS去更遠的山峰，看完金松下山，我們有點偏離了原來的路線，因為這裡的路貌似都可以下山，但是其實下去後又不對，正在尋找出路之際，我想起出發前我下載了View Ranger GPS 路線和地圖，打開來看果然有，我不太熟練，於是請教Alex, 這樣我們就看着我的GPS 走回了正確的route, 這時候K 聽到我們在山上叫喚，也回答我們一邊走了下來。這是一個很好的經驗和教訓，GPS是必須預先下載地圖和路線，也是必須要會熟練運用。

到達一半路程中的海拔7200尺高點然後downhill，遠眺雄偉冷峻的Apex Pass，繞過樹林後從Apex Pass 穿過，達到Cathedral Lake 前是Cathedral  Peak,  海拔8601尺，最後看到一片平原開闊地和灘涂，看到一大片金松和湖，沿途還有貼着地面生長的紅色的不知名的植物，也非常漂亮。到達湖邊，有不少營地，後來我們找到最好最有利的位置，後來來了幾個白人，就在我們原先想去的離湖邊正面看金松位置稍遠的地方紮營了。

1.Amphitheatre Mountain  2.Cathedral Peak 8074Feets

面向清澈平靜的湖水，灰褐色的山，金松倒影湖水中，我們非常激動！盡情欣賞美麗的金松和湖景。

天氣偏冷，多雲有陽光，晚上有清晰的北斗七星，又是一個美麗的星空！晚上我們撿地上枯死的金松樹枝生火，點起篝火夜話，十分愜意。

Oct 3 - Day 3

D3， 在Cathedral Lake 紮營，遊玩，探險。

Lower Lake

在Cathedral Lake 附近探險，我們住的地方是upper lake, 離此處不遠是lower lake， 我們輕裝前往。Lower海拔7000尺，下到山谷，感覺有點陰涼，天氣還是多雲，間中有陽光，有小雨。大家分開幾隊探險，我和C沒有挑戰高山，而是一起去了lower lake，在湖邊順便吃了午餐。

隊伍里有好幾位攝影師和攝影愛好者，這次拍金松應該是過足癮了。

Oct 4 - Day 4

路線：Cathedral Lake 出發，從Trail #533 轉Trail # 565, 經過Hazel Creek，轉Trail #510，510A， 大約20公里。

從Cathedral Lake 出發，從Trail #533 轉Trail # 565, 經過Hazel Creek，轉Trail #510, 一路downhill, 回到4700 junction, 也就是棒棒糖手柄頂端的#510A, 510 和534的交叉口，繼續前行，經過一個美麗的meadow, 到達horseshoe Basin 的一個舊馬營。這裡有廢棄的栓馬柱，放馬的露營地, 旁邊是一條小溪，估計是Fire Creek. 我們就在溪水邊紮營，時隔多年還是有馬的味道，天氣潮濕有小雨。

Oct 5 – Day 5

路線：舊馬營 回到trail head, 大約5 mile.  

第五天的早上我們拔營離開舊馬營，踏上回程。收營的時候帳篷有些濕，加重了重量。

我們大約中午時分分別快慢到達目的地，就是Chewuch Trail Head. 最後拍照留念，開車出發，經過美加邊境一個小海關，Chopaka， 回到加拿大國境，然後向西直駛，回到家中。總共6天的金松背包露營圓滿結束。也結束了今年的三季背包露營之行，明年再出發啦！

附錄資料：

Trip Description

The 38-mile loop through Cathedral Pass offers some of the best scenery that the Pasayten’s breathtaking Boundary Trail has to offer. We’ll start and end at the Chewuch trailhead out of Loomis.

Once at the trailhead follow Cathedral Driveway Trail #510A, which will descend roughly 2 miles through some burned areas into the Chewuch Valley and merge with Chewuch Trail #510. Be on the lookout for bear, deer, and moose in this area!

The Chewuch Trail (510) as it heads north through a burned forest that is slowly recovering from fires in 2001, 2003, and 2006. It turns west at the junction of 4700 ft and continues along the river another 8 miles, where it crosses Cathedral Creek, one of the major feeder creeks to the Chewuch River. At the crossing, you’ll begin to climb for two miles, paralleling Remmel Creek and arriving at a high point of 6600 feet—14.5 miles from the trailhead.

