Camp/Kayak Colonial Creek/Diablo Lake

Friday-Sunday, July 13-15, 2012

As soon as I wrapped up my work deadline, we hit the road for the North Cascades to go camping and kayaking. We set up camp at Colonial Creek campground at a waterfront walk-in site near the picnic area and boat ramp. We took Chance for walk along Thunder Creek Trail where we only saw snippets of Diablo Lake through the thick trees.

This was a cool cracked cave-like rock.

Me inside a tall old tree!

Tree mushroom dew droplets.

Now how come leaves this size are nowhere to be found when you need to go #2.

Diablo Lake was formed in 1928 when the Seattle Lighting Department completed the Diablo Dam in the Skagit River Gorge. The water is so cold with its glacial water source hours away. In the summer, the lake turns vivid green as sunlight scatters through floating particles of glacial rock flour. Green wavelengths of light reflect, while other colors are absorbed.

Thunder Arm shoreline of Diablo Lake.

Looking back at our camp through the trees from the dock.

Camp.

Surprised that Chance is laying down at camp.

Cooking dinner over the fire. 

Crazy dog curled up at camp. This can’t be Chance.

Dusk on Diablo Lake.

Chance wants out of the tent. I guess it’s time for bed.

The next morning we took the kayak out to paddle 4+ miles of Diablo Lake. It was a little overcast, but cool enough to not worry about Chance staying in the car while we paddled. We started from the boat ramp at Colonial Creek campground.

We paddled by the rest of the campground and Thunder Arm on the north side of Hwy 20.

Our view.

And then it started to rain.

We put on our skirts and paddled through. There wasn’t any rain in the forecast and it didn’t look as bad further ahead. As we made it closer to the main portion of Diablo Lake, the rain thankfully subsided.

Beautiful shorelines.

Misty fog over the cold water in the warm air.

Reflections.

Clear calm water in tight waterways on the north side of Diablo Lake.

Green moss.

 Waterfall.

We paddled as close as we could to Ross Dam before we encountered Danger signs and turned around.

On our way back to camp, another great view of the long waterfall.

The water was so cold, it was too cold to let your legs sit on the bottom of the boat for too long.

Great tandem paddle.

Back at the campground.

With the rain and denser growing fog growing, we went into the nearest town, Newhalem, home of Seattle City Light for the afternoon. We picked up more firewood and then visited the small General Store established in 1922 and the Seattle City Light train car.

 The water in the Skagit River was raging fast.

Suspension bridge.

Spiderweb after rain.

More raging Skagit River near Gorge Dam.

Gorge Creek Falls.

We drove to Diablo, the other Seattle City Light worker town, which was practically nothing, even smaller than Newhalem.

Back at Colonial Creek Campground with the misty rainy weather, the fog was rising off the cool glacier waters into the warm air. It made for some cool pics.

We walked over the other side of the campground’s shoreline.

Colonial Creek log crossing.

I took Joe’s poking stick. He’s a very possessive pyro.

Doesn’t get much better than a campfire with roasted marshmellows.

Saturday night’s misty dusk sunset.

Sunday morning we packed up camp and head to the trailhead to Ross Dam.

Three border patrol officers were there checking license plates and then proceeded down the trail carrying an M16. Wonder what that was about...

Ross Dam Trail that also leads to Ross Lake Resort.

Top of a waterfall which I believe was the big one we paddled past on Diablo Lake the day before.

Dam! I see a dam! Look Chance!

Dam! Now that’s a dam!

As far up Diablo Lake below that we were allowed to paddle.

Ross Lake behind Ross Dam.

Waterfall into Ross Lake.

Beautiful colorful weeds.

Back across the Dam.

I’ve had a really bad sore throat so I had been drinking a lot of water all weekend. This port-a-potty would have to do. Chance had to make sure all was good with me since the wind had started to blow really hard. My idea of a picnic lunch on the dam turned into a save yourself and don’t lose your favorite hat kind of moment.

On our drive back home we stopped at the Diablo Lake overlook. It was really windy here too.

We also stopped at the Que Car BBQ served in an old red caboose. There was a little too much sauce for our liking, but it was still good for BBQ not from the south.

We were beyond ready to be home to take a shower after 3 days.