Trip Reports

road to trailhead inaccessible. ran into increasingly wet deep snow at bridge and encountered truck who turned us back saying he had turned back due to deep snow and was happy he was able to make it out.

Girlfriend, dog, and I started hiking about 10am Saturday. A group of Boy Scouts were camping at the trailhead - apparently got caught off guard with Denny Creek Campsite being closed.
Easy hiking up to first creek crossing, where the bridge is still out. There is a bever dam that some were attempting to cross, successfully. However we chose to walk straight across and with safe steps water never got higher than mid boot.
The first 3 miles on both Saturday and Sunday were un-eventful. Good views of Franklin Falls and some snow. Trail was packed well and no need for snowshoes here. Microspikes would be helpful but some were without - the snow was slushy enough where it was not a big difference.
Mile 3 until the lake (4.7) we used snowshoes. On the way up Saturday the trail was somewhat packed, but overnight there was almost a foot of fresh snow so snowshoes were mandatory for our return trip. At least two others make the hike to the lake on Sunday, including our tracks out - the trail should still be visible. Snow was still falling as we left - so I would highly recommend snowshoes if you intend to make the lake.
Some exposed areas are avalanche prone. Make sure to check the forecast and hike safely through the open areas.
The lake is nearly 100% frozen, there is still running water coming out - which was somewhat treacherous to cross to get to our intended campsite. No signs of wildlife at the campsite, even the birds were out of sight.

Wonderful Trip, hiking up was tough but hiking out was one of the best snowshoe trips I've ever had.

After getting pelted with rain all the way to the summit of Teneriffe two days earlier, I figured there couldn't be too much snow on the trail to Kaleetan Peak.

I was wrong.

It's the worst kind of early season snow, too: unconsolidated, hiding massive voids below. My solid steps were punctuated by frequent postholing, which wasn't quite frequent enough not to come as a shock each and every time. It was enough to keep me from my target: Kaleetan Peak.

The good news for anyone setting out for Denny Creek or Melakwa Lakes: the trail's been stamped in pretty well to the viewpoint of Kaleetan just short of the lakes. The footing is pretty solid. The creek crossings are pretty icy.

Where the snowshoe tracks end, so does the decent footing. Bring snowshoes or prepare to flail around, fall over and generally go very very slowly uphill. The ridge run to Kaleetan is particularly bad - nearly every step sunk me hip-deep. I was not too proud to crawl (I had no choice).

There's definitely some avvy risk on steep leeward slopes. Not a lot of those here, though.

I made it to the trailhead at about 11:00 and started off in fairly heavy rain. Just after making it past the I-90 overpass it turned to snow and accumulated quickly. By 2:30 I had made it to within 3/4 of a mile of the lake, however the snow was about 2' deep, the wind was coming up and in the interest of safety I turned back. At this point the only realistic way to make it to the lake will be with snowshoes as the trail was fully covered.

Overall a nice hike though with a mix of avalanche chutes, woods, streams, meadows and waterfalls everywhere. I'll be back with my snowshoes yet this winter.

Snow beginning at trailhead. 0-2 inches packed on trail for first 1.5 miles until the falls. From 1.5 miles until the pass, snow depth beside trail gradually increased to about 16 inches. A fair amount of boot tracks before us so trail was easy to follow and not too difficult to hike in the those steps.

Snow and ice on the trail after the second mile in. Boots, poles and some sort of traction device is advised. Saw a number of people out in shorts, and without packs. Everybody has their level of comfort, but I'd rather not read about how he/she realized their limit on the news. Be safe, and have fun!

Snow on the hike! MAX was excited the whole time. Not too steep, so the legs were fine coming down

snow on trail from snowshoe falls, a couple inches up to about a foot at the lake. trail had no footprints but was easy to follow. hit trailhead at 11:30 & returned to car at 14:15, pretty quick & easy hike.

Fall, at least Fall color may be over. While not quite Winter, even if it felt like it some of the day, the snow has snuffed out the color quite quickly.

Traces of snow at the start that gets to about 3 or 4 inches as you climb toward Hemlock Pass and down to the lake. Actually, the snow depth varies along the hike with thinner and thicker spots. It was on the edge of freezing so that the trees were dropping snow in the morning and then lots of watery mist in the afternoon.

The first creek crossing at the granite slabs is a rock hop and was not bad with a few moving rocks. The second one further up was on a snowy log with interesting footing.

On the way out, there was more slush as more boots packed and softened the snow. The snow and rocky trail made for some interesting footing.

The sun broke out a few times on the trip and there were small patches of blue on occasion.

There were quite a number of parties out today. Quite a few were in sneakers/running shoes which may be getting to be inappropriate given the snow. But I would imagine that this snow will be gone and the trails, this one and others, will be snow free for a bit longer before the snow becomes a permanent Fall/Winter fixture.

All in all, a nice day and full workout.

Beautiful sunny fall morning- spectacular foliage, good trail conditions. Denny creek was an easy crossing. After reading about bear sightings on the Katwalk last week, I wore a bear bell on my pack. Initially, I felt like an idiot, but just below Hemlock Pass, I came across a very fresh, large black bear print on the trail in some soft mud. Being alone, and having seen not one other person since I started out, I got nervous and turned around. Did not get to see the lake, but the beautiful views and the rainbow foliage on the way up were worth it anyway.

Felt like reconnoitering Kaleetan Peak today so I headed for the Denny Creek trailhead. Parking was kind of a pain as this seemed to be quite the popular destination today, but although there were a lot of folks along the trail, one never really feels crowded. After a long walk and encountering many chipmunks, pikas and even a young grouse I finally arrived at Melakwa Lake. The lake is lovely and set in some fantastic scenery. Consequently it is a little well loved and campers would do well to obey the "day use" or "No camping signs" at sensitive sites so that some of the vegetative beauty may be restored. Great Hike, ample water, few bugs, clear trail. Enjoy!

Great day for hiking, made it to Melakwa lake beautiful as always, streams and waterfalls on the way up, have little to no water, but still plenty of wild flowers and fall color in on it's way.
Never hiked Kalateen peak wasn't sure where to head up, fortunately another friendly hiker new the path so off we went,( right at the toilet sign ) although we didn't summit Kalateen due to time restraints there was plenty of awesome view's to go around, Many thanks to the fellow hiker, good to get to know you. I'll start earlier in the day next time.
Also saw 4 other hikers who summitted Chair peak way to go!!
More Photos at https://www.facebook.com/me[…]amp;type=1&l=4c538854c0

What a great day for a hike! The sky was brilliantly blue and there was a lovely (dare I say autumn-like) chill in the air as we started out. The lake is beautiful. I think it's worth noting, though, that this trail is very rocky. It took us a LOT longer than we expected to complete the hike because it's hard to hit a good stride amid all those rocks. We saw a couple of people heading up the trail in sneakers. I would not recommend that.

I'm mostly writing this trip report because on the way in, we saw two different WTA work parties, cutting brush and working on the trail. It looked like they were trying to cut routes for spring run-off so it would run beside, rather than through, the tread. Way to go, WTA volunteers! Thank you for your effort to keep the trails in good shape!

We had a great hike up to Melakwa Lake on a hot day. The trailhead, per descriptions and reports, was busy, and there were indeed crowds up to the falls at Denny Creek. Above the falls, it was still pretty busy, and there were more than a dozen people at the lake itself. We lunched and swam (OK, just dipped in and out -- it's cold!), enjoying the lack of bugs on this warm August day. On the way back out, we saw maybe three dozen people playing in Denny Creek. What a beautiful day to be in the woods.

Some wildflowers -- pearly everlasting, columbine, tall bluebells, penstamon, sitka valerian, wild strawberry, a few queen's cup and even one lone, lingering tiger lily.

Good hike up to a beautiful alpine lake. The first 2 miles are pretty easy and then the elevation gain gets serious. Lots of people using the trail, so we recommend an early start. On the return trip, the hike back the car will be slow with almost 'rush hour traffic' amounts of people coming and going to Denny Creek. Over all great day! Visit our blog for full account of the trip with pics!
http://triplehhikers.blogspot.com/2012/08/melakwa-lake.html

One of my favorite close to home hikes. No snow. Bugs non-existent in Denny Creek and only mild at Melakwa Lake. Not crowded on this pleasant Thursday. 9-10 mi RT.

arrived trail head around 945am, approx 15 cars. a great sunny summer day. no snow on trail. a few blow downs but nothing difficult to get over or around. no bugs - yahoo! lake was spectacular.

met friends at 5pm, parking lot was full of cars. A few down trees on trail, but other than that trail in good cond. We have done this hike in the past, and worth a redo. the lake with the views is very nice. A few groups camping at the lake. Lots of bugs at the lake. Had to use our headlamps on the way down..had a great time.

Started 11 am on a Monday. Just one or two other cars in the lot...

Started from the Pratt lake/Granite Mountain TH, to Pratt Lake and then Tuscohatchie. Trail is in excellent condition to the avalanche area (right before the junction with Granite Mt trail, so this is within half a mile of the TH), there is now a fairly clear trail through the avalanche chute marked with pink flags. Looks as if wta is trying to close off the alternate re-routes around the avalanche. Please look for the flags that mark the trail on the way in (if it is not yet obvious) because that is by far the easiest way through the debris and will avoid destroying more vegetation. We missed the real trail on the way in, assuming that it was not yet clear, because the very beginning of it is the most jumbled still, but on the way out it was totally obvious, with just a few feet of mounded soft dirt left piled around and over debris. When we came out, there was a lot of water running down that last little section of the trail over the avalanche, but I am almost certain that by now wta will have re-directed that water, since they had already done some work between the time we entered the trail and the time we came out end of day.

We started late on a Monday, not many folks on the trail, although we were passed (and passed) a few backpackers on the first section before the Pratt/Olallie Saddle. A warmish day but not too bad, since almost the entire route is under the shade of the trees. There is an open section over rocks on the descent to Pratt Lake that got very hot as we reached it around 2 pm, but then you are in thin shade again until the lakes. Pratt Lake is beautiful, huge, and warm enough to swim in, also surprisingly empty of people, only a few teenagers camping and fishing. Tuscohatchie on the other hand, although 12 miles in, had a number of people camping, some fishing, swimming, washing clothes, floating around in a rubber raft (imagine hauling that up 12 miles and 2300'--they'll be lugging it back up another 1000' on the way out, too....). Tuscohatchie is another big beautiful lake, also warm enough to swim, perhaps just a touch cooler than Pratt since you can actually see the waterfall at the end bringing meltwater into the lake.

The trail and hike were great--mostly a nice steady grade with lovely trail conditions, enough easily negotiable rocks and roots on the trail to make it interesting, no mudholes to speak of, all stream crossings easy with to do without wetting the feet at this time of year, with stepping stones or logs and relatively shallow water. Temperature was just a little cooler than it was over the weekend, better for hiking but just right for swimming, which we did for a long time at both lakes, with some nice lazy lounging in the sun also at both. We made it a nice easy long day, starting at 11 am and returning to the trailhead well before full dark at around 8:45--we left Tuscohatchie after 5:30 pm.

