Snow Lake, Source Lake
Oct 03, 2009
by
Robert Michelson
—
last modified
Oct 14, 2009 02:08 PM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Snow Lake
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
- Agency: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - North Bend District
- Trails: Snow Lake (#1013)
- Avg Rating: 4.11
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Source Lake
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
- Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Snoqualmie Ranger District, North Bend Office
- Trails: Source Lake (#1013.2)
- Avg Rating: 4.00
- Why You Should Go Now
- Wildflowers blooming
- Fall foliage
- Ripe berries
- Be Aware Of
- Blowdowns
Looking northwest from the ridgetop.
Snow Lake 10/3/2009
What a beautiful crisp autumn day it was ! The forecast rain did not happen so I carried my rain gear in my pack all day. Our low temperature was 32 degrees at the parking lot with a high of about 43 in the late afternoon. Frost was on the bushes and ice on the trail in the shady spots. There were some beautiful ice crystals too. It was a mix of sun and clouds with more clouds later in the day. My group of 6 Mountaineers were rewarded for not canceling due to the bad weather forecast. We were all prepared for a cold wet day, but we got a nice day instead.
Trail 1013 climbs 1300 feet from the Alpental parking lot to the ridge top pass overlooking the lake at 4400 ft. Then the trail drops 400 feet to the lake shore. The stone foundations of a shelter building (probably built by the CCC in the 1930’s) remain near the shore line. A tiny waterfall drops into a picturesque pool just above the shelter. We left the crowd at the main beach area and continued on around the north side of the lake on the route to the lake outlet and the high trail to Gem Lake. We had lunch on a cold, sunny little peninsula with a full lake view. After lunch on the trail just above the lake shore we watched trout swimming in the super clear, clean , turquoise water. Then we proceeded on to admire the north side views of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie river valley.
On return we detoured at the ridge top and had a 2nd lunch break on a huge flat boulder with a full view of the lake basin. Here a bluebird amused us and came very close for birdseed. From this spot the , now abandoned, old trail proceeds across and then down the valley, finally joining the new trail at about the 1.5 mile point up from the parking lot. This old trail is more scenic and lonely but it does have some obstacles to cross. There are two small waterfalls and a major rock fall area to cross. Also a view of tiny Source Lake below, which is the source of the South Fork Snoqualmie river. Snow Lake drains into the Middle Fork Snoqualmie river.
Snow Lake is ringed with craggy peaks which all got a dusting of snow overnight: Denny, The Tooth, Chair, Wright, Roosevelt, Snoqualmie, and Bryant. These mountains rise about 2000 ft. above the lake shore. The pass is on the ridge line between Chair and Snoqualmie peaks.
There are 6 criteria for a classic trail, it is rare for any trail to have them all. Snow Lake scored very highly on this day.
1. Forest yes, classic old growth fir/hemlock
2. Flowers/berries/fall color yes all, sweet blueberries
3. Water yes, lake and baby waterfalls
4. Wildlife yes, bluebird, raven, pika, trout, other birds.
5. Views yes, lake and mountains all around
6. Solitude partial
I first saw Snow Lake in 1992. Thousands of hikers come here each year , because it’s a beautiful and accessible area. This is one of the jewels of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Statistics: 8 miles, 1800 ft. gain
62 miles from my Seattle home.
Robert Michelson
Seattle Mountaineers
What a beautiful crisp autumn day it was ! The forecast rain did not happen so I carried my rain gear in my pack all day. Our low temperature was 32 degrees at the parking lot with a high of about 43 in the late afternoon. Frost was on the bushes and ice on the trail in the shady spots. There were some beautiful ice crystals too. It was a mix of sun and clouds with more clouds later in the day. My group of 6 Mountaineers were rewarded for not canceling due to the bad weather forecast. We were all prepared for a cold wet day, but we got a nice day instead.
Trail 1013 climbs 1300 feet from the Alpental parking lot to the ridge top pass overlooking the lake at 4400 ft. Then the trail drops 400 feet to the lake shore. The stone foundations of a shelter building (probably built by the CCC in the 1930’s) remain near the shore line. A tiny waterfall drops into a picturesque pool just above the shelter. We left the crowd at the main beach area and continued on around the north side of the lake on the route to the lake outlet and the high trail to Gem Lake. We had lunch on a cold, sunny little peninsula with a full lake view. After lunch on the trail just above the lake shore we watched trout swimming in the super clear, clean , turquoise water. Then we proceeded on to admire the north side views of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie river valley.
On return we detoured at the ridge top and had a 2nd lunch break on a huge flat boulder with a full view of the lake basin. Here a bluebird amused us and came very close for birdseed. From this spot the , now abandoned, old trail proceeds across and then down the valley, finally joining the new trail at about the 1.5 mile point up from the parking lot. This old trail is more scenic and lonely but it does have some obstacles to cross. There are two small waterfalls and a major rock fall area to cross. Also a view of tiny Source Lake below, which is the source of the South Fork Snoqualmie river. Snow Lake drains into the Middle Fork Snoqualmie river.
Snow Lake is ringed with craggy peaks which all got a dusting of snow overnight: Denny, The Tooth, Chair, Wright, Roosevelt, Snoqualmie, and Bryant. These mountains rise about 2000 ft. above the lake shore. The pass is on the ridge line between Chair and Snoqualmie peaks.
There are 6 criteria for a classic trail, it is rare for any trail to have them all. Snow Lake scored very highly on this day.
1. Forest yes, classic old growth fir/hemlock
2. Flowers/berries/fall color yes all, sweet blueberries
3. Water yes, lake and baby waterfalls
4. Wildlife yes, bluebird, raven, pika, trout, other birds.
5. Views yes, lake and mountains all around
6. Solitude partial
I first saw Snow Lake in 1992. Thousands of hikers come here each year , because it’s a beautiful and accessible area. This is one of the jewels of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Statistics: 8 miles, 1800 ft. gain
62 miles from my Seattle home.
Robert Michelson
Seattle Mountaineers
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Mini falls and pool.
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Source lake and valley facing east.
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Chair Peak , view to the south.
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