Ancient Lakes - 11.17.2016
We started from the large parking lot at the end of Ancient Lake Road.
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We are leaving the parking lot and will pass through the gate that keeps vehicles from going any further.
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Entering Ancient Lake Coulee from the west end of the coulee.
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A nice waterfall as we continue hiking into the coulee.
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We approach the first lake in the Ancient Lake Coulee... now we will make a 90 degree turn and head across the coulee toward the mesa on the right.
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Leaving the coulee floor and heading up toward the top of the mesa on a very obvious path.
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Looking down on Ancient Lakes Coulee as we follow a path up to the top of the mesa.
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A good path will take us up to the finger on the far right... where we will find an easy Class 2 route to the top of the mesa.
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Our first look at Dusty Lake from the mesa.
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Nearing the top of the mesa.
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Looking back at Dusty Lake as we continue higher on the mesa.
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The short and easy Class 2 section that gets us up on top of the mesa.
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Our approximate route up from the Ancient Lakes Coulee... we will eventually trace our steps back and follow a shelf that will lead us around to the best place a person can cross over into the Dusty Lake coulee.
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Looking into the Ancient Lakes Coulee from near our high point on the mesa.
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Looking west (toward the Columbia River) along the top of the mesa.
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Group shot from our high point on the mesa... Ancient Lakes behind us... left to right... Jannu, Denali Girl, ragman, Sahale and rocman.
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Luna was here too.
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This is as far as we went along the mesa... however, it is easy to go down a bit here and continue on toward the west end of the mesa if so desired... we will leave this exploration for another day.
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Looking west along the mesa... Dusty Lake coulee to the left... and Ancient Lakes coulee on the right.
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We have started to more or less trace our steps back the way we came... looking down on Ancient Lakes coulee.
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Continuing back down from the top of the mesa... Dusty Lake in the distance.
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Dealing with the short and easy Class 2 section that got us up to the top of the mesa.
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Descending to the shelf that we will use to go over to the easy passage that connects the two coulees.
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Heading east on the shelf that will take us over to the passage that connects the two coulees.
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Arriving at the passage that connects the two coulees.
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Dusty Lake from the passage that connects the two coulees.
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Continuing along the Ancient Lakes side of the mesa as we work our way over toward Ancient Lakes.
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Heading for the 'Swirl'.
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Looking back at the mesa as we head down toward Ancient Lakes.
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Continuing down toward Ancient Lakes.
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Almost down to Ancient Lakes.
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Down to the first couple of lakes... which used to be one lake many many years ago.
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Beautiful colors.
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The lake at the east end of the coulee... and the waterfall that comes down form 'H Lake' and 'Judith Pool'.
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Leaving the lakes at the east end of the coulee and heading back to the car... our trip was 6.6 miles roundtrip, gaining 981 feet of elevation.
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