Ancient Lake and Dusty Lake - 10.25.2012
Google Map instructions on how to get from Vantage to the Ancient Lake and Dusty Lake Trailhead.
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rodman's GPS track of our trip... we hiked into the Ancient Lake coulee... then crossed over and returned via the Dusty Lake coulee... a 7 mile hike, gaining 710 feet of elevation.
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Only car at the trailhead (~1000') today.
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Entering the Ancient Lake coulee... nice fall colors today.
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rodman continuing up the Ancient Lake Coulee.
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Glad we weren't here when this rock came down.
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Looking back.
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Looking back across the Columbia River at the clouds to the west... snow on the foothills.
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Rock.
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Clouds and rock.
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Continuing up the Ancient Lake coulee.
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A closeup of the coulee wall.
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Closeup of a waterfall on the coulee wall.
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Same waterfall... just further back.
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One more of the waterfall.
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Continuing up the Ancient Lake coulee.
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Arriving at Ancient Lake... it looks like there are multiple lakes, but back in the day it was just one big lake.
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Looking back to the west.
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Fall color in the Ancient Lake coulee.
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Gaining elevation as we leave Ancient Lake and head for the Ancient/Dusty crossover gap.
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A closeup of Ancient Lake as we head up.
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Looking west down Ancient Lake coulee.
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We are heading for the gap (left) in the Ancient/Dusty Divide.
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rodman approaching the crossover gap in the Ancient/Dusty Divide.
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Before going through the gap we will go up to the top of the divide for excellent views.
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rodman looking for the easiest route up to the top of the divide.
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rodman continues up.
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rodman can see the top of the divide now.
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Almost to the top.
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Looking down on Dusty Lake from the top of the divide.
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The east end of Dusty Lake from the top of the divide... we will get down there by following a good path at the base of the basalt columns.
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rodman looking west along the Ancient/Dusty divide... Dusty coulee on the left... Ancient coulee to the right.
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Moss and rock on top of the divide.
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Ancient Lake from the top of the divide.
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The divide between Dusty coulee (left) and Ancient coulee.
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ragman, rodman and a small cairn on top of the Ancient/Dusty divide.
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rodman coming down from our high point... we are heading for the crossover gap.
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The crux of the hike... a Class 2 sagebrush move.
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rodman nears the crossover gap.
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rodman at the crossover gap... Dusty Lake below... don't be tempted to take a nice looking path that leads down from the gap... it is a sucker path.
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rodman above the crossover gap... where we will find a really good path that follows along the base of the basalt columns.
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ragman leaving the crossover gap and following the good path below the basalt columns.
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rodman continues below the basalt columns... heading toward the east end of Dusty Lake.
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Looking back to the gap on the right... with the west end of Dusty Lake below.
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rodman and Dusty Lake.
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Still continuing along the base of the basalt columns... looking back at the gap.
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rodman and basalt columns.
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Looking up the basalt columns.
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Leaving the base of the basalt columns and following a good path down to Dusty Lake.
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rodman on the good path leading down to Dusty Lake.
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Pano shot of the west end of Dusty Lake... with the Ancient/Dusty crossover gap on the far right.
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This shows how good the path is.
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This huge rock (the biggest one in the area) marks the beginning of the good path that leads up to the crossover gap in the center of the photo.
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Basalt columns and rodman... on easier terrain now.
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We will go around the west end of Dusty Lake... staying just above the white stained rocks.
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Nice reflection shot.
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Fall colors and reflection.
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Looking back as we go around to the west side of Dusty Lake.
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Route information on getting from the gap down to Dusty Lake or vice versa.
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One last look back at Dusty Lake as we head for the car... a mostly flat 3 mile hike will get us there.
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