SmithbrookRecent Trip Reports
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Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail | Avalanche danger | Road to trailhead inaccessible
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This was not my first hike to this area but was only my 3rd snowshoe outing. I didnt have any...
This was not my first hike to this area but was only my 3rd snowshoe outing. I didnt have any issue with distance or weight even though i realy over pack on trips like this were im out in a remote area by myself.
That being said, In the future I will leave this for a summer hike. The views were obscured by thick trees for most of the trip, and if not for a gps i would have had no idea were the trail was due to the large amount of snow,(in the valley aproaching Janus Lake) and not another set of tracks anywere past smithbrook trail. Also i didnt feel safe with all the sink holes (wells) around so many trees and large boulders hidden under the snow. There were a number of water crossings (if you could call them that) As I was walking along I would come to a area were water running could be heard then there would be a deep hole were the snow had melted or fell threw down to the little stream underneath, this left me wondering how much area i was covering that just had not fell threw yet. There were around 10 times i came to areas were there were signs of this. In some of these spots the fall would be over 6ft and if you didnt break your ankle good luck crawling out without a helping hand. The last problem I encountered on this hike was crossing the rock fields that looked very prone to avalanche danger. Any way that was my take on this hike for this time of year. keep in mind im a noob when it comes to snowshoeing :) I turned back .5 miles before lake janus and retraced my steps to hwy 2 for a total of 11 miles rnd trip and 1500 ft elev. gain to saddle then 800 down into the valley and back.
Smithbrook
— Jan 07, 2012
— wolfwoman
Snowshoe/XC Ski
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Blissman and I attempted to snowshoe to Mt. McCauslin, but it didn't quite go as planned. We saw some backcountry...
Blissman and I attempted to snowshoe to Mt. McCauslin, but it didn't quite go as planned. We saw some backcountry skiers in the parking lot, but stayed ahead of them until we met up where the route leaves the road for the backcountry. That was just fine and we followed their route mindlessly for several hundred feet of elevation until we came to a flat open spot where it became apparent to me that we'd gone way too far and missed our route to McCauslin. No problem, we were on the route to Jove Peak and a summit that I hadn't done before. It seemed like a great destination since I'd already been to McCauslin. Well, we wouldn't quite make it to Jove today either, but close enough for a good day The conditions were a bit tough with a foot or so of powder covering a sheet of ice. The route got very steep and every step up was a half step sliding down. For a couple of very good reasons we decided to turn back at the ridge and considering the short days it was a good decision. We were back at the parking lot at 4:30. A very pleasant day and Blissman felt sure that he remembered an easier route for next time so we'll be back again for the summit!
Day hike
Issues:
Blowdowns | Overgrown | Snow on trail
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I had this day hike on my "to-do" list for later but with the bad weather coming, today was the...
I had this day hike on my "to-do" list for later but with the bad weather coming, today was the perfect day to go for the walk. I was rewarded with a great walk in the woods with a great stop for lunch at Lake Valhalla.
Road to trail: There was about 1-2" of snow on the Smith Brook Road heading up from US2 and it was drivable in my car. Watch out for potholes in the first 2 miles. Route: My idea, based on review of trail maps and my handy GPS was to take trail 1590 which paralleled the ridge (vice going up the Smith Brook Trail completely) and meet up with the Smith Brook Trail to get to the PCT... bad move. Turns out trail 1590 is blown down and not maintained so I found what remained of the trail and made it up to Union Gap. Snow near the Smith Brook Trailhead was minimal (1-2") and as I went up, the depth of the snow on the PCT was no more than 4" in open areas. The PCT and Smith Brook Trail are in great condition given the time of the year and were easy to follow. Recommendation: Just take the Smith Brook Trail up to the PCT. Weather/conditions: The temperature at 8am was around 28F and winds calm. At Lake Valhalla, there was a breeze (5-10MPH) that made it just chilly enough to throw on another layer while I took in the view and ate my lunch. When I got back at 1pm, it was a warm 45F and a lot of the snow had melted due to the very sunny day. I just walked in my boots with gaiters to the Lake and on the way back, I slipped on my Kahtoola spikes for added traction which was great going downhill. The sun was melting snow on the trees and knocking down snow and freezing up sections of trail that were shaded. Wildlife: It was really quiet, with the exception of occasional birds. I only saw a deer and a squirrel on my way to Lake Valhalla. People: I was the only one out there until about noon when I saw a young couple with their dog hiking towards the Lake. All in all this is a great hike and I was glad to do it in late fall. I am excited to do this hike in the summer to see what it looks like then. Day hike
Features:
Fall foliage | Ripe berries
Issues:
Mudholes | Snow on trail
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drove to the smithbrook road trailhead with dk my 40 pound mixed breed dog. we took off on the new...
drove to the smithbrook road trailhead with dk my 40 pound mixed breed dog. we took off on the new spur trail heading to union gap and the PCT. there was numerous streams crossing the trail so dk could keep hydrated on the climb up. once at the junction for the PCT we headed south towards lake valhalla. nearing the pass above the lake we ran into snow on the trail and the spur trail leading up the mountain. this trail starts out relatively flat crossing huckleberry and blueberry laden meadows. then it gets down to business climbing nearly straight up the south face of the mountain. there was deep snow in the trail rut but footing was stable despite the snow and was easy to follow. dk was actually blazing the trail as no one else had ventured this high as evidenced by the lack of boot prints on the snow. we crested the south face and traversed across the summit ridge to the north. we came upon the rocky summit with views north to glacier peak however did not attempt the scramble to the true summit. turning around we traced our prints back to the south and marvelous views of snowy peaks, flaming meadows and lake valhalla. i stopped for a quick bite to eat while dk snacked on doggy bacon strips. the berrys at the higher elevation were fresher and tastier than those on the return trail to the gap.
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming | Fall foliage | Ripe berries
Issues:
Water on trail | Snow on trail
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The six of us who went to Lake Valhalla yesterday encountered every kind of weather—sun, gloom, sleet, snow and rain—but...
The six of us who went to Lake Valhalla yesterday encountered every kind of weather—sun, gloom, sleet, snow and rain—but we were prepared with warm, waterproof clothing including hats and gloves, and because the hunting season on the Crest Trail had already started (according to the two old guys in camo who sat next to us at the Sultan Bakery), we were also bright in red, hot pink, yellow, light blue and poison green. The trail from the parking lot to the Crest Trail and the first part of the Crest trail were muddy with puddles. About one-quarter mile past Union Gap we began to see fresh snow on the ground, and soon the trail was snow covered. All at the same time, the fall foliage and the new snow on the peaks were gorgeous, and there were flowers along the road to the trailhead. Surprisingly, there were still blueberries on the bushes, some tastier than others. We all had good boots and poles so we had no trouble walking on the snow, but when we began to see snow flurries blowing across the lake, we decided it was time to turn back.
We did not come in from Stevens Pass on the Crest Trail, the long way. We drove 3 miles east of Stevens Pass, turned north on Smithbrook Road, and in another three miles came to a parking lot and the trailhead for Lake Valhalla, Lake Janus and the Crest Trail. We climbed 1 1/2 miles through forest to Union Gap (the sign was missing), the junction with the Crest trail, and turned left, south, 2 miles to Lake Valhalla. |
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