Big Blue Lake

Glacier Peak Wilderness

Aug. 4-5, 1979

Big Blue Lake & Johnson Mountain

Along the route up from Sloan Creek we climbed up about 3,000 feet and circumvented the the Johnson Mtn. Trail, where I discovered I had worn the wrong boots for this trek, now the bottom of my feet had blisters and they hurt like Hell. And though I was suffering, the pain did not alter my mood of contentment. The beauty of the wilderness was much too awe-inspiring to let personal discomfort intervene. My friends (Mike Dick & Ernie Shack) and I camped here for a couple days seeing only a few others...two women who had taken a side trip (for swimming and fishing) from hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The weather was grand! On our return trek, we took the June Mountain Trail to Long John Mtn., then down a rib into the creek bed and eventually hitting the roads end where we had parked.....the creek was a brushy bastard! Not a route I ever plan on doing again to say the least. The creek however provided some soothing comfort for my sore feet when I stuck them into the cold waters during a rest break. Nobody had any bandages or moleskin so I hobbled the best I could there forward. And when we arrived back at our vehicle that day, the two big blisters on each of my heels were the size of a US quarter.....and "NO" I never wore those damn boots again!

Ken James McLeod © 1979

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