Reader Lakes and Vicinity
The Reader Lakes region begins as you leave Chepeta Lake and begin your slow ascent to North Pole Pass. The area is heavily timbered and the trail is mostly uphill for the majority of this section. Water is a little more limited in this area than in most other parts of the trail. About 2 miles from Chepeta Lake you will come to Sharlee Lake. The lake sits in a pretty valley that frequently has moose in or near the lake. From here, the trail begins another climb through the timber as you climb towards North Pole Pass. The valley below the trail has a nice stream and has multiple camping sites.
This area is a good place to assess weather conditions before continuing on toward North Pole Pass. Once you leave the timberline at the head of the Reader Lakes Basin, you will be exposed in alpine tundra for over 3.5 miles, between 10,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation, before descending off North Pole pass and into more timber near Brooks Lake.
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