Trip Reports

Right now there's a rare opportunity to see Snow Lake in mid-November with NO SNOW on the trail.

Just a week or two ago, the lake basin was buried in waist-deep snow; a few warm, rainy days changed that in a big way. Except for a light dusting of white stuff from scattered flurries, there is now no snow to be seen on the ground. And, with no precipitation in the immediate forecast, this weekend should be glorious and maybe even sunny at the lake.

Today, though, the weather was a mixed bag. It was a day where "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute" became "If you don't like the weather, wait a second." I left the trailhead amidst snow flurries, which quickly changed to clear and partly sunny. I even enjoyed a few minutes of sun at Snow Lake (can this really be November?). Suddenly the temperature dropped ten degrees and it began to snow, and pretty heavily too. As I recrossed the ridge on the way back, the flurries abruptly ended and I finished the hike under typically dreary late autumn skies.

I've heard that the trail is snow-free all the way to Gem Lake. I can't confirm that, but I did hike across the lake inlet and around the shore to the big "picnic rock" outcrop, and still saw no snow on the ground.

The trail itself is in good shape, though it will always be the rockiest of rocky trails, destroyer of sneakers and flip-flops.

From what I could see in the area, all the trails in the Snoqualmie Pass area are in the same condition. So if you're looking for a weekend hike, you might want to take what will probably be the last opportunity to hike around the pass without snow gear.

Beautiful Fall colors, perfect weather, and relatively quiet for Snow Lake (40 other hikers).

Go now! Amazing Fall color on this hike. We got to the trail head at 8:30am. There were 5 other cars there. The trail up to Snow lake starts out fairly level but after about a mile you begin to ascend steadily until the crest overlooking Snow Lake. The trail to Gem Lake skirts the side of Snow Lake and is well marked. I read a previous review on here where someone said the trial up to Gem Lake was "more or less level." Nothing could be further from the truth. The trail actually ascends and descends around Snow Lake before gaining roughly 750-1,000 feet to Gem Lake. All trails were pretty rocky but in great shape. Snow Lake is nice but Gem Lake is a real beauty and the colors on this hike got better the further we went. My wife and I hiked Maple Pass Loop last weekend and for my money this hike had better color and was MUCH more peaceful. By the time we made it back to the car at 3:30pm there were 30 cars in the lot so I think a lot of other people felt like us and tried to squeeze in another hike before the rains hit. Really a beautiful hike today in full sun throughout the day and a wonderful hike to end out hiking season on.

I was told about this hike by co-workers and friends and I finally decided to give it a try. Headed up early in order to avoid the crowds. Started up the trail a little after 8am on a beautiful Saturday morning with the feel of fall in the air. Not much in the way of foot traffic going in and the trail was in great shape. Made it up and over to the lake pretty quickly. Enjoyed the early morning sun sitting on the shoreline with my dog. As the morning went on the sound of hikers began to increase (along with a couple of guys running the trail). So I decided to give up my spot and head back which ended up taking longer than the way in because of the number of groups coming up the trail. Hiking with a dog I tend to yield to those coming up where the trail isn't wide enough to pass. There were a number of other hikers with dogs and I was somewhat surprised by how many didn't have them on leashes. Not sure I would try this one on a summer weekend with the number of people that use this trail the large parking lot was close to full when I came back out.

Beautiful fall day hike with lots of sun, views, and fall color that is a short drive from Seattle.

The parking lot was about 1/4 full when we got to the trailhead on a sunny fall October Saturday around 8:45am. Only a few people were coming down as we where going up. However, on the way back to the trailhead there were a lot of other hikers on the trail. Get there early for parking and less crowds.

There was beautiful fall color with the leaves changing. And the view from Snow Lake from the top was beautiful.

I highly recommend hiking down to the lake. Just don't think about having to hike back up before you do. It is worth it. The lake is so clear. Check out the ruins of an old cabin while you are there.

The day we went it was windy by the lake and much cooler than on the trailhead side of the hike. I had to put on my hat and my jacket. But they soon came off again after we ate lunch with a view of the lake and head back to the trailhead.

This is a great alternate route to the ridge above Snow Lake. It is actually the original route to Snow Lake that was abandoned several decades ago when the current trail was built. You wont find this on any modern maps or guide books.
The signed trail to Source Lake takes of from the Snow Lake trail at 1.5 miles. At 0.4 mi from the junction the trail becomes faint and alternates between talus and forest. The tread is well worn in most places. The grade is moderate and not difficult. Cairns mark the route across a boulder field. The trail then crosses just below a small trickling waterfall. Beyond the waterfall, the trail is very easy to follow. I recommend taking a well worn steep side path to the top of the ridge where you can wander through huckleberry and heather meadows dotted with tarns (some currently dry). Nice views of Chair Peak. The trail intersects the Snow Lake trail where it crosses the ridge.

I wanted to avoid a long drive and hoped for some Fall color. While there was not a ton of Fall color the hike was quite pleasant. It was definitely FALL. It was quite chilly around 9:30 when I arrived at the traihead. There were maybe 10 cars and some of those were over-nighters.

The trail presents no real issues - no stream crossings at this time of year. The trail is rocky.

It gains some quick elevation at the start and then slowly rises till the junction with the Source Lake overlook. Then switchbacks take the trail up to the ridge, across and then down the backside to the Lake.

Some hoar frost along the way confirming the reason that the hands were cold. The lake was quiet with a few ducks splashing its surface. Stayed for about an hour on the shore and headed up - wearing fleece till up and over and back into the sunshine on the Alpental side.

A blue jay circled me hopping from snag to bush, to limb and some "mundane" camper robbers also made an appearance.

There was definitely smokey haze out toward the east and Guy.

A pleasant outing - maybe I will do my traditional snow hike here when the first dustings change the appearance to Early Winter.

This popular hike still attracted quite a number of folks on this midweek day.

Some images from this trip: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

We started Saturday 8:30am and it took us 6 hours to get to Upper Wildcat Lake, with some rest time at each of the lakes on the way. The trail was a little busy up to Snow Lake but in very good condition and not too strenuous. We had a snack there and enjoyed the views (despite the low cloud cover limiting visibility) and continued along the lake toward Gem Lake.

The hike to Gem Lake is more or less level, with only a few ups and downs, much fewer people here. Gem Lake is gorgeous and a great place for lunch. We refilled our CamelBacks and then got on the way to Lower Wildcat. The trail drops around 1000 feet between Gem and Lower Wildcat Lake. From here on we were on our own. Lower Wildcat is a nice lake but the shore is not very accessible and the only campsite not too appealing.

We made our way up the 0.5 miles or so to Upper Wildcat. this section is short but very steep, I definitely broke some sweat here with a fairly heavy pack on my back. It's all worth it though. Upper Wildcat Lake is amazingly beautiful. There wasn't a soul there. We had a few hours with daylight, put the tents up and made some dinner. It got pretty chilly during the night but manageable, probably upper 30s or so. On the next day we left Upper Wildcat at around 10:45 and made it back at around 4:30. It was nice to see all the lakes again on a sunny day as the previous day was much cloudier.

The trail is overall in a very good condition, only after you get past Gem Lake there are a few blowdowns and a landslide, none of them a massive problem though, just keep an eye on the trail, at some points it's a little easy to take a wrong turn.

This backpacking trip was amazing, beautiful scenery and total solitude at Upper Wildcat Lake, a great experience that I hope can be repeated sometime.

Trails in great shape. Starting to see some beautiful fall color too. Just a reminder these trails are very rocky and although they can certainly be done in sneakers on a dry day, boots are a better choice for ankle support.

Solitude on the Snow Lake trail?
Nah, but after the crossing the outlet, I only saw 5 people, and once I turned down to the Wildcat Lakes, I was all alone.

9:30am Late start from the Alpental parking lot. Already lots of people on the trail. I had hoped the overcast weather would lessen the crowds, and maybe it did, but I still had to be patient and pass loads of people all the way to Snow Lake.

10:15 Reached the log crossing the outflow from Snow Lake, 3 miles in. 2 guys sitting there snacking. Fog settled on the lake, and there were no views, could hardly see the lake. It was the same all the way up and over the ridge. Only complaint were the dog owners that don't control their animals.

10:45 Above Gem Lake, roughly 5.3 miles in, at the turn-off for the Wildcat Lakes. Passed 2 hikers since the log crossing at Snow, and saw one camper at Gem. Fog is still thick, but clearing enough to see the immediate surroundings. Trail is great.

