Hiking Washington: Eightmile Lake, Caroline Lake, & Windy Ridge

Alpine Lakes Wilderness has many places that are a must see, one of them is the Enchantment Lakes, there are 5 zones, they consist of *Snow Lakes, *Core Zone, *Colchuck, *Stewart, & *Eightmile.
Starting the adventure in 2011 I procured my permit for the, *Core Zone, *Snow Lakes, and *Colchuck Lake. In 4 days we bagged 3 zones it was spectacular to say the least !! Our permit allowed us to enter at the *Colchuck - *Stewart TH and exit at *Snow Lakes. (3 zones, 4 days, 18 miles, 4400 ft gain)
Then in 2012 the adventure took us to the *Stewart Lake and Horseshoe Lake for 3 days of exploration of more of God's stunning creation. (1 zone, in 3 days, 12 miles, 2800 ft. gain)
2013 is the finale, the last zone *Eightmile Lake, Caroline Lake, & Windy Ridge ,, wheww :)
The 5th and final zone, and I will have been blessed with a most wonderful adventure that has taken me 3 years to finish, many prayers, lots of conditioning, a couple different hiking partners, and the most wonderfully supportive family and friends a person could ask for.
This was the most difficult of the zones for me,, I had planned for 4 days, with extra camera gear, and we altered the days to 3, this made for a very heavy trip, physically and mentally. It is standard to pack 20% of your total body weight, which for me would have been 31.6 #. How ever on this trip I was packing 27% which put my total pack weight at 42.6 #. (camera gear)
Truly by the grace of God I was able to pull it off, I can't stress how difficult the extra weight and shortened days really tested my reliance on the Lord.
It was truly wonderful how God strengthened me each step, each breath, and in my soul making me know I could do this. There were times when all I could do is stare at my feet and think of how thankful I was for my salvation in Christ, how much I love Him for my eternal spirit. 1 Peter 1:8-12
My discomfort, was very small in comparison to a sacrifice as such He gave for me.

The first day we started very early to try and beat the heat, thankfully the weather had been a little wet so the clouds made for some nice shade here and there..

Entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, this area caught fire last yr. a couple days after we came out of the *Stewart Lake zone. You can see in the pic above the resent burn, but God replanted and the greens have sprung up making a most beautiful contrast.