This was a spectacular hike up Phelps Creek to a ridge high above Spider Meadow where we spent the first night, then up and over 7100-foot Spider Gap and down to the ice-scoured rocky basin of Upper Lyman Lake below Chiwawa Mountain in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Cascade Mountans. Spider Gap is a 7100-foot mountain pass.

This hike took place on the July 4th weekend in 1987 and the first day in was long, but the weather was fantastic. Having reached the upper ridgeline at the end of Spider Meadows, we camped there the first night in. There was a beautiful view from up here, looking right back down the valley we had hiked up earlier in the day, and over to Mt Maude and Seven-Fingered Jack.

The plan was to meet friends up at this camp but they never made it. This camp was visited throughout our stay by many marmots, some of them climbing the stunted pine shrubs to get a better view of us (and our food, of course).

The next morning took us up Spider Glacier (really a large snowfield, not a glacier), and down into the basin of Upper Lyman Lake. Most of the photos in this site are from that area. (I can’t find my other ones of the Spider Meadow section). Lyman Basin was spectacular, but much of our stay was in tents since the lightning and rain was unrelenting. But when it let up every once in a while, it was quite spectacular. Plenty of deer in the area, often roaming unconcerned through our little campsite.

The return hike up and over Spider Gap and back down Spider Meadows was misty and rainy. This is a hike I’d like to revisit sometime. A long loop trip (~35 miles) could be made, with this portion as one leg of three or four needed for the trip. The loop would come back out via Suiattle Pass, Buck Pass, and Buck Creek I believe…