11:20 Sitting on the shore of Upper Wildcat Lake, in complete solitude. Absolutely beautiful setting. The last time I'd been on this trail was in high school, in the late '80s. The descent down from Gem was steep, but the trail was clear and runnable. Clouds continued to disperse, so my running was frequently interrupted because I simply wanted to soak in the environment. I blew past lower Wildcat without even realizing it because the fog sitting in the bowl obscured it completely. The climb up to Upper Wildcat was steep, but only lasted a few hundred feet. Nothing like my memories of being a pudgy teenager lugging a 100 lb pack up an obscure footpath. The trail from Lower Wildcat was definitely more brushy and resembled a fisherman's path, but still easy to navigate. After arriving at Upper, I surprised myself with a swim, since I didn't think I would risk the cold, but the air was so still, it wasn't too chilly at all. I spent about 30 minutes by the lake, marveling at how incredibly quiet it was. No birds, wind, people, not even a distant airplane engive overhead. Maybe it was the think blanket of fog deadening outside noise. My patience paid off as the fog started to dissipate, and I caught glimpses of the rock walls enclosing the lake, which added to my sense of isolation. It was with great reluctance that I left.

1:45pm Arrived back at the car after a smooth run back. The trail back to Gem was all mine. Once at Gem, started passing hikers who had climbed Wright Mtn, or had reached Gem and were returning. Lots of hikers coming and going, but people were very gracious and let me pass. Snow Lake is a classic hike, and it serves a purpose in getting people into the countryside, but I'm happy to leave it alone for another 20 years or so, as great as my Wildcat experience was.

Nice hike - not a lot of people on this Wednesday. Beautiful vistas and it's a treat when you come around the bend to the lake. The only hard part: lots of loose rock on trails.

Perfect hiking weather, excellent trail, spectacular views. When we arrived at 8:20 we were the tenth car in the lot. When we left at 1:30 approx 200 cars.

The hike up was medium difficulty and not too crowded. The view at the lake was blue skies, sparkling blue water, white clouds and melting snow fields around the rim -- 70 degrees, perfect hiking conditions.

The hike down took longer than the hike up. Swarms of people, some barefoot, some with infants, some with children, some dogs on leash, way too many running free. We spent at least 30 minutes waiting for groups to pass on the narrow trail.

But it was a wonderful hike.

Busy day at the trailhead. Could barely find parking. Came across a group of 20somethings hiking in bare feet. Of course I expect nothing less from the very popular Snow Lake hike. Kind of foggy/smoky at the top but great views of the very calm lake waters. We pushed on to Gem Lake and it was spectacular as well. Fall colors are starting to show especially in the maples. A few bugs at Gem Lake. Trails in great shape.

Nice dry day--it started out foggy, but cleared up around noon. We started out at 7:30am with not too many other hikers on the trail (and not very many other cars in the Alpental parking lot)--though when we hit our turnaround time at 12:30pm the trail was completely filled with hikers with kids and dogs. Our dog Blitz definitely loved it, we were very glad to have gotten up early to beat the crowds--the fog on the lake was totally worth it.

We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny Creek TH. Started up the trail around 9:30 in clouds and made it to upper Malakwa Lake around noon for lunch. We got on top of the clouds and entered smoky sunshine just below Malakwa Lake. The route from the lakes up to Malakwa Pass was straightforward up the rocks with the final bit on a track through the trees on the W side of the valley. Not much of a view on account of the smoke.

Dropped down the N side on steepish snow to 90% ice covered Chair Peak Lake. From here on to Gem Lake the route finding involved a bit of guesswork, considering the limited detail on our 15' topo map, and the low visibility. We crossed the Chair Peak Lake outlet stream and climbed up a rocky knoll on its W side. From there we dropped part way down a talus slope until we could turn N and head to a ridge on the N side of Roosevelt. Once on the ridge we found an occasionally distinct track heading NE that brought us to Gem Lake. From there it was back on the Snow Lake trail for the descent back into the clouds.
Total time including breaks from trailhead to trailhead was just under 9 hours.

We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny Creek TH. Started up the trail around 9:30 in clouds and made it to upper Malakwa Lake around noon for lunch. We got on top of the clouds and entered smoky sunshine just below Malakwa Lake. The route from the lakes up to Malakwa Pass was straight forward up the rocks with the final bit on a track through the trees on the W side of the valley. Not much of a view on account of the smoke.

Dropped down the N side on steepish snow to 90% ice covered Chair Peak Lake. From here on to Gem Lake the route finding invovled a bit of guesswork, considering the limited detail on our 15' topo map, and the low visibility. We crossed the Chair Peak Lake outlet stream and climbed up a rocky knoll on its W side. From there we dropped part way down a talus slope until we could turn N and head to a ridge on the N side of Roosevelt. Once on the ridge we found an occasionally distinct track heading NE that brought us to Gem Lake. From there it was back on the Snow Lake trail for the descent back into the clouds.
Total time including breaks from trailhead to trailhead was just under 9 hours.

We went up this trail on a sunny afternoon and it was HOT! Almost the whole thing is very exposed as it crosses old rockslides. I'd recommend starting up in the morning when that side of the mountain will be in shade. Bring plenty of water - we definitely should have brought more. We didn't get down to the lake because of that, but had lunch overlooking it. What a beautiful wilderness view. And the breeze coming up the slope off the lake was instantly about 15 degrees cooler than the sunny upslope. On the way up, some of the ground cover is just beginning to show fall color.

Nothing can be better than a September morning with clear blue skies, a favorite mountain trail, nobody else out there, and 37 degrees. The Snow Lake trail seems to get better every year as detritus fills in the cracks between rocks and volunteers add steps and drains along the way. It is very popular too. There were people still arriving up the trail at 4:30 in the afternoon!

Trail 1013 to Snow Lake is in good shape, no hinderances along the way as it gains 600 ft in 1.5 miles to the junction with Source Lake. The switchbacks up the Snow Lake saddle are clear and the trail down the other side to the lake and indeed to the log over the spillway are fine. Nice steps installed over the years have really made the ascent much easier. Several people were swimming in Snow Lake this afternoon.

From the spillway to Gem Lake the trail is a bit rockier in places as it gains 800 ft. in 2 miles. The alpine terrain is beautiful. From Gem Lake to the top of Wright Mountain is another story. A narrow boot track leaves Gem Lake's NE shore to two nice campsites. From there the track is overgrown and blocked by a big nasty blowdown. People have circumvented this with a boot track.

Atop the ridgeline the trail is rough but easy to follow. In places such as talus slopes, the cairns are well placed. The final ascent is a scramble up a boulder field. I cleared some of the young trees that blocked the trail but much more work could be done here.

The summit of Wright Mountain is about 5500 ft elevation and offers stunning 360 views. South lies Gem & Snow Lakes and the Alpental valley. West is Chair Peak and the breathtaking pinnacle of Kaleetan. East is Thompson, Overcoat, and Hinman and to the north are a parade of Cascade peaks. The north side of Wright Mountain plunges steeply down to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie and both Wildcat lakes are visible to the NW.

The summit of Wright Mountain is 5.5 miles from the Alpenthal trailhead but certainly worth the effort.

The parking lot still had plenty of room at 11 am, which was good, because A LOT of hikers were going to Snow Lake. I even met someone I knew from work at the trailhead. The trail was busy and somewhat dusty, but not overly crowded despite the traffic.

The trail was somewhat rocky, but otherwise in good condition. Not too much snow at Snow Lake. There were various critters out, including moths, butterflies, bees, frogs (near the lake), and beetles. There were ripe berries and wildflowers in the sunny spots. Sunscreen was a good idea, since it was a clear day and the trail is mostly sun-exposed. Boots were helpful, though poles were unnecessary (some people had them). Water sources were limited to a couple creeks near the trailhead and of course, the lake.

We got to the lake in 2:15 (1:38 in PR time), took some photos, and then headed back. We did take the short spur to Source Lake: http://www.wta.org/[…]/

The 30 % chance of showers was 100% a few miles east of Issaquah. I guess that is still 30% (100% of 30%!). I waited in the trailhead parking lot to see if it would let up and then devided to go for it.
The showers stopped after a few minutes but the surrounding peaks had clouds and fog hanging around them the rest of the hike with temperatures from the low to mid fifties.

Even though it was a Wednesday, there were less people on the trail than I expected. At the lake the drizzle began again so I plopped down under a tree for lunch. Just the same, the weather offerd some interesting forms as the fog came and went.

The trail is in good condition. The streams on the trail are all but dry or just have a couple inches of water in them.