We had an absolutely amazing time at Melakwa Lake. We got an early start and left Seattle at 7am. We got on the trail at 8:45 after a pit stop for gas and to renew our NW forest pass in North Bend.

The temp heated up by the time we got to the lake (took us 2 hrs and 15 mins) and the last mile or so was a pretty decent elevation gain. We jumped in Melakwa when we got there, and it was refreshing, but freezing. We couldn't stay in for more than 15 seconds or so. The ranger up there told us the lake just completely melted about 2 weeks prior.

The bugs were not bad AT ALL. No one in our group put on any bug repellent. The lakes named after those pesky mosquitoes, definitely did not live up to it's name :) Thank goodness. A light rain jacket, and rain pants were enough to keep the bugs away.

Wildflowers were blooming, and the trail up to the Lakes were in decent condition. There were a few downed logs, but nothing that's too difficult to pass over/around (even with big packs). There was no snow on the trail, and Melakwa lakes were completely melted out with a few very tiny snow patches along a few of the banks.

We took an afternoon trip up Melakwa Pass, and got an amazing view of Chair Peak Lake, and Glacier Peak off in the distance. We started by sticking to the snow melt stream on the way up. Once the trees got heavy, we stuck to the snow fields on the right. About 1/2 way up, we found a steep path along the left hand side of the valley. For the final leg, we trekked across the snowfield, then caught a steep, but well established trail in the trees the last few hundred yards. The view from the top definitely took our breath away!

We glisaded down the entire way, and made it down in record time :) We were able to snow slide with our boots and stay in control the whole way down without an ice axe.

I'd recommend the Melakwa lakes to anyone especially if you leave early. On our way down, we saw over 100 people at the Denny Creek Waterslide and the parking lot was packed down the road to the campground by noon! Get to the trailhead early, and you should have a spot.

On the hottest weekend of the year (so far), we dove into the Alpine Lake Wilderness for some solitude and refreshing adventure. At least we had an adventure!

We started at the Talapus/Olallie TH after placing a car at Denny Creek. We hiked past a quiet Talapus, raging Olallie and dropped down to serene Pratt. After filling water, we continued to Tuscohatchie which would be our camp for the night. I had been there 2 years ago and it seemed to be an unknown lake, somehow kept secret by a slightly rough and sometimes overgrown trail from Pratt. But as the day grew longer, hikers started appearing and by evening, every flat spot was occupied with a tent. There is now a new toilet there and the lake still stayed quiet, despite the number of people there.

In the morning, we climbed up toward Melakwa Lake and went up to Upper Melakwa which is a fairly easy trail and it surprised me that I hadn't been there before. There were a significant number of people at Melakwa, but no campers since they have now made it a day-use only lake (from being loved to death, no doubt). I ventured uphill to the toilet which was new and provided a peek-a-boo view of the valley and peaks.

Then it was time to descend over rock fields, baking in the hot sun, climbing over a few downed trees and down to water. We knew we were close to Denny Creek because we could hear... not the sound of rushing water... the cries of delighted children. It was a quick re-entry into civilization to see everyone playing at the waterslide creek but soon we joined in the fun, too.

Arrived very early in the day. Only day hiker up at the lake. The trail is rocky on the way up, but the lake is worth it. The water is extremely clear. I preferred the smaller lake as it felt like being in the bottom of a bowl. The day started out cloudy and cleared up for a sunny stay at the top and walk down. Great hike if you get here early to beat the crowds. I passed 40+ people on the way down.

Lingering snow at the lake. Take care crossing the sloped snowfield leading to the camping areas. Warm during the day. Fog at night, a bit chilly but not incredibly cold.

No big problems all the way to the lake.

I tried a few months ago to snow shoe up to the lake and it took me about 3 hours to get to Hemlock Pass. Once you take away the couple feet of snow and can actually find the trail ... it took me less than 2 hours to hike to the lake this time.

There are a few large trees down over the trail and alot of water is running down the trail (late snowmelt!) near the start of Hemlock pass.

Otherwise, a few people were camping at the lake. Bonus was that I had cell reception for 90% of the hike... which was great because I won an ebay auction mid hike.

Our group of three started around 9 a.m.

The trail was mostly in good condition. There were still a few blowdowns. The creek crossing was stack of logs. Some hikers would find it a bit harrowing to cross, but it was doable.

The weather warmed up and we were in the sun for much of the unforested parts of the trail. A significant portion of this trip is on open slopes, which allowed for nice views but also relentless exposure to the sun. Sunscreen was a must for this hike.

For about 1/4 mile, streams were using the trail for outlets. Wearing waterproof hiking boots saved our feet from getting wet.

The snow was mostly melted out. Hikers should have no problem navigating through the very little that remains.

We lucked out with great visibility and weather once at the lake. We had the place to ourselves while we had lunch.

There was a stretch of snow between Melakwa Lake and Upper Melakwa Lake that would've been best crossed with poles and traction.

There were bugs on the trail and at the lake. Came back with a few itchy souvenirs.

Started at Pratt Lake Trailhead, early (6 a.m.). Ran up to Melakwa Lake. The trail is clear and in great condition, until the last couple of hundred yards below the lake. At that point there are large patches of hard snow intermixed with dry land. The snow areas cover the trail in parts, so it's a little tricky finding the trail. If you're familiar with the trail, it shouldn't be too tough. It's MUCH more melted out than two weeks ago. Should be totally clear very soon. We were able to get up and down to the lake without any real difficulty, just a little confusing there at the end. Beautiful up there with wildflowers. Bugs weren't bad when running, but did see some campers wearing bag net masks. Lots of water in the creeks, but not problematic. Enjoy!

This trail is in excellent condition until Denny Creek. It’s clearly well-maintained and frequently traveled.

The hike took about 4.5 hours including a lunch break at the lake. Although we encountered snow as we approached the lake, we never experienced any real difficulty following the trail. We did not carry a GPS. There were also a couple of blow-downs. However, these were also easy to navigate.

The snow is melting fast and sometimes looks firmer than it is- take your time and watch your footing. The melted snow is making its way down the trails so I recommend waterproof shoes.

Despite the obstacles, the trail was an easy day-hike and one which I would recommend. There were very, very few bugs and not many hikers ventured past the creek.

The ascent is continuous but not very strenuous. Some hikers used poles, which may have been helpful, but were not necessary.

Given a few weeks, I imagine this trail will be in great shape! In the meantime, if you don’t mind some water and snow, go for it!

The Denny Creek trail is clear until about 3,200'. The creek crossing is straight forward with a debris/hiker-built dam/bridge that is reasonably sturdy. At 3,200' there are 3 large blowdowns that you have to crawl over.

There are wildflowers at about 3,000', so slow down and take a look.

I first hit snow at 3,600' in that mini-pass that's about halfway from the creek crossing to Hemlock Pass. It is patchy at that point but no problems. Just below Hemlock Pass there is more snow and it causes some route-finding problems for a quarter mile or so. Generally, if you don't follow boot prints straight up the hill and, when in doubt, look to your right, you can stay on the trail.

The trail is clear from Hemlock Pass to Melakwa lake although it is solid snow from there. Clear boot print along the lake edge and up to Melakwa Pass.

It's worth slowing down in this section as well. Some of the nicest old-growth mountain hemlocks around are right next to the trail. I know you are excited to get to the lake, but take a look.

I took the connector trail about halfway to Lower Tuscohatchie. There is some brief snow at first but it is reasonably clear after that. Normal mud but trail is in good shape.

At Melakwa Lake you could camp on dry ground or snow, your choice. The campsite at the outlet is dry and there are dry spots on the little peninsula across the lake.

I started hiking Melakwa Lake a bit late around 1:10pm. The first portion of the hike before the Denny Creek slippery slab of rocks took about 28 minutes to hike with a minor pit stop to photograph a dragon fly on the first bridge you cross. As normal with the beautiful summer weather, Denny Creek was swarming with kids and parents playing among the slippery rock slides.

I started climbing the trail again at 1:46pm. Along the way up, there are still some spots of snow in the lower portion of the valley as you continue to make your way up to Melakwa Lake. As you continuing climbing up the trail, you will begin to notice that the trail begins to turn into a creek. This I assume is from all of the snow melt making its way down the mountain, traveling along pathways with an ease exit.

At about 1.5 miles before you reach the lake, you will start to encounter the remains of what snow is left from last winter. I would advise to pay close attention to the footprints in the snow, one can easily venture of the trail. You will have to climb up and over a few massive tree blow downs. Once you reach the top of the ridge, you will start your descend down towards Melakwa Lake.

I reach the lake at 3:26pm. Most of the lake is still covered with snow with only the front lake edge mostly melted away. A few kids decided to take a dip in the freezing cold water. I didn't end up venturing up to Upper Melawka Lake, only because I didn't see any footprints leading to the lake. As I relaxed a bit and took some photographs, I started my hike back towards the trail-head at 3:58pm. Overall, the hike to Melawka was pretty simple, with only minor difficulty staying on trail once you reach the upper portion of the snow remains.

Very snowy from about halfway point to lake, not really a trail to follow. See my full report 7/7 to Kaleetan Lake as this (Melakwa) was our descent route from a long loop trail run. I'd strongly recommend not going here until August unless you're after some bushwacking and snow travel. Then it has opportunity for adventure and routefinding.

We started the hike about 4:30pm at the Denny Creek Trail. We brought sleeping bags and a tent. We saw the first traces of snow at 2500 ft. One river crossing is dicey. We hiked up about 2 hours and found the only flat spot to camp was on the trail near a couple beautiful waterfalls. Bugs were not that bad. It rained off and on all night long. I was surprised to hear 3 hikers blaze by our tent about 630am. By 7:30 am we were on the trail ourselves tracking the 3 hikers. At 3000 ft. there is substantial snow. You must have a gps or be an expert tracker to stay on the trail above 3000ft. At 3500ft there is a log to cross the creek, at this point the snow is very deep, but ironically patchy here and there. Traction devices would have been nice. We continued to track the three earlier hikers and used the gps to stay on the trail. We got to about 4000 ft. where there is many iffy snowbridges over small run-off creeks. Also, trail in places is deluged with run-off. This is where my hiking buddy (wife) had had enough. I continued toward hemlock ridge. The trail becomes steeper and more difficult past 4000 ft. I made it to 4300 ft. but didn't have the desire to finish the last 200ft to the ridge or see Lake Melakwa. The trip down was relatively easy back to the tent. Most hikers today were not prepared for the Winter like conditions and turned back. This is a very nice hike with many water falls at full strength. To really enjoy this hike most people may want to wait towards the end of July. All told, we hiked about 10 miles and ascended about 2300 ft.

