Day three of the Rae Lakes Loop had us finally seeing alpine lakes, while day four put us at the highest elevation we would see in the backcountry. It turned out to be two of our favorite days on the trail, where Heather and I bonded over the beauty around us.
The hike from Woods Creek to Rae Lakes sees the beginning of the Sierra Nevada High Country. This is the portion of the hike that takes you into higher elevations, 9,000 feet and up. If you are prone to altitude sickness, this is the part of the trail you may start to feel the effects. Please plan accordingly.
If you’re only looking in front of your feet, there’s not a whole lot to see on this part of the trail until you get to your first alpine like. However, if you stop to take a look behind you, you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful views you’ll see the entire hike. Small waterfalls litter the granite peaks surrounding you, and as the trees start to thin, you’ll approach the 10,000 feet sign. This indicates you are going above the fire line where all camp fires are prohibited.
Shortly thereafter, you’ll round a bend and be greeted by the first of many lakes; Dollar Lake. This makes a great spot to stop for a break and a snack. Heather and I stopped here to enjoy the scenery and we were the only hikers who chose to do so. It was one of my favorite spots that we stopped at. So peaceful and serene.
Once back on the trail, it’s only 2 miles to Middle Rae Lake and the designated camping area. This is a popular spot as well, so the sooner you get there, the more likely you are to get a good spot. We got one just above the water line on the south side of the campgrounds. The mosquitoes were a little thinner here, but still annoying. And hungry. They also got thicker in the evening and early morning hours.
That night we did not get much sleep though. There was a big rock slide on one of the mountains across the lake (I believe it came from the Painted Lady area) around 10:45pm. After that, there were a bunch of mini rock slides throughout the evening that kept us awake. And all of that before we started our big trek up to the top of Glen Pass at just under 12,000 feet.
Below is my day three video. Scroll down to keep reading about day four and to see that video!
The plan had been to wake up early to start to the climb up Glen Pass early and avoid the heat. We also wanted to try to make it to Charlotte Creek, which was around 13.5 miles. But, plans change, and with the lack of sleep from the rock slides all night, we got a later start than planned.
The hike out of Rae Lakes is much prettier than I anticipated. Once you pass the crossing from Middle to Upper Rae Lake, you hug the banks of the Lake for a short distance before starting the climb up to Glen Pass. I had anticipated the climb to be all rocks and no growth. But I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by a ton of green and some of the prettiest alpine creeks I’d see on the trail.
The climb to the top of Glen Pass is actually not too bad. There are a lot of switchbacks, and if you take your time and go at a pace you’re comfortable with (huge shoutout to my hiking partner for waiting on my slow ass), this part of the trail is totally manageable in the cooler morning hours. And once you hit the crest, the views are simply breathtaking. Don’t forget to look in the “windows” for the views that await you there too.
Looking down the other side of Glen Pass, you’re greeted with a pretty gnarly descent. It was a welcome change from the uphill battle we’d just endured. Continuing down the trail, you’ll come to a few different camping options which include Charlotte Lake, Vidette Meadows and Junction Meadows. At Junction Meadows, you’ll leave the PCT/JMT and head down the Bubbs Creek trail. I say head down, but this portion of the trail is filled with numerous ups and downs. Until we reached the switchbacks closer to the trailhead, there would be no relief from the PUDs.
By the time we got to Charlotte Creek, we were exhausted. We setup camp and konked out pretty quickly. The only thought in our heads (as we had both opted to cold soak): warm food in town tomorrow!!!
It wouldn’t be a complete trail highlight without one of my videos! You’ve already seen day three of my Rae Lakes Loop adventure above, and here you’ll find day four.
For a complete trail description, visit our friends over at Modern Hiker!
My final day on trail was never highlighted because after I wrote this, I went through a personal trauma and did not know how to write it. From Chsrlotte Creek, it’s a straight shot to the trailhead. Lots of ups and downs and then a ton of switchbacks before getting to the Bubbs Creek bridge and that glorious trailhead!
The Pink Hat Hiker 
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