Hike a thon #13
We started just before 10, hiked in the rain to the top then it stopped and the reflections came out. Love the reflections at Snow lake! Still several flowers blooming around the lake. Our destination today was Gem, it was my first time. I'm not going to say it was an easy hike, those rocks and boulders are not so fun on the feet. But we all made it and really didn't think we would be able to even see it with the fog, but it lifted and was glassy just like snow lake was, killer reflections, great lunch and rest and then back we all went. 2 dogs today and 3 humans. We were all tired at the end but a wonderful day on the trail. And another one knocked off my list! Tomorrow ends the hike-a-thon and i'm kind of sad about that, it was a good time!

Easy trail access off of I90.

The trail was very rocky and you could easily twist an ankle if you're not paying attention.

Tons of people on this trail but it thinned out once my husband and I passed Snow Lake and headed up towards Gem Lake.

Overall a very nice hike but not recommended if you're looking for quiet and/or solitude.

Went up to the lake the other day and it was absolutely gorgeous! This might be a long shot, but if anyone happened to find a pink Nikon Coolpix on the side of the lake please give me a call (360) 471-0416

I had not been on this trail in many years because it gets so much use and I'd hiked it so many times, yet it is so worth the trip, especially when hiking it early morning in the middle of the week.

There is no longer any snow on the north side of the ridge down to the lake and the lake is mostly melted out. Although I had visions of swimming in Snow and perching on an iceberg, I didn't quite manage that.

The trail beyond has some snow but is quite manageable. Gem is just the little gem that I remember it to be and I visited my old camp site for old times sake.

It just goes to show that the more a trail is loved, the more maintenance it receives. This hike is worth it, as are many, many others.

This trail is easily accessed from I-90; however, the directions to the trailhead described in the hiking guide on the website leave out one small detail which is especially important for people who are not familiar with the area. After turning left off of exit 52 and crossing under the freeway, you need to make the first right-hand turn to reach the Alpental parking lot. Staying straight takes you onto Forest Service Road 58.

The trail itself is in nice condition and has a gentle grade. The trail is rocky, but dry and even dusty at times. Much of the ascent is across open avalanche chutes, so be prepared with sun protection. After reaching a saddle, the trail descends to the lake. This portion of the trail had a few snow patches, all easily passable. Due to the melting snow, parts of the trail were wet and muddy, but again, nothing unmanageable. Many way-paths lead to the lake shore, and several areas are closed for restoration. Please respect the closed areas.

The lake is still partially frozen. Several varieties of wildflowers are blooming at the lake and in the avalanche chutes, including heather, tiger lily, and bear grass.

Finally, the snow on the back side of the Snow Lake Trail at the saddle is almost all gone and the trail is actually in very good shape all the way down to the lake. On Wednesday, Aug. 8, there were small ice bergs on the lake and some remains on the trail around the lake, but nothing difficult. The trail up to Gem Lake is quite wet and boggy in spots, but still passable.

There's a little patch of snow at the top. There are icebergs in the lake. (Report by 7 year old hiker)

Started at about 8:30am. The trail was clear of snow until the decend to Snow Lake. There is still snow on the lake but expect it to be clear in the next couple of weeks. Decided not to go to the lake but take the north trail to Source Lake. Turned back after first 1/2 mile due to snow. Returned to the main trail and went to Source Lake, There is still alot of snow in snow field but the trail was clear of snow above Source Lake. There is enough snow in Great Scott Bowl to ski top to bottom. Great day for a hike light crowds and blue skys.

Hiked Sunday , left at 11am from trailhead, lots of cars. WTA was there with about 15 working on the trail. It's in good shape, once you reach ridge though it's like winter time. Most were turning around at this point. We had poles and crampons and warmer clothes so we hiked down to the foggy frozen solid lake.
If you don't have hiking boots on don't try it, it's very steep and slippery. I wouldn't of tried it without poles either. Might do without crampons but not safe to do. Plus there is no definitive trail, it's shoe prints going one way or another.I had GPS so it was easy to find the way. Switchbacks are useless due to there steep sides and 6 feet of snow.
I have never seen so much snow here this time of year, sometimes in may its fine , last July it was fine. This year couple more weeks I would say at least.
Couldn't see more than 100 feet across the lake due to fog.

Up until saddle, trail in very good condition, although some water. At saddle, the north facing trail was impossible to find. Turned back before actually reaching the lake.

Beautiful Monday hike with a sparse showing of other hikers. The weather reports had been threatening thunder showers, but we braved it regardless and were rewarded with warm blue skies, no bugs, and an occasional cool breeze when most needed.

Patches of snow dotted the trail starting a fairly short distance from the trailhead, and culminating with complete snow cover once the lake was in view. We decided it wasn't worth it to make the trip down the snow fields to the lake shore, and instead had lunch on the big rock overlooking the lake with a few other hikers. Total trip time was less than 3 hours, with our GPS reporting a total roundtrip distance of exactly 5 miles.

Hiked to Snow Lake this morning and made it to the ridge above the lake but the clouds obscured the view of the lake. There was quite a bit of snow down to the lake so decided not to traverse to the lake without proper equipment i.e. ice axe!
Trail up to the saddle was mostly clear of snow and an easy climb. Will have to return in a couple of weeks to a month to try and make it down to the lake.
Bugs were a bit of a pain but not bad as long as you kept moving.

Gem Lake is just about my favorite all year around hike. Between late Oct and mid-July you just about have the place to yourself after you drop into the Snow Lake basin. On the approach, however, there will be more people than you can shake a stick at. It always takes me back a little that so many people on their way to Snow Lake aren't aware that the conditions ahead will be more like winter than summer even though it's the middle of July.

There were just a few patches of snow and a couple blowdowns up to the ridge. From there, a nice angled traverse down to the waterfall was on consolidated snow that was starting to show the first signs of melt out to the boulders below. I was glad to have my poles in a couple spots. After passing the lunch rocks I dropped onto the lake for a bit before heading up and around the hill and down to the log crossing the outlet. It was a good 4 feet drop off the snow onto the trail that led down to the log. Coming back this proved to be much harder getting up than I had anticipated.

From the outlet one generally follows the trail though being on snow it's much easier to take a more direct route making sure not to climb too high since there are a few drops in between the ridges. One doesn't notice these as much when hiking the trail. There are also some cliff areas one needs to avoid so having a good map or gps is essential if this is one's first time not following a trail.

From the basin below Gem Lake I took the chute to the NE which takes one up to the tarns above Gem and leads onto Wright Mtn. After a leisurely lunch I dropped down onto Gem and back into the basin to pretty much follow my footprints back to Snow Lake and the crowds waiting for me on the ridge above.

Patches of snow were on trail almost immediately after leaving parking lot but were easily traversed. The trail splits, and we took the Source Lake overlook trail rather than directly to Snow Lake. Trail has numerous streams undercutting deep snow. I manage to find myself almost hip deep in a hole. For the most part, snow was crusty and passable. We wore gaiters and had trekking poles. An ice ax could be useful for digging foot steps in step slopes but was unnecessary. Views were terrific and despite the snow conditions it was well worth the 1500 foot or so 7 mile RT hike. A nice resource was plenty of fresh, clean water. We filled our water bottles several times and did not bother filtering it. Source Lake and Snow Lake are just emerging from winter and it would be difficult to reach the shores of Snow Lake at this time. Glacier lilies were numerous but most other wild flowers have not emerged.

I got to the trailhead at a leisurely 9:30 am and mine was the only car in the parking lot. I saw only ten other hikers all day. The trail starts with patchy snow and rapidly became mostly snow covered. I found the sign for the cut-off to the switchbacks up the hill to the Snow Lake overlook but I could not find the trail. Perhaps the snow moved the sign during the winter. I hiked on another half mile up the valley but the snow got more and more treacherous. Being with neither crampons nor an ice axe, I decided to turn back.

Despite my disappointment in not being able to get to the Snow Lake overlook, the hike was a great way to spend a couple of hours. The new wildflowers were beautiful and the Cascade Mountains were cascading. Above the trail the waterfalls of all sizes were spectacular, any one of which would probably merit having a state park built around it if it were located in Iowa. And it is fascinating to see the woods melting out of its winter garb.

Near the trail head there were patches of snow. There are some creek crossings, but they were passable. Most of the trail had quite a bit of snow on it, you couldn't see the actual trail but you could find your way. In some areas the snow was giving way and you could punch through (snow bridges). A few blow downs to get around but not too bad if you are in good shape. It was too fogged in to see the lake. Some yellow flowers in bloom.Wear gaters.

Started 1230. Snow slowly takes over trail until it is all snow. Switchbacks under Snow Lake are completely covered -worst section due to steep slush. Made it to the Snow Lake overlook then turned back.