So, we got to the Denny Creek trailhead and the sun was peaking through. It was a beautiful day. The first mile of the hike is very pretty and lush. You go underneath the I-90 freeway which is really cool. There's a big across a creek/waterfall feature. During this first mile of the hike, the trail was pretty much 99% snow-free, maybe just a few tiny patches of snow left over here and there--easy to manuever around.

At about 3/4 of a mile or a mile into the hike you reach a creek that used to have a bridge 3 years ago but doesn't anymore. Luckily Mother Nature has created her own bridge--there were several logs kind of dammed in this spot along the creek and we were able to walk across the logs to the other side.

From mile 1 to mile 2 the trail remained mostly, 95% clear, of snow. Closer to the 2 mile mark you reach Keekwulee Falls, a HUGE waterfall. Around this area there were 1 or 2 small banks of snow to negotiate, but still not that bad. There are also other waterfalls we saw in this area. The mountains surrounding the area are very pretty as well. Lots of amazing views up here.

After the first 2 miles of the hike and passing the waterfall, the trail still remained mostly clear of snow for a while. It wasn't until about 2.5 or 3 miles into the hike that we reached considerable snow. At this point it started to prove difficult finding the trail. We followed close to the river and went through a valley that was probably still covered in a solid foot of snow. At the end of the valley we turned left and went up a steep hill in the snow. This proved to be a BIG MISTAKE. First of all, I think the correct trail would have been to turn right at the end of the valley instead of left (we later saw some backpackers going that way that looked like they really knew what they were doing). Secondly this really steep ascent on the snow started to become really slippery and dangerous so we turned around.

It was a good thing we turned around because it all of a sudden started hailing on us. We got caught in a severe thunderstorm going back. On the way back down we saw a couple trees down that weren't down before that looked fresh...we realized that lightning must have just struck these trees. There were flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder every few minutes. So, something to keep in mind a couple blowdowns or downed trees along the trail now--but very easy to get around.

So first, we hiked the first mile of the Melakwa Lake Trail. There is still snow in the parking lot, but not very deep so it will likely be melted in the next week or two. The first mile of the trail wasn't all that bad in terms of snow. There was patches of snow still and short sections with snow but with footprints to walk on...and there were long sections without snow, just a lot of water running across the trail. With the rain coming down today, it appeared the snow is melting away fairly rapidly.

At the one mile mark, we reached the waterfall/creek where there's no bridge. This creek can be crossed when water is not running high...but with the rain coming down today and the water running high, we didn't want to chance it. We probably could have made it across okay, but not worth risking. Someone needs to place some rocks across this stream as stepping stones so that everyone can get across the stream more easily.

After this we went over to Franklin Falls. Again in terms of snow it was just patches here and there...not too bad and where there was snow, footprints to walk in. The waterfall was really raging today with the rainfall and melting snow. Pretty easy hike. Franklin Falls, very impressive!

Asahel Curtis is just a short 1/3-1/2 mile loop nature trail, and we did it at the end to add a tiny bit of mileage on...we saw a small section of waterfall and lots of tree names.

There is still a ton of snow up here. There is snow in the parking lot so everyone we saw today parked in the pullouts shortly before the trail head. We made it to the lake, but wished that we had brought more than just our microspikes. The summer trail is under several feet of snow, so we had to cross lots of snow fields, where an ice ax would have made us feel more comfortable. The trail was mostly impossible to see after the first mile or so; GPS and route finding skills needed to get to the lake. The lake is mostly still frozen over.

I started today with good sun shining down on my shoulder heading up to snow lake retracing my steps from the weekend before(Dec 4)searcing for an ice axe which had slipped out of Isiah's pack.We didn't see it and we figured as much.There was a good amount of snow all the way up and at the saddle.We continued down to Snow lake and headed across the west side of the lake which seemed as solid as the rest of the lake but was closer to Chair Peak and is the deeper side of the lake. I'm sure it was all in my head but I felt a little uneasy being out on that side.We made our way up to chair peak lake by scrambling up thru the trees and snow, by which time the sun decided to split and the clouds rolled in! I couldn't see much of anything really. The one thing I could see is that my good friend and hiking bro Alex,did not like the route that we took up to Chair peak lake. He called it exposed,I call it adventure.Sounds like the same thing to this cowboy.We didn't see many tracks up there,just some ski tracks.We then proceeded up to the saddle at Melakwa pass and ate some food huddled in the trees. We headed down to both of the Melakwa lakes which were frozen as well and covered in snow. I expected to see some folks but none were to be found! I didn't see a single print till about 3/4 of a mile from the lake. We followed the blue diamonds in the trees for a bit till we ran into a set of prints which was someones turn around point.(pansies).We ran into a bear about a mile above the falls,he took off thru the trees and across the trail and up the east slope and minded his own buisness.He could clearly see that I wasn't gonna take any lip out of him. We came to the falls and made it down to the trail head where we saw a fair amount of folks coming back from the falls. Eleven miles total from point A to B. I'll see you on the mountain and you will know it's me when you hear me howl!! Gorillaz in the mist baby!!

Road plowed till ~3/4 miles from Danny Creek TH. Put on snowshoes from get-go at 7:30 AM. Hikers from Saturday all turned back at Keekwulee Falls (~3100 ft). Made our own tracks from that point on. Snow total accumulation was 1-2 feet deep, with a soft crust underneath after Hemlock Pass. Mostly cloudy everywhere except the lake, which was sunny. Freezing cold but awesome views!

Flickr: http://bit.ly/melakwa-lake-ii

Melakwa Lake was supposed to be our stopover on the way to Kaleetan Peak. Overnight snowfall had added more inches of snow in the area and it snowed on and off while on the trail. I almost didn’t make today’s hike because we got home relatively late the night before from Lookout Mountain.

Due to the lack of sleep, two of us couldn’t make the 6:30 carpool time from Bellevue and had to start hiking an hour to an hour and half later than the other two. The hike to Hemlock Pass was uneventful with more switchbacks than I remembered from three years ago. The four of us eventually reunited on the ridge just past Melakwa Lake. There was more snow on the ridge and two people didn’t bring snowshoes with them. This made trekking up the steep slope a lot more unbearable than it already was for the two people. We soon scratched the plan to Kaleetan Peak and returned to the lake to hang out for a while before calling it a day.

Spikes were used from trailhead to the lake for traction and balance. The trail had been stepped on enough that snowshoes would simply be an overkill.

Another snowy day hike in the neighborhood.

With summer over and days growing ever shorter, I decided to get an early start for a trek up to Melakwa Lake. A little too early, it turns out; a mile from the trailhead at the famous waterslide, I arrived to find Denny Creek running a little high and draped in ice. The improvised log crossings, wobbly and unstable under the best of conditions, were now covered in a mixture of slime and ice - not a good option for crossing. I thought about rock-hopping, but the higher water made for some awfully long hops for a short-legged hiker. I would survive a dunking, but I didn't think my camera would. That left one option: off with the boots and socks for an icy wade. It was excruciatingly cold, but it got me across the creek. I later spoke to other hikers who, with a later start, found the area ice-free. Mother nature one, me zero. Next time I'll bring a pair of waders.

Once across the waterslide, I was quickly reminded of how rocky this trail is, crossing a seemingly endless series of talus slopes. Near Keekwulee Falls there is a small area with recent slide activity - something to keep in mind when traversing this section. Quick: what is the first thing to do when you hear rocks falling?

There is a lot of water and mud on the trail now (which was mostly ice at 8:00 AM), so consider bringing traction devices for this hike. Trekking poles or a walking stick are also useful on rocky trails like this where the footing is treacherous.

I recently hiked Granite Mountain, a trail with 1,000' more vertical rise than Melakwa Lake and about the same length, but I was considerably more fatigued after Melakwa Lake. Hiking on lots of loose rock adds considerably to the difficulty factor of a hike, I decided.

But all's well that ends well. At the lake the sun was shining from a blue sky, which was nice since it was a bit nippy in the shade. The lake gets its name from the Chinook word "melakwa" meaning "mosquito", but that's no longer an issue at the lake - it's just too cold for the little suckers. Unfortunately the season for fall color at the lake passed some time ago, so don't expect to see any flaming red bluebery bushes; all that's left are a few red berries on the Sitka Mountain Ash that abounds in this area. But still, it's always a beautiful lake whatever the conditions.

BTW, according to an old mountain guide I knew, the first thing to do when you hear rocks falling is - nothing! Stop and visually locate the rocks before making a move. Makes sense; how stupid would it be to run headlong into a landslide?

These photos and more at:

http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

Trail was wet and icy but no snow on it (yet...) There were minor patches of light snow along the side of the trail but nothing serious- just lots of slippery ice.

The Denny Creek Crossing was a bit iffy- has to be careful of my footing as I don't like swimming this time of the year. Hopped across on some rocks and it wasn't too bad- the logs that were there were covered in ice and slime so I would caution people against that.

Other than that... it was just really cold and beautiful! Saw Pika and only a couple other hikers.

Left the trail head at about 8:30 am and had sun all the way to the lake. Stopped for lots of pictures, so didn't reach Melakwa until about 12:30. Along the way up: beautiful fall colors, waterfalls large & small, chipmunks & pika & birds made us stop, look & listen a lot along the way. Lots of gorgeous moss, mushrooms & fungi, too.

The lake was COLD but gorgeous! About an hour into the journey back, a big fog bank rolled in and it was foggy the whole way out. No bugs at the lake though. We saw lots of overnight campers on their way out, and one other big group of day-hikers, but otherwise the smallest number of people I've ever seen on this hike.

Next time I would bring gloves and maybe something like a scarf. We both peeled jackets off on the way up, but wanted more warmth at the lake and on the way back. Beautiful hike, well worth it! A little muddy, but not as much as expected. Be prepared, too, for the wash-out early in the hike. A few careful minutes over wet logs, and you are on your way.

We started our hike just before 8:00 A.M. It was cool and there were some scattered showers until we got higher in elevation, then there was barely any rain at all. There was no one on the trail when we first arrived, but did see some hikers coming back after camping out there for the weekend. When we arrived at Denny Creek it was rainy, but my dog still enjoyed it.

We arrived at Melakwa Lake around 10:20 A.M. and we were on a misson coming back out there twenty days after the last time we were up here on Labor Day. We were here this time to find the kid's belongings that had fallen on September 5th because his mom had mentioned to me that a couple of his personal belonging's were still up there. When we arrived at upper Melakwa Lake we made our way around to where him and his friends climbed up. We suddenly experienced gusts of winds for about ten minutes as we made our way up to the area below the peak they attempted to climb. My dog was following us up there. My friends and I recovered everything that was left up there of his belongings and eventually made our way down.

On the way back my dog was much slower. I checked his paws when we were below the peak and they looked fine to me. When I got home, I realized that the pads of his paws were ripped up pretty good and he was beat. Climbing the rocks was too much for him and I felt bad about it. It's a decent hike for dogs, but probably not a good idea to take them on the rocks.

