Flapjack Lakes '08,  Olympic National Park,  Oct 11, 2008 - Oct 12, 2008     page 32 / 36

I still wanted to visit Black and White Lakes, but did not want to hike all the way over there and then have to return to Flapjack for the night. With plenty of the afternoon remaining, I decided to pack up all my gear and hike to the other lakes, deciding there whether to stay the night in the high country or head into the valley. The forecast was for possible showers that evening or the following morning.

I made my way down the rough trail to the junction then followed the Black and White Lakes way trail. The trail crosses Donahue creek then begins climbing steeply. A couple of unnamed creeks are crossed, one with a small waterfall. The grade then eases a bit, traversinging along steep slopes of fir and vine maple. The vine maple along this western slope added bright reds, yellows and oranges to the hillside.

Nearly a mile up the hill, the forest gives way to brush and another trail junction is passed. The lakes lie about a quarter mile further up the hill. The larger lake was considerably more impressive than I had imagined. The fall colors were intense, adding flavor to an area that might otherwise be considered mundane.