airborne1092
Hero Member
- #1
Thread Owner
Pan for Garnets in the Wenatchee National Forest, above Lake Wenatchee.
You can probably make this trip with a low-clearance SUV (i.e. Subraru or VW 4motion, etc) but just in case I would suggest a higher clearance AWD/4X4 in case there are some wash-outs in the road. the further you go, the worse the road gets. I would recommend a spade, a small rake, a classifier or gem sieve, and a bucket. Wear either water shoes, sandals, or knee-high rubber boots depending on the season and your tolerance to cold water.
Directions:
From the NW end of Lake Wenatchee, Take the Little Wenatchee Rd/NF road 65/6500
To the 4th left onto Rainy Creek Rd.
Cross over the Little Wenatchee River.
Take the next right onto Labyrinth Mountain FS Rd 6701.
Cross over Rainy Creek and pass Rainy Creek Campground.
Continue over Theseus Creek and take the next left onto "Heather Lake Th Forest Service 6701-400 Rd."
To the Heather Lake Trail #1526" parking area.
Loc: 47.86898, -121.07014
Information:
When I was there, there was parking for about 10 vehicles, and a pit toilet - bring your own paper JIC.
The trail is about 2-3 miles long to Heather Lake. Most of the way, the trail parallels Lake Creek. The marker on the map is where I found garnets in schist and loose in the creek bottom, 2-5mm. I only went this far with my two 'tween boys, wife and dog because the dog *refused* to go any further and alerted to something (?) ahead. I'm told, the garnets are larger the closer you get to Heather Lake. My understanding is, most folks look at the first gentle bend in Lake Creek, between Heather Lake and the 1st label for Lake Creek (ref. the map pic.)
Loc: 47.85871, -121.11733
Have fun, be safe, and good luck!
**Disclaimers:
I don't know where the land boundaries are, so prospect at your own risk.
I would recommend a sidearm for protection. There are bear, cougar, sasquatch, and maybe even wolves in the area, as well as the ever present two-legged predators.
The pictures I've uploaded are not mine, and I stole them from a web search for this area. I'm sorry if they are yours. (WA Trails Assc., Designs by Kim, et al.)
You can probably make this trip with a low-clearance SUV (i.e. Subraru or VW 4motion, etc) but just in case I would suggest a higher clearance AWD/4X4 in case there are some wash-outs in the road. the further you go, the worse the road gets. I would recommend a spade, a small rake, a classifier or gem sieve, and a bucket. Wear either water shoes, sandals, or knee-high rubber boots depending on the season and your tolerance to cold water.
Directions:
From the NW end of Lake Wenatchee, Take the Little Wenatchee Rd/NF road 65/6500
To the 4th left onto Rainy Creek Rd.
Cross over the Little Wenatchee River.
Take the next right onto Labyrinth Mountain FS Rd 6701.
Cross over Rainy Creek and pass Rainy Creek Campground.
Continue over Theseus Creek and take the next left onto "Heather Lake Th Forest Service 6701-400 Rd."
To the Heather Lake Trail #1526" parking area.
Loc: 47.86898, -121.07014
Information:
When I was there, there was parking for about 10 vehicles, and a pit toilet - bring your own paper JIC.
The trail is about 2-3 miles long to Heather Lake. Most of the way, the trail parallels Lake Creek. The marker on the map is where I found garnets in schist and loose in the creek bottom, 2-5mm. I only went this far with my two 'tween boys, wife and dog because the dog *refused* to go any further and alerted to something (?) ahead. I'm told, the garnets are larger the closer you get to Heather Lake. My understanding is, most folks look at the first gentle bend in Lake Creek, between Heather Lake and the 1st label for Lake Creek (ref. the map pic.)
Loc: 47.85871, -121.11733
Have fun, be safe, and good luck!
**Disclaimers:
I don't know where the land boundaries are, so prospect at your own risk.
I would recommend a sidearm for protection. There are bear, cougar, sasquatch, and maybe even wolves in the area, as well as the ever present two-legged predators.
The pictures I've uploaded are not mine, and I stole them from a web search for this area. I'm sorry if they are yours. (WA Trails Assc., Designs by Kim, et al.)
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