Spectacle Lake Fastpacking

Fastpacking: trail running meets backpacking. Move light and fast, carrying everything you need for multiple days on trail.

Meredith, Clarisse, and I's first fastpacking trip took us to Spectacle Lake in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Saturday, August 9th-Sunday, August 10th, 2025

Trip Stats:

Roundtrip: 20 miles and 4,167 ft of elevation gain

Day 1: 10 miles and 2,638 ft gain

Day 2: 10 miles and 1,529 ft gain

Meredith and I saw Spectacle Lake from the ridgeline above while backpacking PCT Section J the previous summer. It was gorgeous and we longed to camp there. While it was a short detour off of the PCT, it came at the end of a long day on trail and the steep descent into the valley (and the thought of having to climb back out the next day) thwarted us.

A little less than one year later, we returned– this time with much lighter packs!

We started our run at 3:45pm from the Pete Lake Trailhead. No alpine starts here! With Washington's late summer sunsets and our ability to move faster and lighter than we could with heavier packs, we made it to the lake in a few hours and set up camp around dinner time. We brought easy to eat food like sandwiches to cut stove/fuel weight.

Gear:

• Fastpackher 30L backpack
• Bivvy (but we cowboy camped under the stars, so I didn't actually end up using it)
• Summer sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad (inflatable) and NEMO pump sack
• Inflatable pillow
• Fleece
• Aquatabs (water purification tabs— group gear): lots of opportunities to fill (streams, Pete Lake, Lemah Creek, the falls, Spectacle Lake– no need to carry too much water)
• Black Diamond Distance Z carbon trekking poles
• Soft flask silicone water bottle
• Ursack Major food storage bag (bear bag— group gear)
• Headlamp
• Garmin Inreach (group gear)
• Food (easy to eat like sandwiches, snacks, and Clif Bloks so we didn't have to carry a stove/fuel)
• Toiletries (sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, etc— some shared group gear)
• Self-issued trailhead permit (free!)

I wore a sunshirt, hat, running shorts, Garmin watch, and trail runners. I don't know how much our packs weighed, but it felt super light when I put it on and pretty heavy when I started running. Luckily, we got warmed up and then it actually felt fine! My Fastpackher pack was great for running and didn't bounce/move much at all.

The trail to Pete Lake is very mellow and runnable, gaining only ~400 feet in 4.5 miles. The route through the peaceful old growth forest crosses eight streams on the way to the lake.

This trail was very well maintained and had no downed trees. There were a lot of families since Pete Lake's moderate stats make it a popular choice for an easy backpacking trip with children.

We took a break at Pete Lake to eat before continuing up the trail. The terrain remains flat, crossing Lemah Creek and then meeting the junction to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The bridge over Lemah Creek was out, but it was an easy crossing in late summer. Soon after, the switchbacks to gain the ridge to Spectacle Lake begin.

This zone is absolutely stunning. It has been previously burned, so the wildflowers are gorgeous and the vegetation regrowth is a bit brushy in areas. The dead trees also mean the climb up these switchbacks can absolutely cook you in the direct sun. Luckily, we started late enough in the afternoon to have shade. If you're going up in the sun, top off on water at Lemah Creek before heading up.

The big mountain views, blooming wildflowers, and filtered late afternoon sunlight make this my favorite section of trail.

The Delate Creek Falls are a great reward after the most difficult section of the trip. This is a great spot to grab more water, enjoy a snack, and cool off.

There are more switchbacks after the Falls, but at least you're now back in the shade of the forest.

At the junction with the Spectacle Lake Trail, it's finally time to start heading downhill! The trail descends a ridge down to the lake. This is a popular area, but it's a large lake and we were able to easily find a site late on an August Saturday.

Our camp had wild blueberries nearby to snack on and gorgeous views of Spectacle Lake backdropped by the Four Brothers. We didn't use them but there are privies at both Spectacle Lake and Pete Lake (as well as a vault toilet at the trailhead, which was well-maintained at the time of our visit).

Sound travels easily across the lake and in this valley, so mind your noise level and your secrets.

Weather was great so we ended up cowboy camping and enjoying the stars. We camped during the full moon, which was exceptionally bright. It woke us up around 4AM because it felt like someone was shining a flashlight on us.

We rose with the sun, sunrise glowing on the ridge above us. We had a leisurely morning at camp before starting our run out at 9:15am. On the way out, we stopped for a swim in Pete Lake.

Fastpacking is such a fun and unique way to travel! It's rewarding to blend moving efficiently through the mountains with a relaxing evening at camp. There are so many possibilities for future fast and light adventures– running makes it possible to spend the night in a grand destination even if you start your trip at nearly 4pm!