Went on a nice sunny day on Monday and there were about 8 other cars parked at the lot. The roundtrip hike took us about 3 and a half hours. There was still a fair amount of snow beginning at the false summit until the summit. Some of the other hikers turned back when there was no alternative to hiking up the snow but we went with just regular running shoes on and were able to make it to the top with some scrambling skills.

Approx 95% of trail covered with snow. It's a beautiful hike with excellent views. We only encountered 5 other hikers - two of which turned around fairly early on the trail. We hiked approx half the length of the trail before turning around due to difficulty crossing streams. Others did make the crossings but it would be beneficial to have waterproof footwear (which we had) and poles (which we did not have). We are reasonably fit individuals who hike nearly every weekend but are not necessarily mountaineers. :-) If you have an above average fear of slipping down waterfalls as I do, this may be a hike to take on a few weeks later in the season. If, like my hiking partner, you have a slightly below average fear of death by waterfall or come well equipped, this may be a great hike for you!

We planned to hike to Snow Lake but did not make it. The trail head is clear for the first 50 feet, and snow covered from then on. We did hike up a bit following foot steps in the snow for a bit, but they were weak and lost about 15 minutes into the hike. We blazed our own path for a bit, but ended up coming back due to what I felt were not safe conditions. This was based on no real path to follow from our starting point. If I go again in the next month I'd start from the northern most Alpental parking lot, snow show up the valley trail by the water tank and blaze a zig-zag trail up the back slope staying slightly to the east side of the bowl. I'd guess the snow will be on the trail up though mid June and probably longer depending on warmth and sun levels at the pass. It is still a spectacular hike with all the snow on the other cover slopes. I would also venture the same conditions exist for any trails from the Denny Creek exit as well. Any way you go, it is a good work out - take extra food and water and be prepared for instant cold weather.

Our dog did well enough, but both we and the dog post holed a few times. The snow covering the creeks is strong enough for about another week, then I say the snow will be very week and thin to cross over.

Today, the shortest day of the year, was stunning – with fresh white snow and deep blue skies.

We met about ten people along the route today, so the trail was packed and well defined. Until the next snowfall, the trail to Snow Lake should remain easy to follow clear on up to the ridge.

We did fine with sturdy boots and poles.

More photos:
http://seattlewalks.blogspot.com/2011/12/snow-lake.html

Beautiful sunny day and since there hasn't been a lot of new snow if awhile, the trail was well compacted so snowshoes were not needed. However, when the next round of snow hits, that will all change.

I went up some narrow and steep gully to get to the top of the pass. I took out my ice ax and up I went. The gully was steep, but was like a staircase because of the steps kicked in before me. Not the normal route, of course, but still pretty fun. At the top of the hill I hung a left (toward Chair Peak) and soon got back onto the main trail. From here I simply followed tracks straight downhill to the lake. Still didn't need snowshoes! At the lake most of the tracks follow the shore in either direction. Yes, they are on top of ice, but since you are right next to the shore the water underneath is probably rather shallow. And the ice was pretty solid. Stay close to shore and you will be fine. I went right (like summer route) for a bit to get a view of Mt. Roosevelt before turning back.

On the way out I took the side trail toward Source Lake. Lots of tracks lead to and from the lake. I know that there is a route down there that leads back to the TH but I chose to play it safe and take the normal trail back.

The trail to the ridge overlooking Snow Lake was easy to follow and easily passible without snow shoes. As the trail started climbing, it became a somewhat less obvious, but was still fine without snow shoes.

At one point the trail appears to go straight up a narrow passage of snow between some rocky cliffs. There are steps kicked in here, but they're two or three times as tall as you would expect someone to ascend. I kicked some additional ones, but I think I was following the remnants of someone's plunge-step descent. I made it up this, but it probably wasn't the safest way to get to the lake. It's steep at the bottom, and just gets steeper as you ascend. You really wouldn't want to fall here, and I don't think an ice axe would have done much good. Two other parties attempted this route, but turned back.

Instead of climbing straight up, you should continue traversing horizontally to the left. The route appears to get fainter or possibly disappear, but it picks back up again in maybe 50 feet. From there it's a nice trail with switchbacks.

By the time I made it to the ridge, the fog had rolled in and I was concerned about finding a safer way back down, so I didn't bother descending to the lake.

On the way back out, I took a detour at the obvious fork in the trail to head back away from the trailhead. That trail leads to a nice basin where there were a bunch of people skiing and some people practicing avalanche rescue. I had a lunch of soup and tea and then headed back to my car.

The road to the trailhead was in great condition.

I didn't see the ice axe that Big Daddy P mentioned losing in his 12/4 trip report.

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!!

The roads and the parking lot are still clear of snow. There's some frost on the ground, but we had no issues driving there. On the trail, however, there is some early snow and frost, and it gets very slippery! Almost everyone in our group slipped and fell at some point, and we really wished we brought hiking poles!

There is more snow towards to the top of the trail and all the way down to the lake basin, which is much safer, as it's fluffier. It was much easier to walk those parts than the beginning of the trail. Still, it was a beautiful day, and a magical winter/fall wonderland!

The trail should be easier to navigate once a little more snow falls, and if you do go, bring your hiking poles and you should be fine. Totally worth it!

After a night of camping in the pouring rain, we set out hoping the rain may subside and would reach Snow Lake, charmed by mist, though slightly damp. Unfortunately, it rained so hard our gortex jackets didn't even have a chance. We were soaked in the first mile. The rain gave this staple hike exceptional views as the waterfalls, stream crossing, and creeks were in full force. It was stunning. Hiking poles, supportive over-the-ankle hiking boots were helpful due to all the water on trails, and stream crossing encountered.

Hoping to reach the top, we were stopped short between 3-3.5 miles by a "waterfall" (for lack of a better term) blocking the trail. The force of the water was too powerful for us to risk walking on a boulder partially immersed by the water as there was a cliff on the other side. The consensus was to not risk falling over the cliff, and turn around. All in all, a gorgeous hike even in the monsoon-like rain.

Trail is fantastic shape. As long as you don't mind crowds get there and enjoy the spectacular views and fall color before the snows return!

We were fortunate to have the one sunny day this week to hike. We arrived at the TH at 9:30 am and only saw about 10 cars in the lot. Fall color on the 1st mile is very good. For some reason at higher elevation the fall color is just barely starting to appear. Some muddy areas on the lower part of the trail from Snow lake to Gem lake. All sorts of neat little hidden meadows and tarns on the way up. Gem lake is very pleasant. To ascend Wright Mtn, follow the main trail to the right (east side) of Gem lake. A Cairn marks a narrow path that ascends by a couple of camp sites then onto a saddle with nice tarns and views to peaks at the head of the Mid Fork Snoq river valley. The path alternates between easy to follow path and somewhat easy to follow talus with occasional cairns to mark the way. The view from the top is awesome and well worth the extra effort. RT 11mi and 2300 ft in with additional 300 ft out. A few non-biting flies and occasional mosquitos but overall pretty much bug free. A few small patches of 2 inch deep snow near the top of Wright Mtn (nothing like the report from Ingall's Lake from today where there is 10+ inches of snow). We only saw about 10 people all day on this sunny Thursday.

It is exciting to explore new places but just as exciting to return to a favorite hike. Snow Lake is well known, enjoyed by many and snow-free for a limited time each year. Today was the perfect day to visit as the temperature was comfortable and the foliage has started to change color.

On the way to the lake, the trail crosses several avalanche chutes which are home to many pikas. You will hear their calls along the trail. Today, a pika was seen next to the trail busily collecting ferns for his home. A few other pikas were seen too but they are quick to hide in the many nooks and crannies of the rocks.

At the lake, it appeared a couple was packing up their gear from staying the night on the foundation of the old stone home - partial 1/2 walls and a fireplace remains. The lake was not smooth like glass today but instead the wind created waves of shiny ripples which were mesmerizing. Also, a solitary duck was enjoying a swim across the lake.

Unfortunately, time did not allow to continue on to Gem Lake but it is well worth the time and effort.

So many have shared so many great photos from this scenic lake; today I have tried to share a few photos from a little different perspective.

Snow Lake, a trail madly beloved of the T-shirt, shorts, and water bottle set, stony destroyer of many a pair of sneakers, is nevertheless a favorite of mine.

I started from the TH at 7:30 AM on my annual pilgrimage and had the entire trail to myself, at least until reaching my turnaround point on the Gem Lake trail a ways past Snow Lake; by the time I returned to the TH there were at least 50 people on the trail, that number boosted by a horticulture class taking clippings of Partridgefoot to be rooted and then returned to the vicinity to help restore some areas trampled to death by the slavering hordes. Yes, it is a wilderness area, but this work is being done with the approval and help of the NFS; there was even a ranger there to supervise. Thanks to those students and NFS volunteers who are donating their time and energy to this effort.