Video Here:
http://youtu.be/ntoCFjK7oME

Lucked out with a break in the weather for a run up and back from Melakwa Lake on Snoqualmie Pass. The inclement weather kept down the crowds and the Melakwas (mosquitoes). Found 2 blueberries to eat.

Five Fingers Hike/Trail Run
1:25 up to lake

Rained the on and off, mostly sprinkles. The lake is so blue and the trail is nice and groomed. Parking lot full when we got there. Had a great hike today. At the lake and on the trail it was like a dog park. Have never seen that many dogs on a trail.

Melakwa Lake trail begins at the Denny Creek Campground. Forest Pass required. Trail head sign has great information and maps for those needing guidance. First mile is easy tread to the water slide on Denny Creek.

Denny Creek is low so crossing is easy and trail continues across from the steps leading down to the log/rock crossing of Denny. Trail is through forest, open slopes, and a few rocky talus slopes. For the most part the 4.5 miles is easy and most everyone should have no problems. Most streams and waterfalls are dry along the way, but you can replenish at at least one creek crossing and at the lake if you bring a filter.

Only one campsite occupied at the lake. About 6 or 8 people total at the lake for the day. Bugs were no problem this day. I never even put on bug spray and only had 1 mosquito land the whole time of 2 hours lounging around in the sun at the lake.

All of the route elevation is gained in a fairly even grade between the water slide on Denny and Hemlock Pass at 4600'. Then you'll descend about 100' of elevation to the outlet stream crossing of Melakwa. Trail to camping and to upper Melakwa follows the West shoreline and there are lots of places to sit and enjoy the beauty.

Salmon berries along the way are ripe. Some blueberries are "just about" ripe. Purple but still tart. Not a lot of flowers on this trail, but a few in white, red, and purple. The trail does have some rocky places, so be careful not to twist an ankle and moderate support shoes/boots will do. We didn't need trekking poles on any of the hike.

2 1/2 hours to the Lake at a leisurely pace with stops for snacks and pictures along the way.

With the bugs declining, berries ripening, and crowds small now is a good time to go.

Hike photos here: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

Did this wonderful hike today with my brother and best friend and his brother. I am an avid hiker and Melakwa Lake was recommended to my by a good friend. Just joined this site today and I thought I'd share this with you... The destination was beautiful. Although, we got to our destination (Upper Melakwa Lake) and climbed a really steep ridge that looked down at both Melakwa Lakes. Then all of a sudden two helicopters flew in. One was the King County Sheriff. For about 8 minutes they were looking for somebody. The helicopter flew over to us and my best friend and I motioned for them to look behind them. There was a large crowd of about 9 people across from the ridge that we were standing on (600 yards away). King County Sheriff flew over there and dropped a rescue worker to assess the situation. They lifted a body back into the helicopter. Apparently what had happened was a 20-year-old man and his buddy were climbing a steep ridge when one of them turned around to take a picture of the view behind him and ended up falling 40 feet. He did not survive. CPR was performed for about 50 minutes but the man had suffered massive head trauma and his brain had swelled. You know, it's moments like that that reminds you safety should always be #1 priority. People go into hikes not thinking that, 'hey maybe I may die today.' It's crazy. Be safe.

I was told of this hike by my brother. It was Labor Day and we knew it would be busy, so we decided to get an early start. We arrived at the trailhead (Denny Creek Trail) just before 8:00 A.M. and started at 8:00 A.M. It was my brother, me, my best friend and his brother. I wish I would have known that dogs were allowed on the trail before hand because I would have brought my boy Chanse!

Conditions were shady and chilly at first. We first arrived at the lower Denny Creek and explored that area for a bit, then we were on our way to the Melakwa Lakes.

The trail was well maintained and the sun started coming out. It was eventually HOT and we all got sunburned. When we reached the first lake around 10:15 A.M. we took a short break for pictures and then proceeded to upper Melakwa Lake. Both lakes were a blue-green color. The mosquitoes were atrocious, but we later discovered that the word Melakwa comes from a Chinook term for "mosquito" (go figure). It was then that we saw approximently 9 people at the bottom of a peak near Kaleetan Peak, just past the lake. It was hard to see what they were doing up there, so I figured they were taking a break. We decided to climb the peak across from where they were called Chair Peak. When we were half way up and level with the people on the other side, we took our definite break.

About an hour had passed by the time we arrived at the lakes, then suddenly two helicopters were coming in our direction! I then knew that something was wrong with the people across the way. One was a Sherrif chopper and the other was Kiro! The Sheriff helicopter (called Gaurdian One) approached us first and we signaled it to the people across the way. It then did a loop and came back to us once again. We, again, signaled them in the direction of where the other hikers were and they made their way to their area. What had happened was a 21-year-old fell trying to climb the peak. The kid ended up losing his life up there from the accident. So sad and unfortunate. I attended his Memorial a week later in an attempt to know him as a person and he sounded like an extraordinary one. He definitely made an impact on the lifes around him.

Awesome hike! We got a late start (around noon) so it was HOT, but the constant presence of water made things more bearable. The hike to the Denny water slide was packed with families, but the crowd definitely thinned out past that. We got a bit confused as to where the trail went once we reached the water slide, since the trail wasn't marked and it was easy to miss with all the families picnicking on the rocks. (We had a "duh" moment once we figured it out... It's right across from the creek crossing that the stairs lead down to.)

The hike was fairly easy, but the rock fields get hot so make sure to bring plenty of water. I'd also definitely recommend wearing some sort of hiking boot, since parts of the trail are very rocky and it'd be quite easy to roll/sprain an ankle.

We found some great places to take our boots off and relax for a while once we got to Melakwa Lake, so I'd definitely recommend exploring the area if time allows. Aside from some random skinnydippers, the crowd was bearable as most people found their own areas to hang out.

Its a bit weird to enter this trip report about an exciting and fun climb of Kaleetan, after reading about the tragedy that happened there the next day, not to mention the tragic death from a fall there earlier this year. Take care in the mountains!

The trail to Melakwa Lake is well maintained, varied, and went by quickly.
We decided to try and follow the route in Peggy Goldman's 75 scrambles book, rather than go up the boring ridge from Melakwa Lake. First we scrambled around the west side of upper Melakwa Lake, although we later saw that there is an easier route on the east side. We then followed the stream to the upper bowl, and looked for the "white ledges" described in the Goldman book, which were not apparent. Instead we saw 2 large cairns marking a gully route to the the saddle. We started up the gully on loose steep slippery rock, glad we had helmets, then after a short distance we saw a way to get up onto solid ledges on the right side of the gully. The climb to the saddle was easy. At times it felt exposed and scary. Although there were no difficult moves, I didnt feel too secure about the solidity or slipperyness of all my hand and footholds. From the saddle there was a lovely easy ridge stroll to the summit gully, which is impressively steep, and looks impossible from a distance, but is surprisingly easy. There is a possibility of loose rockfall, and helmets are a good idea here.

The summit is an indescribably lovely place with views from the Olympics and downtown Seattle to all the volcanos, Mt Stuart and the Alpine Lakes.

We took the ridge route on the descent which is steep and slippery, especially in the woods on pine duff, and rather difficult. Not sure if it is any easier than the gully but probably less scary.

There were an annoying number of biting flies and mosquitos at times.
It was a fairly long, 9 hour day, fully satisfying.

No blueberries even close to ripeness! But there are still some yummy salmonberries and thimbleberries along the Melakwa Lake trail.

The Denny Creek Trailhead is the entry point for Melakwa Lake; it is not clear from the trailhead and, as another poster noted, the road is unpaved gravel not paved as the guide states.

The two aquamarine Melakwa and Upper Melakwa lakes are well worth the near 10-mile trek. Watch that you keep left on the immediate way back from the lakes as the trail also veers down to Tuscohatchie Lake trail.

This is a popular trail, with a lot of folks heading up to Keekwulee Falls. Hikers who have been that far need to know that the rest of the way up is a much different trail.

Arrived at trailhead just after 9 a.m. and parking was already filling in quickly. The first mile is a lovely walk through the woods. The crossing of Denny Creek was easy today, but it's easy to see how this could be an issue with early summer snowmelt.

From there, things start climbing and the trail is in great shape. It's when you come to the viewpoint of Keekwulee Falls that things change. Much of the rest of the trail is rocky, often traversing talus. People going to the falls often wear Teva/Keen hiking sandals and the trail above the Falls is not conducive to that sort of footwear... at least not if you value your feet.

There are tremendous views at this point in the hike, mainly because you're hiking over open talus fields... so sunblock! Also, the bugs were out, but a repellant with a decent percentage of DEET seemed to bug them right back.

The last climb to Hemlock Pass makes you earn it. Saw a lot of people heading that way that didn't appear to have a good supply of water... again, while lots of people start up this trail, treat it with the respect it deserves. A filter bottle is a good idea, too, as there are plenty of spots to fill up.

There were some easy-to-navigate blowdowns past Hemlock Pass. Melakwa Lake unfolds shortly after a trail junction and it is worth the climb. But keep walking along the west side of the lake over talus to the head of the lake. Another 40 yards brings you to Upper Melakwa Lake. An amazing panorama awaits, with plenty of places to take it in. Still some snow on the east side.

Turned back there and was back at the car at 2:30.

The Melakwa lake trail is heavily used- and for good reason! It is lovely, not too difficult & provides an array of visual delights! Waterfalls, flowers, and a beautiful lake cirque.
The trail is baby-bottom smooth the 1st mile to the Denny water slide, then becomes more 'trail like' ascending up the valley to Hemlock Pass. It is shady enough that even on a warm day, it isn't oppressively hot. There was enough of a breeze that bugs ween't bad, BUT, they could have been.
Once at the lake (4.5 miles) we found the bootpath leading up Kaleetan ridge. This is VERY steep & not always obvious. You quickly gain over 1000'. Once you break out of the trees into the open, you can see your objective in the distance. It looks farther than a mile and a half. It feels farther too. You have to traverse round & lose several hundred feet of elevation before the final climb up the gully. Views are tremendous- you can see SO many lakes- the entire Alpine Lakes Wilderness feels like it is at your feet! The descent is tedious if you wish to stay upright ;)- loose sandy footing and steepish rock. This is not 'just a hike'. There are several different routes up Kaleetan - we chose this one because we didn't bring helmets & knew the gully route from Melakwa pass had lots of loose rock. Next time I will bring a helmet & do it as a loop. About 12 miles & 4k+ gain. Great day in the mountains!

Gorgeous day! The trail is in reasonable shape, not too muddy and just a few blowdowns after Hemlock Pass but nothing too difficult. The signs at the TH warn of high water at the Denny Creek crossing, at least for today most of the snow seems to have melted and the water receded. No trouble with getting across and there were several families with small children playing in the creek and on the rocks as I was headed back to the cars. Just a note on the driving directions given in the hiking guide: it says to take a left onto a "paved" road just past the Denny Creek Campground and follow it to the trailhead....the road is actually unpaved...but that didn't seem to keep anyone from finding it; I must have passed 20-30 people on the trail. Time: 1:45 to the lake, about the same heading back.

