Let me back up and describe the location of this popular destination.  The trailhead is located by following the dirt road that extends past Lake Kachess campground off of I-90.  From the trailhead a fairly mellow trail leads several miles through a valley, meanwhile weaving in and out of fern meadows and gently brushing up against a creek, which extends from the lakes above.  The creek splashes over slabs of bedrock, ground smooth by the glaciers of the past.

    After what seemed like little time at all, the trail reached the end of the graceful U-shaped valley and I began to climb up to Rachel Lake.  At this time the playful pattering of the creek intensified with the incline and every time the trail switch-backed near the creek, I was treated with a slightly different waterfall.  Like the valley below, the incline felt short and ended revealing water typical of mountain lakes.  This water is so clear that the only thing preventing one from seeing the bottom are the physical properties of water that slowly diminish the amount of light present as the depth increases.  When looking down into these lakes, instead of seeing the bottom one sees a pure shade of dark blue in the middle with turquoise rocks sloping down around all the edges. 

    After a quick lunch (Nutella and crackers) I continue to the top of the ridge.  Here, Rampart Lakes where I would camp, were to my right, and Alta Mountain, which was what really attracted me to this location, was to my left.  I turned right and hiked about mile before deciding that something didn’t feel right.  My map revealed that I’d taken a wrong turn and the gentle ridge of Alta mountain that had slowly been rising next to me was now an overwhelmingly steep cliff that I had to navigate around.  Thanks to firmly rooted bushes, my detour did eventually lead me to the top of the ridge. From here I flowed a trail along the top of a razor back ridge to the summit. 

    After I’d had my fill, I headed down to Rampart Lakes to set up camp.  After a few minutes of puttering around and dodging other tents, I found a campsite with the view of Alta Mountain I’d been waiting for.  After dinner I spent an hour clambering back up Alta Mountain (which felt much steeper the second time around) to snap some shots of the sunset.  The hike back to camp was the longest stretch of trail I’d walked all day as I had completed my mission of tiring myself out and was ready for bed. 

    I awoke several times.  The first time, I saw a seasoned glow of the evening’s sunset.  Next I saw millions of stars slowly masked by the light of the rising moon, and last I saw one of the neatest sunrises I’ve ever seen.  Clouds flowed over the peaks like stands of golden cotton candy blowing in the wind.

    By 9:30 in the morning I’d walked around all of Rampart Lakes, bringing my picture tally for the trip up to an outrageous number somewhere above 500.  Camp was a snap to pack up and I spent the next two and a half hours saying goodbye to the mystical wilderness as I ventured to the parking lot.