(mm2203.7) You are about to enter Indian Heaven National Wilderness Area (IHWA). You will be in IHWA for 16.4 miles. Indian Heaven is the southernmost of the ten NWA's on the PCT in Washington state. It was established in 1984, along with four of the others. Indian Heaven is known for wildflower color and swarms of biting insects in the summer.
IHWA is a forested high plateau, with open meadows and more than 150 lakes. Many of the lakes are stocked with rainbow and brook trout.
The wilderness covers a portion of the Indian Heaven volcanic field which includes a number of dormant shield volcanoes, Lemei Rock being the largest and most central of them. You have already seen the "big lava bed" that marks the southern end of the volcanic field and it's most recent lava flow.
This area was originally known as "Sahalee Tyee" in the Chinook language, which roughly translates to "Indian Heaven". For at least 10,000 years this has been a culturally important native gathering place. The Yakima, Klickitat, Wasco, Wishram, and Umatilla tribes have all gathered here.
Blue Lake is a notable milestone for PCT hikers in the IHWA
Blue Lake from the ledge on Gifford Peak
Geometry
Lone Butte from near Wood Lake
East Crater and Gifford Peak from Lemei Rock
Lake Wapiki from Lemei Rock