Eventually you will pass the now abandoned old Chewuch River trail. The Forest Service has rerouted the Chewuch River trail (#510). Continue on the newer Chewuch River trail.

Next you will reach a junction with the Lesamiz trail (#565). You can either continue on the Chewuch River trail to Remmel Lake or take the Lesamiz trail to the upper Cathedral Lakes basin and Ampitheatre Mountain. Take the Lesamiz trail if you are doing the Cathedral Pass Loop.

In a mile or two, you'll reach another junction with the Remmel Lake cutoff trail. If you want to head to Remmel Lake for a quick swim and didn't take the Chewuch River trail, take the cutoff trail 1/4 mile to the lake. If your destination is Cathedral Lakes, continue on the Lesamiz trail.

(Note: As of August 2016, the Green Trails map for this area does show the Chewuch River trail reroute on the Lesamiz trail.)

As you continue higher on the Lesamiz trail, views of Remmel Mountain to the south and Cathedral Peak and Amphitheatre Mountain to the north make excellent alpenglow viewing and provide beautiful photo opportunities.

Eventually you'll reach another junction. You can stay to the right and head straight to Upper Cathedral Lake and Ampitheatre Mountain or you can head in a westerly direction to connect with the Boundary trail (#533) for a more meandering route. Either way can get you to Upper Cathedral Lake, just make sure if you take the Boundary trail, you head east on the trail toward the Upper Cathedral and Ampitheatre.

In no time you will be traversing above Upper Cathedral Lake, which is situation below Ampitheatre Mountain. Larch groves hide the lake, however a number of social paths lead down to its shoreline where you can find a handful of campsites.
Switchback up to the left towards Upper Cathedral Lake and stunning Cathedral Pass. If you can time it right, try camping on this section of the trail, as the evening and morning light on the rocks here is truly stunning.

To continue your loop, the Boundary trail heading east continues on a high traverse through open terrain in this area, passing through aptly named Apex Pass, at 7800 feet, the highest point of this hike. About a mile from Apex Pass, arrive at a junction with the Tungsten trail (534). Note that the Tungsten trail junction lies below the Tungsten Mine buildings and mine shaft structure. It can be a little tough to find as there are a number of social trails in the area, however if you go downhill from the mine buildings and mine shaft, you will find it. You could easily spend a few hours at Tungsten Mine exploring the old cabins, mining equipment, a random bathtub, a double seated outhouse and other relics in the area. There is even a horseshoe pit! There are a couple camps just outside of Tungsten Mine area; however, it is not recommended to stay in and around the cabins due to the potentially disease-carrying rodents that inhabit the cabins. There are some decent camp sites along the area of the sign for Tungsten Trail #534 on our left. Somewhere before the Horseshoe Creek.

Turn right onto this trail and continue on a gentle downhill grade for six miles to reconnect with the Chewuch Trail. This marks the end of the lollipop portion of your loop—you’ll retrace your steps along the Chewuch River & Chewuch Trail 510A for 5.5 miles back to your car.

Trail description

Cathedral Driveway Trail 510A
This 2 mile trail begins at the Chewuch Trailhead and is in the Pasayten Wilderness. The junction with the Windy Creek Trail #362 is approximately half way down the trail. The Cathedral Driveway Trail #510A ends at the junction with the Chewuch Trail #510. Most of the trail is steep as it descends to the Chewuch River and is rated most difficult, but allows good scenic views up and down the Chewuch River drainage and surrounding mountains. Stock handlers should be experienced. Water is available along the trail.

Tungsten Trail #534
6) Hike Cathedral Driveway Trail #510A for 2.2 miles, to the intersection with Chewuch Trail #510 (~4200’ elevation).
7) Hike Chewuch Trail #510 for 3.6 miles, to the intersection with Tungsten Creek Trail #534 (~4700’ elevation).
8 ) Hike Tungsten Creek Trail #534 for 6.2 miles, to the intersection with Boundary Trail #533 (~6750’ elevation). This intersection is located at the site of the Tungsten Mine Camp, on the south side of Wolframite Mountain.