Rachel Lake — Wednesday, Jun. 27, 2012

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

Let it be known that this trail (and most others which go above 4000' and don't face south) is still buried under snow. all that being said, it's still possible to get along the first 90% of the way to Rachel Lake on the trail if you keep your eyes open. Think of it not so much as a hike, but as an opportunity to practice tracking. Perseverance will reward you with a new skill. The trail will wax and wane, and by the time you return to your car, you will be feeling like quite the woodsman/woodswoman, picking out the faint details of the trail as it tries to elude you under snowbanks and through stream beds. Hopefully you feel that way. That or you get lost and experience some REAL adventure. Having said this, we didn't make it to the lake. With no more than 1/3 of a mile remaining, the trail finally hides under a 40+in snow pack and you will get lost. Remain calm. The trail is somewhere between Box Creek on your left and the creek from Little Lila Lake on your right. We tried a trek straight up between the creeks, but had to turn back after being confronted, with 150' left, by a pitch which required ice axes and some rope. This is not the real trail (Right? We don't know. First time on this hike), and after getting this far, we had used the last of our viable daylight, and so we turned back towards home and hearth. Details about the hike The first mile is on decently marked mudholes that someone is trying to pass off as a trail. If you make it to the first snowbank without soaking your shoes: you, sir or ma'am, must be in a helicopter. Even then your shoes might not be safe. It's that muddy. Then the snow begins. Consider this your warmup round. For the next 1.5 miles, the trail appears and disappears under banks of snow. In places where the trail is covered, recent foot traffic has left you plenty of tracks to follow. This is good and bad. Beware the handful of lesser orienteers before you. Stick with the majority on this one and when in doubt, keep the creek near to your left. Also, start being aware of streams and logs. The snow packs have started melting and will be undercut near these, increasing risk (up to DEFCON 1) of post-holing. You will notice previous hikers (but not us, of course) have fallen victim to such danger. Starting around 2.5 miles in, the trail planners decided that the best course for hikers to take was through what must be (I'm convinced) the spillways for Hoover Dam. There is a significant flow of water on, over, and under the trail, but for the first time since hitting snow, the trail is consistently visible. Now, sarcasm aside for a moment, the trail planners made a lot of mistakes selecting the route for this trail BUT one benefit to having some much flowing water on the trail this early in the season is that the snow covering the trail melts off much sooner than the surrounding snow which isn't exposed to the flow. Just something to think about. Anyway, also on this section, and between deluges, there is a pair of twin 4' diameter firs which fell on the trail. Not across, mind you, where just their trunks would block the way, but on. A good 60'+ section of trail on a steep hillside is completely blocked by the trees. Trail crews take note: this would be a good 1-2 day project. About 3.25 miles in you rise above the valley floor, getting your first good views of Hibox Mountain and the south end of Rampart Ridge. From here on up, the trail has yet to arise from its hibernation. In the last half-mile before Rachel Lake, snow again covers the trail and the footprints of recent hikers fade or turn around. Your last sure sign of being on the trail is a 'No campfires above 4000ft' notice nailed to a tree. After this, you are to forge your own path. If you do, make sure you can find your way back. Of note: we saw an American Marten (an adorable member of the weasel family) scampering around in the snow. Unfortunately no photo was taken. Believe or disbelieve. As stated earlier, we got within 150' of the ridge line, but turned back due to lack of gear, not being on the trail, and a shortness of daylight. But it was fun anyway. Bring boots, spare socks (or sandals even, though I made due for a while in Vibrams), and sunglasses to cut down on the snow glare. Another couple of weeks and this trail will be clear and easy to follow, but for now it's more of an adventure than than one might expect, but hopefully not more than you bargained for.