Appleton Pass-Cat Lake Traverse,  Olympic National Park,  Sep 8, 2008 - Sep 12, 2008     page 41 / 71

In the morning we awoke to another clear day. Our plan was to spend two nights at Cat Lake before making our way out. We would split today. Dad would hike to a ridge nearby to take a look down on Haigs Lake, to the north. In the meantime, I would hike east to the end of the HIgh Divide Trail, then climb Cat Peak.

I set out on my solo adventure around 9:00 AM. The air was cool and the sky was clear. This was perfect hiking weather.

I rejoined the High Divide trail in a half mile or so. The high meadows south of Cat Lake were as colorful as those above our lake...and full of bear, as well. Throughout our stay at Cat Lake, we watched two, sometimes three bear, in the high meadows above Cat Lake. They were undoubtedly eating as many of those ripe huckleberries as they could before winter set in! Incidentally, it was Cat Lake where Herb Crisler filmed a bear swimming in the lake. This is why the lake is also known as Swimming Bear Lake.