Name: Peter Pande Lake #27E14
Rating: 4.0

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Features Commonly Backpacked · Fishing · Lake · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Wilderness permits are required. There are trail quotas for some approaches (Fish Creek, Duck Pass, McGee Pass), but there are no quotas for trails starting from Edison Lake (Goodale Pass, Silver Pass, or the Big Margaret Lakes\Arch Rock). No campfires are allowed near the lake.

Description

The signed junction for Peter Pande Lake is on the Minnow Creek #27E02 trail, about 0.6 miles from the Wilber May Lake #27E68 trail and 0.8 miles from Grassy Lake. The trail starts up through the meadow, which made me wonder if I was going the wrong way. After 100-200 yards, it turned left, crossed the stream and headed up the canyon as expected.

After 1/2 mile it crosses a stream (dry in late season), turns right and climbs the ridge that leads to Peter Pande. It is only another 1/2 mile to top of the ridge, but it appears that you are near the top, well before you actually reach it.

Once on the ridge, I found a good camping spot in the sand between the rocks. It had a great view and no mosquitoes. The trail continues near the top of the ridge until it is 200 feet higher than Peter Pande. At 1.8 miles, it turns right and drops to the lake. If you continue straight ahead, instead of turning, there is a small lake in front of you. The lake would be more beautiful if it was farther back in the canyon, below the Silver Divide.

Once you reach Peter Pande, you can camp on the northeast side of the lake, or you can cross the outlet stream between Peter Pande and a small pond to reach many camping spots on the northwest side of the lake. Except in late season, you'll probably have to wade across the outlet stream.

There is no trail to Anne Lake which is only 200 feet above the southwest end of Peter Pande. But it is not a difficult climb.

On the map, it looks like you should be able to scramble down the outlet stream from Peter Pande to meet the trail going to Olive Lake at a point less that 1/2 mile and 160 feet in elevation from the lake. Indeed, two separate groups and I went down that way one morning. However, it was more precarious than my comfort zone, and I cannot recommend it for non-rock climbers. There is a reason the trail to Peter Pande goes over the ridge instead of coming up this way.