Kaleetan Peak is a true WA classic, a bright feather in the cap of anyone's trapses through Washington's mountains. A few snow patches to cross on the ridge and then a steep downclimb on snow. For full trip report and photos, please see http://peakery.com/Kaleetan-Peak/

Trail to the lake is 100% snow free. From the lake, we hiked up the toilet trail onto the hill but at a branch we went right (a small sign on a tree says the toilet is to the left). From here the trail is very steep. We slowly made our way up to the top of the 5700ft. hill. Lots of little flies, but no mosquitoes. From the hill, the trail drops down the other side into the basin before the summit. It was here we encountered some steep patches of pretty hard snow. Crampons would be a very good idea. Ice axe is needed for sure.

Once the trail started to head uphill to the summit from the basin, it was much better, but still very steep. The summit is a fun class high class 2 to low class 3 scramble. Some loose rocks here and there so be careful. The summit is pretty cool, as we sat above some pretty high cliffs, looking down on various lakes, and out to many mountains near and far. Look for the metal Mountaineers summit register, too.

We went down the east gully. When in the gully, make sure to yell really loudly, because the echo is amazing! But the gully was quite a challenge. It still had a lot of snow, with moats on either side. This was a killer down-climb without crampons. Would've been pretty easy with crampons, but since he didn't bring any, it was by far the hardest down-climb I've ever done on snow. To get a secure grip in the hard snow, we had to slam the picks of our ice axes into the snow instead of the spikes. It took a long time and kicking into the snow was hard.

At the bottom of the gully we followed the valley back down the lakes, and hiked the trail out.

Very strenuous, but fun outing. If you want to go up Kaleetan, bring crampons!!!

Beautiful hike, lots of talus and avalanche slope views and the lake was spectacular. Trail is basically clear but for some downed trees and a little bit of fast melting snow. Both lakes are melted out, but to get to the upper lake you will need to cross a couple slightly sketchy snow slopes. Watch your step on all the rocks and roots!

5 of us on a trail run, started at the Pratt Lake trail head but ran up the road first to the Denny Creek Campground and up 1011 to Mekakwa Lake. We were anticipating we would hit snow in Hemlock Pass based on this year's conditions, but the trail was snow free with the exception of just a couple small patches. Even Melakwa Lake was snow free. Took some photos and visited with a ranger there before heading over past Lower Tuscohatchie. The trail through there and on to Pratt was in better condition than I remember for a long time. It has been brushed out so you dont feel like you are being pushed over the side hill constantly. There were a few people camped at Pratt this weekend, and we started running into more people as we climbed out of Pratt lake basin. There were some big logs that had been recently cleared as well. So the only blow downs we enountered were a couple on the way up to Melakwa. Criused down to the trailhead on the nice & fast cushy trail, which is fortunately wide enough to provide for passing the hikers coming up the hill for the afternoon. 16 mile loop or so, at a leisurely 4 hours. Light wildflowers (some lillies & bear grass) mostly on the climb to melakwa near and above the waterfall where there is sunshine. A scary cloud of mosquitoes when we stopped at Melakwa lake. Take your bug juice if you are camping there.

A quick drive from Seattle - a little over an hour.
Road to trail head was in good condition.
Don't use Google maps to get directions. Best to use the directions provided on the hike description.

Reach natural water slides within about 20 minutes. Beautiful spot. Gets really crowded. A popular place for people with dogs and children.

Nice, steady climb to Lake Melakwa. Minimal switchbacks. Beautiful waterfall views along the way. Abundant columbine, tiger lilies, lupin and more. It was a breezy day, so bugs were manageable.

Trail starts to descend about 3.5 miles in. Rapid change in climate from sunny and warm to cool, misty and cloudy. Minimal snow on trail.

Lake was breathtaking. A gorgeous hike.
Bugs, again, were manageable. There were enough to be a bit of nuisance, but no one had any bites. A crazy friend went for a swim. It looked cold.

Return back was a bit arduous - lots of roots and rocks to avoid. Feet appreciated the river soak at the water slides.

Don't let the name deceive you. Melakwa is Chinook for mosquito. Translated into English, it is called "Mosquito Lake." I imagine on sunnier, less windy days this lake would hold true to its name.

Started out in partial sun with a gaggle of other hikers including a large group of kids bound to the Denny Creek 'slide' about a mile up the trail. This first mile is well trodden, mostly soft underfoot and well maintained. The bridge over Denny Creek is out but a set of logs makes crossing possible without danger (but with care). Beyond this zoo the trail wanders up to Melakwa Falls, still with a lot of water and lovely as forest flowers (lovely clintonia, star false solomon seal and bunchberry) give way to penstemon, racemose false solomon seal and elderberry in profuse bloom. The trail is narrow in parts here. Beyond the falls and slide areas there are a dozen switchbacks along a ravine ending in a high falls not totally visible and crosses the creek again. Above this going is steeper. There is some water running on parts of the trail. The flowers are fine indeed and there are many gardens to see and smell. Near the pass there are some snow patches, easily navigable and fading fast. At the pass there are several big blowdowns sorely in need of clearing. The lake is mostly snow free and with some snow around it. Flowers here are incredibly late, but coming. We saw some bear grass, the signature flower of this lake. The day was a mix of sun and cloud. Melakwa lake has great reflections of the surrounding mountains. Flowers should be at a peak in a couple of weeks. For now I'd suggest turning around at the pass because flowers are much better on the Denny Creek side. Some nut swam in the lake. I usually do but not with ice still floating in it.

This trail has lots of running water, side-slope snow and a snow-covered lake at the end.
Thanks go to some families at Denny Creek for adding some small logs Monday to help cross the creek at the falls, although crossing is still tenuous.
The trail above the creek is muddy but OK to Keekwulee Falls, with the first snow patch around 3200'. Blowdowns around 3400' and a 6' deep and steep-sided washout with a rock slide at 3600' are all passable. The trail is generally very wet, with running water and many mud holes. Patches of avalanche lillies brighten the trail up with the usual early-season flowers in bloom along the trail.
The upper creek basin is patched with snow, mud and running water. After an easy log-crossing of the creek, the boardwalks are clear.
I put on my spikes at the rock fall, before the woods and well below Hemlock Pass. The snow is still covering the trail and it is at an steep side-angle making footing slippery. I will mention that with all the water on the trail I still somehow managed to make it to snow-line with dry boots. To this point the trail is easy to follow. Watch out for the postholes someone made.
Entering the woods, the trail is covered with snow. I have hiked this in the snow and when dry so I know the trail and area. I re-aquired the patchy trail by going nearly straight up the hill. I do not recommend this trail unless you are comfortable with this setting and have been here. I also carry a good GPS unit/map/compass.
After all that, Hemlock Pass is a mess with some debris, bigger blowdowns, snow banks and more postholes by someone.
The Lake is still 80% covered in SNOW. Last year I took some great photos of an Aqua-blue, ice-covered Melakwa Lake. Still too early for that. The ground near the outfall is bare, with a patch of ice-free lake too.
Following my tracks out, knowing they bypass the many weak spots in the snow, made for an easier trek down.

This is such an awesome hike! You get the walk through the forest and then lovely alpine meadows. Lot's of flowers blooming and the berries should be ripe soon. There is patchy snow starting after you pass all of the falls. My friend and I had hopes of making it to Melakwa Lake, but there is nothing but snow about a mile from the lake. We followed the trail markers once the trail was covered; however, these marked the wrong trail and led to the ridge. We decided to head down to the bottom and assess the situation from there. The snow field was pretty slick and steep, so we decided we would just head back at that point after climbing all the way down.

At 9am, the parking area was filling up quickly. The trail became snow covered as we crossed under I-90.

See photo below for crossing Denny Creek at the water slide (milepost 1.3).

Above Snowshoe Falls we stayed on the left or west of Denny Creek clear up to Hemlock Pass.

From Hemlock Pass down to Melakwa Lake we used the diamonds to confirm the route (see photo below).

At the lakes we heard voices from above - scramblers up on Kaleetan.

No bugs!

For more photos:
http://seattlewalks.blogspot.com/[…]/melakwa-lake-photos_11.html

The weather was pretty drizzly and overcast. There's pretty good cover along the way, but there are several open areas, so I wouldn't recommend this hike for a rainy day.

There's snow on the trail about halfway up, and a substantial amount towards the end. We didn't have yaktracks, but I would recommend them. There's a lot of mud and water on the trail also. There's one crossing over the river that was super slippery. Another hiker behind us was kind enough to offer me her poles; otherwise, I'd probably still be stuck there.

We encountered about 10 other hikers that day. We also saw 4 dogs. (It seems like it's more common for people to let their dogs go off-leash in the winter -- just a heads up for people who get nervous by big dogs.) We got a pretty late start and didn't get back to the trailhead until 4:30, and by that time, it was super dark on the trail. It's a good idea to plan to be down by 4 at the latest. I should take my own advice more.

I always forget how strenuous this hike is; it's not just the vertical gain (2300'), but also the trail itself. It's really two trails - the first, the popular one mile stretch leading to the "slippery slide", and - the rest. The first stretch is broad, with many steps and footbridges, and groomed to the nth degree; think "Snow Lake".

The rest of the trail leading to Melakwa Lake is sometimes steep, sometimes flat, always rough. Traversing several large scree slopes, this section is about 85% rock, the kind of rock where you need to place each footstep carefully. Add to this some snow and you have some slow slogging. Yet it's still a favorite of mine, with big waterfalls, old growth forest, and Melakwa Lake with it's many moods.

On this day, there was snow above 2700', growing deeper as you approach the lake where it is about 18" deep with some deeper drifts. The snow is not deep enough for snowshoes and best done with waterproof boots and gaiters. Sneakers won't cut it here during the winter season.

After the next round of precipitation, this will probably revert to a snowshoe hike, and this trail is a beauty for the bigfoot crowd. But get an early start, as this is a long slog on snowshoes!

Though only 4-5 inches at most, as of yesterday, snow is continuous past the creek crossing just below Hemlock Pass. Most definitely still doable without snowshoes.

Thankfully the precipitation was in the way of snow, and not rain, so we remained relatively dry all day. No trail issues. The bridge over Denny Creek at the slide rocks is still out, but a nice, easy boulder-hop has been installed. Even I could do it.

Remember to plan for shorter days - getting up to Hemlock Pass always seems to take a lot longer than it should.

And of course, remember that confusing junction! Upon leaving the lake to return back to the Denny Creek trailhead, take the leftmost trail going slightly UP - not the downhill trail, which leads to the Pratt Valley and has swallowed many a wintertime hiker, some of them being lost for days.

As I was driving past North Bend through the dreary 7am drizzle, the thought that the weather report (partially cloudy and 65 degrees) was wrong kept gnawing away at me: "They were wrong. It will be like this the whole way up. You won't even make the summit if the scramble is slick". Soon after starting off from the Denny Creek trailhead toward Melakwa Lake, as I cleared the morning cobwebs from the path, the thought resonated again: "They were wrong", as the clouds dissipated and blue filled the sky and the air warmed. By the time I had reached the top of Kaleetan Peak, I could not help thinking, "I was wrong," as I surveyed the still blanket of clouds along I-90 with the major peaks of the Issaquah Alps exposed and clear, as if the mountains had slept in late on a lazy Saturday with their feet poking from underneath too-warm covers to cool off.
The hike to Melakwa Lake is a pleasant 4 1/2 miles, especially beautiful because of the variety of terrain (streams, waterfalls, bridges, boulder fields, dense forest) and the colors of drowsy, deciduous desiccation. The toilet trail directions to Kaleetan in previous reports were mostly spot on with a few minor addenda: when you arrive at the lake, the first toilet sign is on the trail across the log bridge on the left; the second toilet sign is a picture of an outhouse high on a tree, so it is easy to miss; go right at the third toilet sign, and keep heading upwards; at the first boulder field, there are two cairns -- remember this spot in order to head down the trail to the left on your way back because it is very tempting to head down the right-side path along the talus which will make for a difficult time crossing back to the lake because of a ridge spine; the path up the crest mostly switches back to the right of the boulder field.
Although unmaintained, the toilet trail is fairly obvious all the way up to the peak. Steep and rocky, but obvious. If you pause and look around when your gut tells you something is amiss, then it should not take long to find an area where someone else has walked before you on the same ascent. Some problems with any unmaintained area are burgeoning social trails that damage delicate subalpine vegetation, so please tread lightly, and remember that if you are not walking on something that looks like intentional trail, you may be headed the wrong way.
The scramble from the summit basin looks daunting, but it is surprisingly easy to find a good route. The top itself is precipitous, but spacious enough to accommodate a fair number of people (five more arrived after me). The visibility today was amazing: there were more Alpine Lakes than I could count; Mounts Baker, Adams, Rainier, Glacier and the dozing Issaquah Alps were all perfectly clear; even The Brothers and the Olympics were in view. There is a metal plate that points out the primary surrounding summits bolted into one of the summit rocks. The trail registry is in a metal Mountaineers container with a pen and a replenished stock of paper near the ledge farthest right. The black flies were swarming but nothing was biting.
After over 12 miles, amazing views from a 6259' summit and 10 hours because of detours both intentional and not, I descended to my car below the marine cloud layer with aching feet and tired legs, but the opportunity to enjoy another perfect Autumn day (maybe the last of the year) was worth every slip, every twist and every misstep.

Arrived at the trailhead at 1100 to find only 4 cars there. Denny Creek was thundering. Continued on to the Lake. Many waterfalls with the most impressive being Keekwulee Falls. I did this trail over 10 years ago and did not remember the mud, tree roots, or even the rocky terrain. The beginning of the trail was relatively wide and on soft ground (except for the puncheon), then thank you to whoever cleared the overgrowth from both sides of the middle part of the trail, and the last part was very muddy, rocky and slippery from the rain. Chilly at the Lake. Saw about 8 people coming up when I was coming down. It was a nice hike for this cloudy, gray day with threat of more rain. Highly recommend waterproof hiking boots. Maybe hiking poles too.

2.5 hrs up, 2 hrs down.

The trail is in pretty good condition althought there are many wet and muddy spots, especially after the falls. Fall foliage is just starting to come out and it is beautiful! Was hoping for berries but didn't see any :(

Upon arriving at the lake we found a number of other people (we counted 12 other overnighters!), so we went to Upper Melakwa and had it to ourselves. The bugs have mostly been killed off by the cooler weather, but the ones that are left are ferocious and bite through clothing. They weren't enough of a bother to require a tent, though.

On Wednesday morning we headed up the creek to Melakwa Pass. It's a little slippery in the creekbed, but as we had dry weather, the rest was fine. Manouvering the rocks up to the top is slow going, but (as long as it's not raining) technically easy. From the top we were able to see Chair Peak Lake, Gem Lake, and Glacier Mountain in the distance.

(Hiked into Melakwa Lake and summited Kaleetan Peak with Sadie's Driver, parted ways and continued on with Dicey for a loop out Mason Lake. Trip report begins as we part ways)

Suzanne and Daryl continued back up to Hemlock Pass while Carla and I dropped down towards Tuscohatchie. The two trails paralleled for awhile and we jokingly yelled that we'd lost the trail already. Joking aside, we had actually stepped off the real trail! This was a great omen for the rest of my plan! Some easy brush bashing and we relocated it quickly. The trail is pretty eroded and muddy in some spots but not bad. Someone has also done work here and brushed it out nicely...until they decided to stop. All of a sudden the brush came back. Not bad, but a little overgrown.

We made quick work of this section and arrived at Tuscohatchie to find one large campsite of fisherman. We said hi and continued on our way to Pratt Lake. At Pratt we overshot the end of the trail and I led us straight into someone's camp, thinking it was the trail. Backtracking, we found where it ascended to the ridge by Pratt Mountain. No signs whatsoever and at this junction the actual trail is fainter than those leading to camps! But we were on our way now.

A slow climb up gradual switchbacks took us to the ridge where we turned right and headed towards Rainbow and Island lakes. I found I was out of water and was looking forward to a stream or any lake. Rainbow didn't look appetizing, and its outlet was barely flowing, so I held out for better. I ended up getting water from the little pond/lake beyond it and up hill. No better than Rainbow but at least it was clear. When I dug out my treatment tablets I found they'd been pulverized into dust. I poured some crushed tablets into my bottle and hoped for the best. We will see how long I have for this world.

Not much further and we reached the junction to Mason Lake. A helpful tree offered us four different signs and we picked the route to Mason. At the lake a strange sight: there was nobody here! Where were the campers? The dayhikers? The only time I've been to Mason and found it deserted was in the winter. Kind of creepy. Carla picked up the old trail, which I had never hiked, and we took this down to the new route. It's a nice trip and much more direct than the Ira Spring.

Back at the road we had a short walk back to the trailhead and reached my car about 7:10 pm, about 4.5 hours after parting ways with Suzanne. And amazingly Carla's coffee cup was still sitting on the roof of my car! According to Greentrails, about 17.5 miles total. I recorded 7125 ft of gain on my altimeter for the day.

All trails in great condition except for one small section on trail 1011. Berries non-existent at this time and not much water at either of the falls coming down from Melakwa Lakes.
Check out my full report here,
http://www.adventuresofscatman.com/[…]/

Scatman
Get out there!

This is a hike we started early to beat the heat of the day going uphill. We (Truckin Tom & I) left Seattle about 7:15 to pick up Lightning Loren and then were to meet Dancing Dorr and Loping Linda at the trailhead.

The first thing of note is that the Denny Creek Road (aka alternate route to Snoqualmie Pass) is that you turn right then take a left at the next junction to stay on this road. Both groups missed this turn initially based on the instructions from the Alpine Lakes hiking guide.

The first mile of the trail is in excellent maintenance and condition. Once past the water slide, the trail becomes more rough but not too bad until just before going up the Hemlock Pass.

The latter part of the hike goes over several scree slopes and the footing can be treacherous although we had no problems going up or down. Keekwulee Falls provided some nice views up and down including some brave souls who walked on the ledge mid-falls for some reason.

Dorr and Tom enjoyed a dip in the lake and we all enjoyed a break at the water slide coming down to cool off and rest our feet in the soothing waters of Denny Creek.

All in all a great hike. Please bring lots of water on the hotter hiking days. I went through about 3 quarts and could have drank more.

Besides the falls the "hanging" valley just below Hemlock Pass was quite neat. Did not remember the valley from trips to the area 40 some years ago.

We parked at the Pratt Lake Trailhead, ran to the Denny Creek Trailhead then headed up to Melakwa. From Melakwa we went down 1011 to Pratt Lake via Lower Tuscohatchie Lake.
The trail from Melakwa to Lower Tuscohatchie could use some eventual TLC, there were a couple big trees down and, on this misty day, several areas that need drainage work. Lots of trail work is going on in the general area though, a long stretch, lots of hard work, from Lower Tuscohatchie to Pratt Lake. We greeted a trail crew a bit beyond Pratt Lake- thank you!
The brushy spots after Pratt Lake are very brushy indeed, we got nice and wet before drying out on the last climb up the saddle.
With all the lakes this really is a nice hike even on a cloudy, misty day and there weren't many people out there on usually busy trails.

This is one of my all time favorite hikes due to variety of terrain: woods, open valleys, water falls, alpine lake.

Trail to the lake is in great shape. The water in Denny Creek is low and crossing is easy even w/o the long gone bridge.

I continued on beyond the lake up to Melakwa Pass. This really adds to the hike. Head toward the grove of trees up from the upper lake. Pass trough the middle of it along a trail that runs on the sides of the creek that goes through it. At times, you need to walk on the boulders in the creek. Once thru this, head up the boulder field towards the upper grove of trees at the top of the valley. Go to the right of the rock face jutting out the bottom of it and continue up a trail goes halfway up the side of this grove, then turns into the trees. Follow it up to a saddle. From there, you can look (or drop down) into Chair Peak Lake. Walk aways along the saddle, upwards, and you can see both Melakwa and Chair Peak Lakes.

Check out video (and my other videos) from last year of hike to Melakwa Lake, Up and Over the Pass, and down into Chair Peak Lake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_B5Pu5obi8

My daughters and I had made a bargain. I'd take them to the Denny Creek water slide if they first hiked to Melakwa Lake with me. So on Sunday we joined half of Seattle (the better half!) on a hike to Melakwa Lake.

Though we started at 9:15, it was still plenty hot on the way up crossing the rock slides and open areas. The bridge at the water slide is long gone, but it is easy to step across the creek on rocks. The trail is quite rocky beyond the water slide, but is otherwise in great shape. The girls had no trouble crossing the one large log across the trail. There were also a couple of smaller logs to cross over. There was one muddy area that was easily passed. No snow on the trail.

The girls were pooping out, so we stopped short of Hemlock Pass for lunch in a shady spot alongside the trail. After lunch we pushed on for the lake arriving at 1:00. Melakwa Lake is a gorgeous destination and it is easy to understand why so many people do this hike.

We returned to the water slide arriving about 3:30. Most of the sun was gone, but it was plenty warm and the girls had fun playing in the water with lots of other kids.

Dad had a great hike and so did his daughters. The water slide certainly helped.

Actually, it was the Melakwa, Lower Tuscohatchie, Pratt Lakes loops. Some runner friends were doing it as a run which meant we could grab a ride from the Granite Mt/Pratt parking lot to the Denny Creek trail, leaving a car in Granite. Maybe I should not have jumped so readily - it was long and sections are rocky and rooty and muddy and did I mention it was long. Although how long is yet to be decided. The trail sign at Granite Mt says Melakwa is 9 miles and from Denny Creek Melakwa is supposedly 4.5. A ranger say it is about 15 miles. Well, whatever, it was L O N G.

Left Seattle in a gray overcast and it was similar as we approached the trailhead just a bit before 8am. A patch of blue sky would show and then fade. The forest was misty but blue would appear and then disappear.

Keekulee Falls was wrapped with more mist and the trees were dripping at Hemlock Pass. Fog was rising from the lake area as we approached but then the sun came out at the lake. Had the first lunch here at about 10:30am. (our trail running friends were reported through quite a bit earlier).

Backtracked a bit to the Lower Tuscohatchie (henceforth Lower T) trail junction. Down a bit and the trail's location was a bit obscure. It seemed vague but following it down it was apparent that it was the trail. It drops in a series of switchbacks and then begins a traverse to Lower T. Not a bad lake but surrounded more by rolling green hills than craggy mounts. Had another snack here and then on to Pratt Lake. Heading out from Lower T you get views back to Kaleetan Peak - definitely craggy.

Pratt is another somewhat woodsy lake and we could see the saddle/pass area that would take us above Ollalie Lake and out. The woods were fairly cool which made the approximately 700 foot climb to the ridge better at around 1pm. It gains elevation in stages and crosses a number of talus/boulder fields.

Once atop you slowly lose elevation on a long curving traverse passing the trail to Talapus (Mason Lake ROAD) and the finally the junction to Granite Mt.

Our somewhat slow twosome did the trip in a bit over 8 hours with breaks. The runners, apparently in about 5 hours.

Few bugs only at Melakwa. Lots of flowers including bunchberry, columbine, queens cup, coral root (maybe not truly a flower), turks cap/tiger lily.

So after all these years, I made it to Lower T and Pratt Lakes.

We started this one around late noon. When we got to the trailhead, luckily we got a spot right near the TH, but others were not that lucky. You need a parking permit to park near the TH. The crowds existed until Denny creek, after that, it was just a small group going to Melakwa, but there were plenty coming down. This hike has a lot of variety with the creeks, waterfalls, valley views, hemlock pass and the multiple lakes if you continue further to tuscotchie. There are many rocks on the trail which could make running a bit difficult. There were couple of snow patches on the last swicthbacks but you can walk around it easily. We didn't find the need of our yaktraks. When we got to the lake, 1 of the group was leaving and then it was just us there. Beautiful peaks and a serene lake. The water is way too cold for a swim.

Just hiked up the Denny Creek trail and on to Melakwa Lake, then out via the same route. Gorgeous weather, many new friends and their kids and puppy dogs were out and about. One half in shape 29 year old daughter and out of shape pre-retirement Dad, and we did just fine. There were a few small children on the Melakwa trail, and they looked pretty fine too. The waterslide was in very kid-friendly shape, lots of places where you could get wet without traveling too far. Many, many, many families taking advantage over the course of the day.

Trail was in fairly good shape, though on the last slog up to the pass ahead of Melakwa there are a couple of things to be aware of: there is snow still on the trail in a couple of places, causing some dampness in my boots, and one ginormous log over the trail, requiring a little detour below the trail to get around it. If this hot weather holds, the snow on the trail will be gone in another week. Probably not so surprisingly, creeks were higher later in the afternoon than the morning, but was still able to find my way to a few dry stones. The trail above the falls and on to Melakwa was quite wet in places, even without the snow, and we had a good bit of fun walking over the part of the trail that was also a creek. Ran into a ranger and three volunteers on their way down - he checked for my pass, but gave us an encouraging "almost there."

No bridge issues on the Melakwa trail.

There is still a fair bit of snow at the edges of Lake Melakwa, but that didn't stop anyone from walking around, and least to the left hand side as you enter the day use area.

Very limited flowers blooming, but pretty where they were.

Hey, whatever happened to the bridge at the rock pools?!
Tricky hiking up the trail near the end where the creek had jumped its usual borders and decided to also use our usual hiking trail! Also, snow on the upper portion of the hike.

Did loop: (parked at) Pratt Lake trailhead, (ran road to) Denny Creek trail, Melakwa Lake, Lower Tuscohatchie Lake, out-n-back to Kaleetan Lake, Pratt Lake, Pratt Lake trailhead.
Main issues:
1) Some snow remains on last few switchbacks to Hemlock Pass, but not a problem (footing / finding the trail)
2) Kaleetan Lake trail, bridge is out: After about 3/4 of a mile you need to cross a major creek (outflow from Melakwa Lake). Your choices are:
A) very slippery log above some rapids.
B) jump about 4 feet onto a mossy boulder and hope you don't slip.
C) wade through knee-deep, fast flowing water.
I chose C, and it worked out fine....

Overall, trails are in good shape! I would not recommend the Kaleetan trail if you have IT band issues... If you run, do the loop clock-wise (like I did). Running down Denny Creek trail is not very fun.
Whole thing took me 5:50h - 4:00h actual running time.

Oh, yeah, and no wilderness permits in the box at the (Denny Creek) trailhead, and no TP in the restroom. Bet they come and check that every car has the trail park pass displayed, though. Last time I saw a ranger in the backcountry was 1998 in the Goat Rock Wilderness.... these days all they do is issue tickets.

My buddy Bill and I chose to do a 17 mile trail run from Pratt Lake parking lot to Denny Creek trailhead, up to Melakwa Lake and then down around Tuscohatchie Lake and Pratt Lake. The trail up Melakwa was in great shape until hitting snow about 300 feet below Hemlock Pass. We followed some steps in snow and saw some trail, but were able to make it up with no real issue. Once over the pass, we hit some snow in the first half mile on the way to Tuscohatchie and Pratt Lakes. The trail was in great shape except for a few blow downs. Super green in the dark forest, trail was not too brushy yet. Ate lunch at Tuscohatchie and hit the crowds coming up to Pratt Lake.. an amazing adventure..low clouds, but cool..no rain.. quintessential spring weather in NW (where is summer)

Off to Melakwa Lake to see where the snow is at since there hasn't been a report for a while on WTA.org. I got to the trailhead at noon and was off. I'm always amazed by hiking under I-90. The first mile is a cake-walk as you work your way along the river up to the "water slides". This is the stopping point for most people with little kids.

Once you hop over the river on some rocks you'll make your way up a few switchbacks in the woods. The trail again hooks up with the river as you make your way up to the waterfall. Once you see the waterfall you are now in the open and will be in the sun for the next 1/2 mile hiking long switchbacks up the rock slides. Once you hit the top of the rocks you'll see another waterfall off the trail to the right.

This begins the tight switchbacks up the side of the mountain. (around 20 in all) The switchbacks end at the blow down trees over the trail. The trail now becomes more level as you hike between two valleys towards another peak. (4,600 ft) Enjoy the streams, waterfalls, and flowers for another 1/2 a mile. The trail now again starts to switchback up the side of the next peak. This is where you will find the snow starting. (look for the snow trail over the rocks) You have a choice now...continue with tough hiking on snow or turn back.

On I go...follow the snow tracks left by others. It will be impossible to find the real trail. The winter trail leads you straight up the face of the mountain. There are a few switchbacks in the snow, but mostly just straight up. You get a chance to see the trail once in a while so you know your not lost. Once you hit the ridge the trail leads to the right and down to the lake.

Amazing views, blue snow on the lake. I had the lake to myself as I was one of the few to make it to the top. Be careful in the weeks to come with the snow getting softer.

For those with passenger cars, parking by Franklin Falls is recommended, the 1/4 mile stretch between Franklin & Denny Creek (Melakwa) is very pot-holed, it's probably worth walking the extra 1/4 mile if you've got a low clearance vehicle.

The trail today was very muddy, but it's a pretty hike, and the flowers are putting in an appearance, including bleeding hearts, Trillium & others I can't identify.

The bridge is out by slide rock, gone in fact. There are large rocks one can use to cross the water. The falls are flowing pretty good right now.

Past the waterfalls & after hiking a few switchbacks, at around 3500 feet there is a large blowdown on the trail, and patches of snow put in an appearance. While it looked fairly passable, we chose this spot as a turnaround point, so can't report on conditions beyond.

I only went up to '4500 to the Denny Creek basin, below Hemlock Pass. There is 5' of soft snow up here.

Both parking lots were empty at 09:30. The trail is almost snowless to Keekwulee Falls and Snowshoe Falls, which are running strong. Patches of Glacier Lillies, Bleeding Hearts and Smooth Violets are just below the Keekwaulee Falls and would make a terrific turn-around point for a short hike. There is some running water on the trail and large patches of mud but nothing deep or impassable.

Above the falls, there is one large blow-down and the 40'long patches of snow on the trail soon become all snow. I put on my spikes around 3500'. Caution is advised; melt water, in numerous spots is running below the snow up in the Denny Creek basin at 4500' and you can post-hole through it into wet voids. Some depressions are easy to see and avoid, so watch your step. Snow shoes are advised. I turned around at a small avalanche and passed only 4 people on my way down

Surprisingly not crowded for a Memorial Day weekend, but the weather could have been better. Due to all the recent rains, there are a lot of really muddy spots and standing water on the trail. It also gets slippery after crossing the creek since everything is melting and water is running everywhere.

We made it part of the way to the lake, but had to cross some downed trees. It is all snow after the second waterfall. We turned back since we didn't know where the trail was and weren't prepared to hike in snow.

The waterfalls are beautiful this time of year and there are lots of wildflowers blooming though so it's well worth it.

We started at the Denny Creek trailhead and were shooting for Melakwa Lake, but at some point, we veered from the path and followed snowshoe tracks instead. I think we went the "back" way to the lake, as we got there all the same, but approached it from another side than we normally do. Not sure if we followed an actual trail or if snowshoers had just made a trail. There is still a lot of snow here, and it is quite soft. Definitely advise snowshoes. We didn't have them, and it was do-able, but by the time we were coming down at 4:00, it was super soft and slushy. Weather was perfect and very sunny. The first parking lot (before the bridge) was full, but the second one (closer to trailhead) was almost empty.

Snow with deep ruts about 1/4 mile from the trailhead, but otherwise the road is clear. Snow starts at trailhead. Where the trail makes it's first topout and traverses there was lots of sloppy snow (wear your gaiters), and while we walked part of it snowshoes were a big help. The winter trail heads diagonally up (UP) at the end of the traverse valley, at a good angle, then really gets steep. We used MSR lightning ascent snowshoes and they gripped all the way, including lots of 45+ angles near the top. We pooped out about 1/4 mile from the saddle. Crampons were a help on the way down, but not needed if you don't mind slipping and slopping - no danger at all if you slid even quite a ways. A really fun day!

I was originally headed to Mt. Defiance, but decided against it after seeing the snow up there from I-90. Melakwa Lake was nearby, so I headed up that trail. I made it as far as the end of Hemlock Pass before the snow got too deep to continue without snowshoes. The trail is passable, but wet snow sticks to boots, adding a pound or two to each one, which makes for slow going and gets very tiring.

though there are signs at the trailhead that indicate "high danger" and caution, we didn't see much reason why. one small bridge was a little damaged, but definitely crossable. some water and mud on the trail; a bit frosty and thawed frozen ground right near the lake. once we got back to the car, the lot was full (and there was a ranger ticketing the cars that didn't have trail passes....). a great fall day hike today!

Two California daughters in town for the weekend and we needed some hiking exercise not too far away from our Issaquah home and Melakwa Lake won. Not exactly California weather, but no rain, mixed clouds and some sun breaks, and a really beautiful area. Fall colors were at their prime. The trail...well, there's something for everyone... Lots of water running down the trail, especially on the upper section, lots of roots, mud, several stream crossings on rocks and a couple on slippery logs all made for a great adventure. Waterfalls were roaring and lake was beautiful. We wanted to make it to the pass but ran out of time. We vowed to make the loop over to Gem and Snow lake next year. They were disappointed that we didn't see any snow even on the top of the mountains at the lake. Lots of friendly people and dogs on the trail but I guess it's normal for a Sunday.

The bridge over Denny Creek is gone so caution is needed in spring/early summer crossing it. Water level now is so low it was easy to cross. Hiked to Melakwa Lake, then continued on up to Melakwa Pass, then down into Chair Peak Lake, and around for views of Snow Lake. There is a good path thru the middle of the large grove of trees en route from the Melakwa Lake to the pass. In the past I had gone around it. Still some snow down in Chair Peak Lake. Do not descend down into this w/o poles as the return is quite steep. The entire trip was 8 hours round trip.

Went on a leasurely one-way walk from Talapus trailhead to Denny Creek trailhead, 8-year-old pace.

Talapus area is mobbed as usual. The junction with the cutoff trail to Pratt Trail (1039.1) is no longer marked --- look for it on the other side of a small creek where some other signs are hanging. Not sure if there is an attempt to close it, or just a missing sign... The trail itself is in great shape.

Pratt Lake felt like a campground --- we stayed somewhat in the woods, but all accesses to water were filled, and with nice toasty campfires, no less. Bugs not bad.

The trail to Lower Tuscohatchie is in great shape, recently brushed (thanks!), with superb valley views. Quite a few people there too, but not too bad. From Tuscohatchie to Melakwa, the forested trail is very pleasant as it climbs to the lake. Melakwa Lake is beautiful, of course. Blueberries, huckleberries, a salmonberry or two.

The trail continues around the left side to a small peninsula, and from there to Upper Melakwa, smaller but very pretty. We stayed at the upper lake and had it all to ourselves. Plenty of bugs. There are more private campsites on the bluff overlooking the upper lake (scramble up before reaching the peninsula). The "trail" to the Melakwa pass continues on the right side of Upper Melakwa, just along the shore. We didn't go to the pass.

Denny Creek trail is rocky, steep, and hot. Could use some brushing. Full of people even on a Monday.

All in all --- the lakes are amazings, the trails are in great shape for the most part.

Our threesome made the trek up to Melakwa, me for the first time. The trail has 2 steep and rocky sections, interspersed with smooth shaded sections. You are in and out of the trees, sometimes in the hot sun, both in the AM and PM. After passing the water slides, the trail climbs in the sun through a rocky section, then levels off near the waterfall, then climbs up a rocky section, some in the sun, some in the trees, to crest and then travese to the lake. Melakwa is a really beautiful lake, and very chilly to swim in!
We saw 20 or so people on the trail on a Wednesday, and 30 or so people who stopped at the waterslide.
Very few bugs, nice huckleberries, and still some wildflowers. There were sufficient water sources for our furry companion.
Nice Hike!

Fun hike on a 90 degree day! Lots of cars at the trailhead by 10am. If you go on this hike on a weekend, make sure to get their early.

Most of the people (lots of little yelling kids) hiked to the natural water slide about 1.5 miles into the hike. Not too much water going down the slide and not really worth it, if your looking to cool off.

Just over the water slide you find the trail again to Melakwa lake. Make sure to look for the "Pink" ribbon marking the trail. From here the hike is in the open for long sections making your way up to the waterfall. Once you get to the waterfall you head into the woods again for the last couple of miles. There are many switchbacks as you make your way up to the lake.

Lake was clear and not too many people. We jumped in off the big rock and swim a little bit. Really pretty nice hike!

-Bugs (flies mostly)
-Trail in good shape...sections with lots of rocks that slow you down.
-Funny bathroom hole at the TOP of a BIG hill at the lake!

Rating: 93%
Great date hike
9 miles round trip 2,700 ft ele gain.

On a Saturday, parking is backed up to the main road (beyond Franklin Falls trailhead) by 10:15. Not many people at the water slide at noon but hordes at 5:30. Even some walking in at 6 despite the thunder and sprinkles.

The lower lake was very busy with day hikers until about 3:30. The upper lake has its share since it's an easy walk but not as crowded. Backpackers everywhere. At 3:30 there were still a few camp sites but more were coming in even at 4.

No berries yet. Small splashes of red, white, and purple flowers along the trail but not hillsides of color. Only wildlife seen were 2 marmots above upper lake.

Flies and mosquitos were only a nuisance when no breeze.

There's water several places along the trail: slide, crossing above Snowshoe Falls, and a tiny creek halfway up to Hemlock Pass. Small patches of snow at the lakes. BTW, Snowshoe Falls is easy to miss. Listen for it as soon as the switchbacks end and peek through the trees.

I dropped my bike off at the Snow Lake TH and drove down to the Denny Creek TH and got on the trail at about 8:30. I saw several Saturday night campers treking out on my way up to Melakwa Lake. Got to the lake at 10:30 to snap a few pics and eat a snack. Only a few people at the lake. I headed up on the west side of Melakwa Lake and the east side of Upper Melakwa Lake and then I boulder hopped my way straight up the stream. I crossed a snowfield and then hit a steep boulder field. I started to question my sanity and when a fast (& light packing) moving woman shot past me. She was crazier than me traveling from Pratt Lake after biking down from dropping her car at Snow Lake TH. She said the morning ride was chilly and that my idea of ending with the bike ride was better. She was encouraging to see but was soon out of sight. When I got to Melakwa Pass, she was just getting out of sight at the bottom of the Chair Peak cirque. The views from the pass were great and I took another short break there. Chair Peak Lake was 97% frozen and the snow field reached all the way up to the pass. I saw that the crazy woman must have slid down the slope so I thought why not? I found out. I got going so fast and out of control that I flew right over a little crack in the snow. Finally, I dug my heals in as the snowfield leveled off. I understand why they say it is impossible to self-arrest with hiking poles. Note: an ice axe would've come in handy if you know how to use it. I continued to follow the foot prints around the east side of the lake. The foot prints lead too far downstream of the lake outlet for a comfortable crossing over what must have been a snowbridge over the stream that leads to Snow Lake (I wasn't sure if the water I heard was from the falls downstream or underneath my feet). I started to descend to quickly and came to a dead end - dead if I had kept going over the cliff. I quickly realized that I must gain some elevation and traverse Mt. Roosevelt in a NW'erly direction. That was confirmed when I arrived at the next snowfield were I saw more footprints. It was a combination of snow & talus slopes that I descended to the trees and brush. In retrospect, I made a pretty good line over to the north side of Snow Lake were I knew that I'd pick up the trail somewhere between Snow and Gem Lakes along that ridge. This did involve some holding on to bushes at times for balance and skirting of a couple ponds. I wonder if rather than trying to keep a steady elevation it would've been better to gain some elevation and try to hit Gem Lake more directly. As expected the Snow Lake trail was packed with people and just like last year when I was coming out (from Gem Lake) there were EMTs heading up the trail to rescue someone got hurt. I took another short break along Snow Lake and got down to the TH shortly after 5pm. The bike ride down to Denny Creek TH was fast and a great way of shaving 1000 ft of elevation descent off the hike.

I figured about 10.5 miles & ~3,500 elevation gain (2,500 loss).

Overall, this traverse is not for everyone but it does take you to some wonderfully beautiful areas that are hard to beat.

Trail is clear of snow all the way to the lake; Melakwa Lake as well as Upper Melakwa are ice-free. Apparently this is a popular hike as I saw about 30 people along the way, with four tents set up at the lake.

Wilddflowers are in full bloom all along the trail. Skies were clear all the way to the lake, which was socked in with fog.

Unfortunately, the meadows around the lake are suffering from boot wear, with several areas "Closed for restoration."

Warm day for hiking, trail was in great condition with WTA crews working on the lower portion of the trail before Denny Creek. Melakwa Lake is still about 50% covered by ice with some snow just around the lake. A lot of great views along the way and Melakwa was spectacular. A lot of uphill climb, but it never gets very steep. Definitely a great way to spend the day! Didn't meet too many people on the trail, but I imagine it gets busy on weekends. Bridge is out at Denny Creek but it is very easy to get across. Some mud on the trail.

The road to the Denny Creek / Melakwa Lake trailhead is completely open - no snow, no downed trees... just potholes. Snow still 0-2(?) feet deep on the trail all the way to the 2nd bridge (the "water slide" area), which is entirely missing (well, we saw one piece of it a bit downstream). Couldn't find a safe, easy way across, so we went looking for crystals.... ;-)

 - rob

Good trip overall. The bridge at second creek crossing was out, but makeshift crossings have been made. Still tricky though. Trail is basically snow free until about 1 1/2 miles from Melakwa lake, when snow begins to completely cover the trail. Following boot tracks is easy until a point where we completely lost the trail. We made our way to the ridge line and back down to the pass where we found the trail again, and followed an obvious track to Melakwa lake, which was still completely frozen over, and with the foggy conditions was a complete white out. Still a good hike if you have a nose for navigating in the woods, otherwise it might be too tricky still to keep track of where you're going. Only a couple blowdowns, nothing terrible.

Started out from Denny Creek around 11:30 and figured I would go out as far as possible, snow and daylight dependent. Parking area treaded down with about 4-5 inches of dry powder on top. The trail to the creek was packed snow with a few ice patches. From the creek up to about 3800ft, luckily the trail had 1 or 2 previous trekkers, including a skier, which made my steps easier and my journey quicker. I booted up to 4000 ft at which point snowshoes were needed (and I had left them behind). The snow was about 1 1/2 ft deep. Started postholing a bit and figured it would take another hour to get up over Hemlock Pass and down to the lake. Decided to turn around at the boulder slide area before the switchbacks up to the pass (about 4100ft). Not a puff of wind in this area today. No avvy danger yet. COLD, still and beautiful. Saw 1 other hiker and 1 skier.

Started from the Denny Creek Trailhead. Weather was amazing, perfect day. The trail was in good condition - a little muddy in spots, icy in a few others but no significant bad stretch of trail. Did not encounter ice on the log bridge as mentioned in previous report. But then Saturday didn't seem much like a day in December!

The lake was beautiful - worth the switchbacks it takes to get there.