Note that there's now a lot of water on the trail in places, a result of recent rains. If you're wearing canvas shoes you'll have wet feet for sure.

Rather than bore the reader with yet another blow-by-blow SL report, I'd just like to point out that those who reach the lake and turn around are really missing some of the best features of the area. Between Snow Lake and Gem Lake are some really pretty tarns and flower meadows, and some good viewpoints for some of the most spectacular and remote peaks in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. 'Nuf said.

WOW, I have to say, I simply cannot believe how this hidden gem has survived sooo long without getting more attention. A nice, relatively easy trail with great views of Chair Peak, to a spectacular (and sizable) alpine lake, and right off I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass, an easy drive from Seattle. We were amazed to head out on such a beautiful Saturday from a completely empty parking lot at the Alpental ski area, hiking up to this deep blue beauty in complete solitude. We didn't see another soul all day - an amazing wilderness experience, made only more so by the knowledge that I can come back here for a great backpack trip to find peace and quiet like you rarely see these days-

Oops! Heh-heh. Sorry, my bad - I had the "Sarcasm" knob turned up to max on my computer and it inadvertently translated the first part of my trip report...

Okay, for all you who were puzzling through the first paragraph - Mrs. HWK and I hiked the Snow Lake trail with the kids (and our wire-haired fox terror, Teddi) along with approximately 17% of the population of King County on Saturday. Literally, it was "everyone and their dog," yours truly included. Why, you ask, should one put up with such nonsense when seeking the wilderness experience? Well, in hiking as in real estate there is a connection between desirability and demand. The Snow Lake trail at Snoqualmie Pass has much to make it desirable, hence much to put it in demand.

First, the typical hike report factoids that the "get to the point" crowd will want: the bugs were not a factor, with a few minor annoying exceptions. Berries are starting to ripen (if you can find a bush that hasn't been grazed clear by the 800 hikers that passed before you that morning). Fall colors have not made a notable appearance yet. The skies were sunny and clear and the trail was free of any and all obstacles except the people clogging the switchbacks, and the camp sites, and all the great rock spots to sit by the shore...

Now back to the essay. Why go to Snow Lake with the madding crowds? Because it is, in a word, breathtaking. The views up to Chair, Bryant, Bear, and the Tooth are invigorating as you climb the gentle valley portion of the trail. The business section of the switchbacks is relatively short and drops you over to the basin of the biggest and bluest lake in the Snoqualmie Pass area. I have hiked the Snow Lake trail at least 40 times in my alpining career and I never tire of it. It is like an old friend to me - a reliable and easy view of God' creation at it finest.

In addition to the scenery, it's a great hike for mid-age kids. Mine are 11 and 9 and the trail was just right for them - not too far, but enough of a challenge to feel good. Lots to see and do and goof around with in kid-wise ways. Despite the crowds who visit the lake one can still find rocks and sticks to toss in and wading is a cold but viable option. There are hidden nooks to explore all about the lake basin and it's always fun to find these. For those of you who don't hike with a kid-centered orientation, here's a few moderately useful facts that you only capture when kids are along:

1. Currently there are seven creeks with running water between the TH and the first big switchback.
2. There are 9 switchbacks from the junction where the Source Lake overlook takes off from the main trail - counting one switchback as "one change in the trail's direction" (we had to iron this definition out in order to avoid arguments).
3. Surprisingly, not all sticks float when you throw them in the lake
4. Sometimes the "reddish" huckleberries are not as sour as the "more black" ones

So we enjoyed the outing with many, many, many others on Saturday and did not regret it for one moment. I packed my Talking Rain to the lake but forgot about it until I was most of the way down, but enjoyed it in the car. Hit rain as we drove back to North Bend, where a Tully's dark chocolote mocha served as Pavlovian reward for my daughter while the boy was bought off with a vanilla cone from Baskin Robbins. Since I was there anyway, I decided I might as well have a cone too...gotta replace those calories somehow...

The dog started sleeping in the car and finally woke up this afternoon. Terror Teddi enjoyed her first big outing ever although the moving water in the creek crossing freaked her out pretty well. Luckily she is small and can simply be picked up and toted across, but if she's going to be a regular hiker she's going to have to get over that. No free rides in this family!

Snow Lake is one of the most popular destinations in the Cascades so I made sure not to go on Labor Day and to arrive at the trailhead no later than 7:30 am. WTA and other groups do annual maintenance and improvements to this trail and it shows. The logs are cleared, the brush is knocked back, drains are dug and cleared, and new steps and tread improvements are always being made. WTA in particular did a great job in August because another hiker I met said that in July the trail was a mess. There is even a new dual outhouse this year. Unfortunately the crowds on Labor day overflowed the dumpsters and left a lot of trash on the floor.

The trailhead is at the end of the Alpental road. It climbs immediately up a nice set of stairs and then gracefully crosses meadows and woods 1.5 miles to the junction with the Source Lake trail. To the right, it climbs up briskly up .5 miles through 9 switchbacks to a saddle overlooking Snow Lake. This section is pretty exposed to the sun and this afternoon it was 83F. Down at the lake are the remains of an old cabin and several camping spots.

On the eastern shore of Gem Lake is a boot track that benefits greatly from the clearing I did on it last year. However, now a very nasty clutter of blowdowns blocks the way requiring a little bushwhacking detour. From there it is a half mile to the summit of Wright Mountain following an intermittant track marked sometimes by cairns, sometimes by tread. The last 100' is a boulder scramble.

But it is worth it. The summit of Wright Mountain is bare talus with good sitting stones and 360 views. Baker, Glacier, Daniels, Hinman, Overcoat, Thompson, and Snoqualmie peaks are all in view. Then you turn around and see Kaleetan spiking the sky like a knife, and a glorious view back to Snow and Gem lakes. The whole Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River lies below all the way to Dutch Miller Gap. From trailhead to summit is about 5.75 miles, gaining with all the ups and downs about 3000 feet. A good workout, stunning views, and a good tread for the most part.

From the Snow Lake spillway to Gem Lake is 2 miles. There are some rocky sections but still the trail is in great shape. Some folks were going to camp at the lake and there are at least 3 very nice campsites. Others were pushing on and down to Lower Wildcat Lake which is a steep 2 miles and 1000' down from Gem Lake.

We set out at 7am to make it to Upper Wildcat lake. We only saw one person on the way to snow lake.

The hike to Gem lake was really pretty and the reflection on the water was spectacular.

After Gem lake the trail continues around the backside and promptly drops about 1k feet in switchbacks. (according to another TR). This part of the trail has recently seen a small avalanche and there is a good amount of blowdowns and moved rocks.

After you descend it is a nice flat walk over to Lower Wildcat Lake. The trail up to Upper Wildcat Lake is actually easy to find and follow.

At the Lower lake follow the trail at the came site to the left. The trail is easy to see if you look down, however there are a lot of overgrown bushes and you must move through. I suspect it is about 1/2 mile and 400' up. If you just look at the ground, you'll be able to follow the trail.

The camp sites are nice and we would have enjoyed spending the night up here. We dipped out feet in the lake and headed back.

We got back to our car in the Alpental parking lot at 4:30 so the rt time was 9 1/2 hours. Not too bad for about 15 miles rt.

I'd recommend visiting upper wildcat lake for a fun day hike

Arrived around 10am Saturday, parking lot was 70% full (and the lot is huge!). Surprisingly, there isn't as much foot traffic on the way up compared to the amount of cars in the lot. There were around 5-6 groups of people at the lake. I was surprised to see there weren't that many places to actually sit at the lake but we found a rocky outcrop by the mini-fall. Make sure to bring a peice of cloth to sit on for lunch and bug spray (lots of mosquitos in the lake by standing water). Rocky areas near the end of the trail. They are very sharp so please watch your footing! Hiking poles advise for those who have trouble with uneven foot trail. Otherwise, a great place with views of mountains, creeks, tiny water falls, and alpine trees. Took us around 4 hours total with 1 hour lunch. The trail doesn't get too steep or rocky until the last 1.5 miles. You'd be over the other side with views of Snow Lake on about the 8th switch back. Get a parking permit at the nearby gas station and enjoy!

What a difference three weeks can make. That was when I tried to get to the lake in early August. The lake was frozen then and the slope down to the lake was covered with snow.

There is no snow now. The streams that usually run across the trail are nearly dried up. The flowers are getting a late start as they are just beginning to come up.

I just wanted to report that the trail is completely snow free. Bugs are present but mild. Much less buggy than my hike to Silver Peak 2 days ago. Mobs of people. It is much better to go on a week day. Beautiful lake and easy to get to.

Today was a lot busier then the yesterday's reports with many people heading out for backpacking adventures. Like everyone else, I would highly recommend arriving early and with the trail being very rocky having good hiking shoes. Once reaching the ridge and having a view of the lake, the trail gets muddy but not all that bad.

It's true: this is a hike to do on a weekday. My hiking companion was reluctant to try this trail because it is usually so crowded. We saw surprisingly few cars in the parking lot when we arrived and encountered surprisingly few people along the trail. All of the hikers we encountered were well-behaved. The trail was snow-free minus one tiny patch just above the lake. Bugs were present but manageable. Overall, it was an excellent hike. A previous trip report made an important point, though: it's important to wear sturdy boots on this hike. We saw folks in sneakers having a tough time on this rocky trail.

We had a great hike, but it was challenging. The trail was very warm, and clear of snow. Just a little mud. I took a 9 and 13 year old child. I picked the hike because it is described as 6 miles in the "day hike book", 3 hours long and moderately difficult. Both the book and this site say it is kid friendly, and overall it is, but with kids it is challenging. It is a 5 hour (with lunch), 8 mile, relatively steep hike. Everyone will be very tired at the end, (including adults in relatively good shape.) There are many steep areas of the trail and lots of rocks so be sure that kids have good shoes. Not a light hike for a family. The lake at the end helped the kids stay motivated until the end.

Nice day for a hike, snow free, slight mud on trails from earlier rain. Lake is also snow free except for a few patches. If this is your first time at Snow Lake, this trial is 75% covered with boulders, gravel, rocks, etc., except for the very beginning, and can be tough on your feet at times.

Trail to the ridge is clear of snow and blowdowns. Once over the ridge there are a few small patches of snow on the trail but no problem. These will probably be gone in another week. The lake is about 25% covered with ice. Expect to find some water on the trail on the Snow lake side of the mountain.

Going to the lake, I hiked the old trail, which passes Source Lake. This trail is harder and not well maintained. The trail switches through a talus field, and crosses a snow field/bridge. On this route there are several water falls which feed source lake. I took the main trail on the way back.

We made it to the lake by crossing several snow fields. Trail is still lost in snow. Lake is still frozen! Trail to ridge in good condition but down to the lake is still a snow scramble.

Sunny and relatively warm day, around 70 degrees. Hike is mostly along a ridge in Snoqualmie Pass and is very rocky at times, not a whole lot of time in the forest. View of Snow Lake was beautiful, but there is still snow covering the lake, with some clear patches where the ice has melted. People were hiking down to the lake, but I chose not to. Chilly at the top when we stopped for lunch. Trail is very rocky in places, wear sturdy hiking boots. Trail can get wet and muddy at the top, but is dry the majority of the way, with a few stream crossings here and there.

I always avoided hiking this trail because I was aware that it is very popular and I typically go hiking not only to get out into the wilderness but also to avoid crowds, especially hordes of careless, rude people (if you are like me in this respect you should avoid this trail). However, I did consider that perhaps there was a (good) reason why this trail was so popular and decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the only positive thing that I can say about this hike was that I got a pretty decent workout as I moved as quickly as possible to just get it over with.

For the actual review: We saw perhaps around 200 other hikers that day, most of which had no concept whatsoever of hiking etiquette and were often flat out rude. The scenery isn't much either. Sure, there are a few wildflowers, mountains off in the distance and the lake is kind of pretty, but you get a much better version of all of those things on just about any other hike. And also without the completely stomped out springs and multiple, LONG, colorless rock fields. Definitely not worth the trip, at least not for me.

The hike to Snow Lake and then to the Source Lake Overlook took us 3 adults about 4 hours including breaks. The last 10% of the hike to the lake is completely under snow and so is 90% of the lake. Since we didn't have any snow hiking shoes/equipment, we contented ourselves with the view of the lake from a viewpoint and marched back.

The views of mountains and waterfalls along the way made the trip worth it. I'd highly recommend taking the 20-30 minute detour to Source Lake Overlook after visiting Snow Lake. Currently, the trail is also a small brook, so you have to walk around it or have waterproof shoes. The views of the nearby mountain peaks and the waterfalls around you are wonderful.

Wednesday, August 3rd-We left the Dingford Creek Trailhead at 10am and headed across the Dingford Creek bridge and north on the Middle Fork Trail #1003. Once we reached the Cripple Creek Bridge, which had a huge blown down tree laying across is, we crossed and headed up the trail on the North side of the creek and made it to Tin Cup Falls about 11:30am. Stopped for some lunch and admired the tremendous amount of water that was coming down. When we were finished, we headed up a rock vein toward the pseudo trail that heads over toward Derrick Lake and drops into the lake basin. We had a very tough time trying to find something that resembled a trail which we found a few times but then would lose after a ¼ mile or so. We ended up going up a few more rock veins in an attempt to find something that would get us over and into the Derrick. After about 5 hours of bushwacking up and down and over and through every species of plant in that forest, we made it to the outlet from Horseshoe Lake around 5pm and so we stopped for some food. Beaten up and closing in on mental and physical exhaustion, we decide to how far we can make it before 7:30pm which would be losing light and need to find a place to camp and eat real food. We battled the brush until 7:30pm and since we knew we were not close enough, we found a flat spot and forded the outlet from Derrick. We found a rock that was as close to flat as we could find and fit one tent. My boys filled all the camelbak’s with water, while I set up the tent and secured it to a log so that we would not slide off the rock and down the hill. My buddy was cooking dinner and we all finished about the same time, ate our dinner, and all four of us climbed into my three man tent! My youngest son volunteered to sleep at the bottom of the tent with his butt up against the one rock that was holding us on the giant rock and the rest of us were three abreast sliding down and not really sleeping all night!
Thursday, August 4th-Got up that morning excited at the prospect of finally making it into Derrick. We ate a small but hardy breakfast and headed up on the east side of the outlet, which was not much easier than the other side and felt harder considering how fatigued we were from the day before. We popped out above Little Derrick around 11am after scrambling and bushwacking since 8:30am. We repelled down the side of the cliff using the tree branches and bushes until we got to the rocks surrounding the lake and quickly scrambled to the outlet and up to Derrick Lake in all it’s splendor! We spent the rest of the day there, setting up camp, eating lunch, taking a well deserved flat nap, taking a bath which felt great because it was so stinking hot, dinner and cleanup, cards in the tent , and then to bed. Derrick was a fantastic lake with some good size fish even though we did not fish that intently. If you can get there, very remote and worth it!
Friday, August 5th-The plan was to wake up, break camp and be out on the trail by 8am. Ended up being 8:30 because of my son but it was no big deal. We had decided to go out the opposite way we had come in, over an actually trail rather than bushwacking and scrambling. We climbed up on rock field and rock field to the south of Derrick until we finally found the saddle that dropped us into Upper Wildcat Lake. We were into UWL by 11am so we stopped for another well deserved break and lunch. We got going again at Noon and made Lower Wildcat in only 15 minutes. As we headed up the trail and approached the switchbacks to the ridge above Gem Lake, there was already more snow then we had seen in the previous years we had been there. The switchbacks up the hill were full of downed trees and branches all over the trail. Once we crest the hill, we were shocked at the amount of snow that was still up there! Gem Lake was completely covered with snow and ice and the snow on the bank was several feet thick, some drifts up to at least 7 or 8 feet! We slid past Gem Lake and attempted to stay to the trail even though it was buried. Every once and again we would find the trail for a while but then we would lose it under the trail. This also resulted in us veering way off to the left of Snow Lake, which was also completely covered with snow! Some fog rolled in and we ended up getting lost on ridge to the East for over an hour. Once we figured out where we were, man a good topo map and a Garmin GP S watch helps a ton, we skirted the ridge back to the west and once again fell onto the trail. We continued to find then again lose, because of the snow, the trail that would lead us to Snow Lake and eventually found it and dropped down to the large wooden log bridge that crosses over main outlet. We stopped for some food and to refill our water again. We left there around 5pm and headed over to the trail split where we would head down the ravine and meet up with the Middle Fork again. My boys did awesome and busted tail through some really sloppy trails from snow that was still toward the top and different runoffs from all the snow that was still there. There was also a section of very thick vegetation covering the trail in several spots but we made it down to the trailhead at about 7:30pm. We were all tired and mine and my buddies feet were absolutely tore up. We knew we only had about 3 miles left to go so we manned up and tore off down the trail to get there even though it might be dark by the time we come to it. We ended up needing our headlamps for the last little bit but made it there by 9pm, very happy to be off our feet and back in the car, headed to eat some Burger King! There is no way that snow will melt this season and those trails will need some serious love after everything thaws out hopefully next year!
    

When I arrived at the Alpental parking lot there were about tweny five cars there-not to bad for such a popular trail. I expected there would be more water going accross the trail, particularly where the falls is alongside the trail, but it was an easy crossing on the rocks of the stream.

The destination ended up not being the lake, but rather the ridge above the lake as the trail descending to the shore is still covered with snow as is the lake. I did attempt to go down the trail a bit but I was stopped at crumbling ice bridge and snow the rest of the way. To go down to the lake would require scrambling and ice axe skills at the very least. Just the same the view from the ridge was well worth the hike up. Bring bug juice!

With Ashley, Sarah and Brian Rice, and friends and family of theirs. First hike for me in a long time but it was a good one with snow along the trail. Bullet came too and scared me a little but we had fun none the less. Hiked to a point where the lake sat below us and we ate there. Tons of snow in that area - was a little nervous about taking a wrong step!

I started out with the intent of surveying the area for possible routes and future camping trips. Later I downgraded that to possible routes. The hike up to the pass at the top of Snow lake was snow free. Dropping down was all snow with about three to four feet deep in places. The lake is still about 95% covered in snow. Last week a report said 97%. I took a break at the pass to eat, drink, and put on my crampons. During that time about 6 or 8 hikers descented down to the lake in tennis shoes and hiking boots. After I got going I never saw them again. Didn't see anyone on the trail all the way to Gem lake. I did meet up with two people in tennis shoes, on the way back, who had been following my crampon tracks.

Note: There are footprint trails everywhere that can lead you off or get you lost. There is some of the trail that is melted out in spots, but unless you know where the trail is you might get lost or spend a lot of time running around in circles.

 Found a lot of snow bridges melting out, so tread lightly. The snow was slushy, but a little firm underneath which is why I'm glad I put my crampons on. They made for easy travel especially around some melted out talus field sections. I could also hear water running under the snow in a lot of places so beware. I arrived at Gem lake in about 4 hours from the trailhead. Gem lake is also snow covered with some beautiful blue meltout at the edge. Walking back out was about 2.5 hours. Didn't see anyone else until I got close to the top of Snow lake.

As far as the condition of the trail I didn't see anything except for a section just above the Snow Lake outlet that had melted out. The trail had cracks that would indicate a potential slide in the future. The rest of the trail was covered in snow.

Did a quick jaunt up to Snow Lake this morning. Once you clear the ridge top and begin to descend to Snow Lake the trail is covered with snow. The lake itself is still frozen over with some small clear patches on the west shore. Since it was early and the snow was still hard I turned around rather then venturing down to the lake.
SR

Just a quick report, not much to report except waterfalls across the way are gorgeous. Very few flowers or bugs. Lake is still frozen over, we tried to head down and turned back, too steep for me.

Headed up about 9:00A, trail was in great shape, creek crossings very manageable with well placed rocks. In the first mile or so hit the first snow patch, was very solid and easily crossed, same with the next one.
 
After the first switchback (at junction with Source Lk at 1.5 mi), more frequent snow patches for next .5 mi to ridge but rapidly melting out; very slippery/slushy. Need to be sure footing is solid and stay away from edges as falling through snow, or down hillside, is a very real possibility.

At the ridge, a few patches of ground; however, basically solid snow from ridge down basin into the lake. The lake is about 99% frozen over with ice and snow. It is stunning, definitely living up to its name! Great spots at the ridge to have a snack/lunch and enjoy the view.

The trail down to the lake is nonexistent, under a few feet of snow. Did note a few people venturing down to the lake; however, strongly recommend boots/traction devices/poles and perhaps even an ice axe if deciding to do so. Additionally, it looked like a lot of work to come back up in the slushy/slippery snow, basically like trying to climb a sand dune.

Although I chose not to go to the lake today, it was a beautiful day, great hike with stunning views!

Light rain at the trail head, turned into steady rain about 1/2 way up, making the trail quite muddy. There is minimal snow on the lower trail (just a few patches here and there), but once you hit the switchbacks, the snow becomes more abundant. It isn't 100% snow covered until the last few hundred yards to the top, but there is enough snow on the switchbacks to keep you focused.

Where there is snow it is very slushy and there are obvious areas of small snow bridges along the trail on the verge of collapse. Post-holing is quite possible, so be aware of where you step. Still, the route is safely hiked with proper footwear (e.g. good traction...please no tennis shoes) and trekking poles.

The final switchback/few hundred yards to the top had almost 100% snow cover on the steepest grade. Not a huge problem, but definitely requires watching where you step.

I didn't go all the way down to Snow Lake, since the trail was still completely snow-covered and the rain had picked up considerably. Did head over to Source Lake on the way back down. Similar trail conditions.

The entire hike was virtually deserted, especially after the switchbacks. Blowdowns have been cleared this week, and there are still plenty of stream crossings to do. Waterproof boots are an excellent idea. Still many wildflowers blooming and the waterfalls are everywhere, providing great scenery for the entire hike.

All in all, a great hike for a very rainy Thursday afternoon.

Tons of hiking enthusiasts and even more children despite the incredibly dismal day. The weather was gross and the views few and far between, but the screaming teenagers were where the hike was made terrible. If you go to Snow Lake and want solitude, better go around midnight.

Snow begins around the junction with Source Lake and is spotty, until above the switchbacks, where I would not recommend folks with tennis shoes to ascend. No view at the top, and the descent to the lake was a little to treacherous for my dog (and I) as it was a whiteout.

On the way down, a group of teenagers were lighting firecrackers near Source Lake and screaming across the basin to other members of their posse. The dog didn't want to deal with it even more than I, so we turned back.

All in all, come with your boots waterproofed and earphones in. On the plus side, I didn't even have to use my water bottle because of all the runoff :]

Also, the blowdowns were just being assessed by a USFS crew, so.. no more blowdowns.

Tried to get up to snow lake. The wildflowers were blooming everywhere. Lots of beautiful waterfalls from all the snow melt. Lots of snow on the trail still. A few blow downs. One was a little tough to get around but not terrible. There are some creek crossings. I would highly recommend water proof boots. Trekking poles were very useful as well for the crossings and the snow. I would guess about a mile to mile and a half in the trail is completely covered in snow. The snow is very soft and slushy. Some of the snow has melted under the surface from the ground up. We turned back at the beginning of the switch backs after twice having shelves of snow colapse out from under us. I would give it a week and it should be in great shape. All in all though had a great day and couldn't have asked for better weather.

Beautiful hike, with lots of wildflowers blooming. Lots of snow on the trail, especially after the switchbacks, where it becomes compleately covered by snow. We did it w. poles, but an ice ax would have been very useful. The snow was slushy, but also slippery when descending. The lake is mostly covery by snow with some exceptions where you can see some turqoise patches of water coming trough. We did it in 5h with some nice breaks to admire the scenery.

Started of OK, but after about ten minutes walked across several streams flowing down mountain side due to snow melt, turned around (at 47.450603, -121.431693) because of a bigger flow that really had water coming down and too tricky for me to cross over. (I know even a 5 year old would have crossed!) Still bits of snow on the path and lots of mud, needs a good drying out.

Trail still has deep snow, even low down (not far from trailhead). Very slippery from all the traffic. Use trekking poles for traction & balance.

Our intended destination was Avalanche mountain north of Snoqualmie Mountain and east of Snow Lake. This destination adventure happened because I did not calibrate the GPS compass before the trip. This could be a longer story on not relying too heavily on the GPS unit or perhaps it says more about the operator. Either way the track points that get one back to the trailhead and ultimately home are more important and the main reason I purchased and use the unit.

Ralph and I departed the Snow Lake trailhead (trail #1013) at 0915 with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 50s. There were snow patches not far up the trail and fallen trees over the trail at 3250' and 3350' (I did calibrate the altimeter the night before). The trail becomes very wet from snow melt runoff with snow-bridges and then is all consolidated snow above 3700'. The wildflowers up to this point are just now blooming as they become snow-free.
We headed up the steep slope to the ridge, putting away the poles and utilizing the ice-axe to get us to the 4400' ridge. We then coutoured down toward the lake and easterly, then up the very steep ridge following the errant compass heading to the high ridge point at 5250. The sweeping panorama of Snow Lake and surrounding mountains is spectacular from this vantage point just north of Snoqualmie Mountain. Total distance was 6.5 miles in 7 hours, round trip.
http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

Snow Lake, round two. After being turned around by rain and thunder last week without even reaching the bottom of the ridge climb to Snow Lake. We decided to give it a second try this week. Weather was exactly the opposite of a week ago, sunny and warm with no rain in the forecast.

A week of warmer weather has revealed a few portions of the trail. Snow bridges were noticeably missing now, making some of the creek crossing more exciting. Streams and waterfalls are running at full speed. Snow was the consistency of sno-cone ice for the first 6” on top and it is possible to posthole more often around covered rocks, trees, and water flowing below the snow cover.

The trail to the bottom of the ridge is easy and a slight boot path in the snow has been established, though at times it becomes faint or disappears. No snowshoes or traction were needed on the portion to the bottom of the ridge climb (summer switchbacks).

The ridge climb in the most challenging portion gaining 700 vertical feet in about ½ a mile. We tried snowshoes for traction, but they wouldn’t hold on the step vertical, so we switched to crampons to kick steps in going straight up. Using an ice ax as a self-belay and kicking in vertical steps was the only way to get to the top. Plunge the shank of the ax in deep, kick two steps up, remove ice ax and repeat for 700 feet. The snow was consolidated enough to hold the ax shank, but softening in the sun to where it was at times difficult to get steps to hold weight. Between the two of us, we alternated taking the lead and kicking in the steps as it can be pretty tiring for one. Following is like climbing a ladder once the steps are in and much less tiring.

The view from the ridge was spectacular. The rock at the top of the ridge where most people view the lake is totally encased in snow and the entire ridge is like a big open snow field. Snow Lake is of course totally snow and ice covered and the decent down is one big snow field.

We had hoped to plunge step or glissade down from the ridge on the return, but quickly discovered the sno-cone snow and the steep grade wouldn’t allow it without risking uncontrollable sliding. There are enough drops offs, trees, and rock bands that would cause serious injury. So we ended up down-climbing the upper ½ of the ridge descent (back to the ice ax, two steps down, move ice ax, repeat). Then at that point we started plunge stepping as the run out was now safer. We did have the snow give way and had to self-arrest a couple times after a 10-15’ slide. Ice axes were essential for the ridge portion. Trying to self-arrest in slush is sometimes a challenge. Be sure you practice in a safe spot with adequate run-out first.

At the rate of melt, the next week or two will make it more of a challenge with softer mushy snow, no snow bridges, and lots more water runoff. The trail should become more visible each day of warm weather. The ridge climb will take several more weeks before opening up to regular travel. If aiming for the top of the ridge or beyond, crampon and ice ax and the skills to use them properly are essential to safe travel. You can kick steps with good hiking boots alone, but the toe spikes of the crampons hold so much better that it is much safer for now.

Total number of people met on the trail: 0
Wildflowers blooming: 3 early on
Cars at Alpental lot: 3
Snow covering trail: 95%
Difficulty trail below ridge: easy
Difficulty of ridge climb: difficult, strenuous


Some pictures from the hike here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33346716@N03/

Thanks Cruiznbye for your helpful May 31 report. My son and I headed up late Saturday afternoon for an overnight.

The route finding was easy Saturday thanks to the many who had hiked the route earlier in the day; as we headed up we met about 8 people coming out. Most likely, these helpful tracks will melt out during the week. I do agree about bringing the ice ax; coming down from the ridge Sunday afternoon felt pretty steep.

We camped up on the ridge and had the basin to ourselves. Very still, very quiet.

No bugs but we found fresh coyote(?) prints the next morning by our camp. Sunday we skied down to the lake and followed the tracks to the west end.

Attempt at Snow Lake via the regular summer route. Forecast was for 80% chance of rain, and temps 40-52 degree range. Not having seen or heard of any reports from this area, we didn't know what we'd find so we decided to drive up and check out the route. NW Forest Pass required to park at Alpental lot across from Trail head. Also new bathrooms installed near trail head.

Snow begins at the trail head sign, and there is no real trail to follow. There are a few boot prints wandering across the route area, but no one followed anyone else and these trails were anywhere from 10 to 30 yards apart spread up and down the slope.

We had a GPS with us with a previous hike track with us, so we followed the GPS to keep us somewhat near the actual trail. Again, everything is still under several feet of snow, except for a few places where the creek run offs have made "sink holes" and openings in the snow cover. As of today, there were snow bridges still intact for all of the creek crossings. You just need to move up or down 10 or 20 yards to find one that is safe and holding. We made it just shy of the junction that goes up the ridge and a thunderstorm started rumbling around us and the rain starting coming hard and fast. We decided the ridge would wait for another day as the "simple trail" was much more time consuming and demanding than anticipated.

An ice axe is really useful on the slopes for self belay. We both slipped a couple times each with the snow giving way beneath us and had to plunge our axe shank in to keep us from sliding a ways down the slopes. Snow is well-consolidated and an ice axe holds extremely well. Snowshoes weren't needed and we didn't use any traction either. Good waterproof boots and rain gear were needed all day.

It will be several weeks before the snow melts enough to find the normal trail. For now plan on self-navigating via Map or GPS, or just stay between the ridge and the Snoq. River/creek and head toward the end of the valley. Watch for weak spots in the snow around tree wells, creek crossings, and near big rocks.

No avalanche danger as the snow is very consolidated and holding in place very well.

Photos of some of the trail here: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

We struck out at around 9am and immediately donned the Yaktrax. One of our party, though, made it through the day without them. We made it to the snow lake saddle before deciding to don the snowshoes for the retreat to Source lake. Boy was it windy and cold on the ridge. The trail conditions were predominantly packed squeaky snow with occasional ice that did not necessarily warrant snowshoes or yaks; a few of the crick-crossings were tricky due to the deep snow on either side. The ubiquitous wee avalanches off Bryant peak were pleasing to ear and eye. Skis looked fun.

Hiked up Snow Lake on this fine Sunday morning. There were around 8-10 cars at the trailhead lot at 10:45 AM. Not sure why, but there were also about 30 cars parked for the Alpental ski resort.

Trail's in great condition all the way to the overlook. Snow starts about 2 miles up the trail and by the time you're overlooking the lake, about 2-4 inches of the stuff is covering everything. The stream/waterfall crossings are going strong, so do bring waterproof boots to stay dry. Overall, the trail is very wet but there isn't a whole lot of deep mud. Soon it will be covered in snow entirely. I did not hike down into the basin; didn't have time, but the trail down was covered in snow and looked slippery.

There were a few people hiking with tennis shoes and jeans. I advise against this if you want to get very far because you cannot cross the streams without getting your feet wet. Also, remember that it gets cold rapidly as you approach the overlook. Seems like a 10-15 degree drop, although I was not checking a thermometer. The ambient temperature is likely colder and a wind usually whips through the basin and up over the overlook.

We have hiked this trail several times, we combined this with source lake. lake is beautiful, snow on trail once over ridge.

This is one of those popular hikes that's been reported many times, so I'll just comment on current conditions.

The trail is snow-free all the way to the pass where you enter the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and begin the descent to Snow Lake. From the pass, the trail is slippery hard-packed snow - so hard that a trekking pole tip won't penetrate at all. Though I saw several hikers in sneakers, I'd recommend decent boots and Microspikes or other traction devices. I followed one hiker in bare boots who butt-planted several times on this section, each time voicing a stream of invective that was quite amusing (who was it who said "All humor is based on human misery."?).

The trail past the first lake access is not well packed, so gaiters would be advised as you'll do some trailbreaking.

I wanted to see some fresh snow this weekend. Looking at the previous trip report for snow lake, i picked this one. It turned out to be a good choice.

Arrived at 10:45 AM to the TH parking. Just 5 cars parked. It seemed like a warm day ( in comparison to the last week). The trail had lots of water running down (due to snow melt), and the waterfalls had plenty of water for october end.

After about half the distance, snow started appearing on the trail. The snow was kind of packed and slushy. Snow made the trail look so beautiful. Till the ridge, snow was less than a foot or so. From the ridge, the first view of snow lake was awesome. After the ridge, snow was deeper. It was actually knee deep in many places, but along the trail, due to usage, snow was not that deep. Gaiters are really helpful, but not a must right now.

The peaks around snow lake were all snow clad and was beautiful. Lot of waterfalls along the way, some surrounded by snow. It was looking like winter at the lake. With warmer weather for the coming week, snow lake might be still hikable next week without snow shoes. Very few people now, and the place is awesome.

Spent around 45 mins at the lake, and it started snowing lightly. