Alpine Lakes Wilderness area trip by a newbie - feedback appreciated

[dalmer]

Hello there,

Just started hunting last year so I'm still a newbie.  I've been reading various postings in these forums and would greatly appreciate any feedback you might have for me.

A friend of mine and I went to the Chiwaukum Creek Trail (#1571) and hiked up to Chiwaukum Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area and hoped to see some bucks for the high hunt.  Chiwaukum Lake is about 5200 feet in elevation and from our camp we could see the snowline about 1000' or so feet above us.

Long story short:  no sign, deer, bear, nothing.  Saw three other folks who hadn't seen anything either but they camped in the lower elevations.  The weather did not cooperate and it was pouring rain and foggy as all get out! 

I don't get too disappointed when I don't see critters and chalk it up to learning, as I'm late to the game and trying my best to learn all I can.

Should I have been up on the ridges where the snow was?  Has anyone else found this area to be productive?  I'm not asking for specifics on your "honey holes" but rather wondering if I was just flat out not high enough in elevation, etc.  The terrain even at the lower elevations seemed to be promising, but resembled more of the west side blacktail areas that I've been going through.

I noticed that an outfitter had brought a bunch of horses into the area but went more towards the south, so perhaps next year I'll meander that way.

Again, thanks for your time and for posting all the great information in other areas on this site, I'm learning a lot!

Stay safe,

don

[MuleySniper]

One of my dads buddies has been packing in to the Alpine Lakes wilderness for almost thirty years. He's getting up there in age. I honestly think he has killed maybe 5 bucks. Sees tons of bears, has seen a handful of cougars, a gazillion grouse and insane trout fishing. Then there are the guys who do kill a buck each year. I think there are so many variables that early in the year that can make or break that trip. Like you said, socked in with fog and rain. My dad has told me times when he used to go, it would be in the sixties one day and you'd wake up to a foot of snow the next. I honestly thing that hunt is more for the experience and actually harvesting a deer is just an added bonus. That's just my thoughts though, like I said, there are guys that are real successful each year getting their buck.
MS

[ICEMAN]

dalmer, for a newbie, that is a hell of a hunt, congrats on you for taking it on.

[jjhunter]

I hunted the Alpine Lakes one time - at that time, I was pretty green when it came to hunting the high country.   I hunted very hard and saw a ton of sign, but only one deer.   It was 24-25" 3-point that I jumped on a the edge of shelf.    I was so exhuasted by that time, I did not even think about shooting it.   

[stormin85]

me and a buddy hunted Apline lakes last week and it was awesome, we were on deer and elk both days we were up there, like you said a lot of sign, literally it was everywhere, but it is hard to get on them, consistently anyways, the other thing is you need to have four or five days to really put a good hunt together, we did it in two and back packed our selves in, i'm not out of shape but man was i smoked, we got there friday morning at six, hiked out sunday morning at seven, so it was crammed, but that unit is good, there are some factors that i would change, but if you have the time and resources its worth it, my uncle has hunted it for about the last thirty years and consistently pulls an elk and buck from there as well, just put in your time there are honey holes up there, its just finding them.

good luck.

[haugenna]

The fog will make a good hunt turn bad in a hurry.  Way to stick with it though. 

[muleracks]

Dalmer,  You were in good country.  Down at Chiwaukum Lake you should have seen does, fawns and young bucks but the bush was wet; deer bedded in a dry spot.  Right after things dried the deer should have been out.  For the bucks you really needed to move on up to Larch and Cup Lakes, to Deadhorse Pass and along the Chiwaukum Ridge.  The easiest and shortest way to access that area is from the Whitepine/Deadhorse Pass trail.
The reason the outfitter's camp is in the South Chiwaukum Creek area is that the entire McCue Basin is closed to stock.

[Ray]

I've hunted not far from there as the crow flies. I think you have to get up higher (not necessarily your camp but where you hunt). Look into any avalanche bowls, near ridges at dawn. Glass.

[Chesapeake]

Never bean to that specific place but looking at Google earth the lowest I would have camped would be in the bowl with the 3 ponds just to the south of the lake. The Larch and Cup lakes mentioned also look decent. For sure I would have bean up higher and likely up on one of the ridges were I could hunt bowls on both sides without too much travel.

[dalmer]

Thanks so much for the information, folks... I really appreciate it!  I enjoyed the area and the hike and don't mind putting the work in as long as I know that at least I'm going the right way, ha ha ha.

I appreciate all of your comments and appreciate your encouragement.  Have a good starting point for a plan for next year's high buck hunt and can spend all summer in the nicer weather scouting the area!

Stay safe,

don

[colockumelk]

my uncle has hunted it for about the last thirty years and consistently pulls an elk and buck from there as well, just put in your time there are honey holes up there, its just finding them.

good luck.

I've got alot of respect for your uncle.  Especially for pulling an Archery bull out of there every year.  That is quite a feat indead.  Ask him if he needs any new friends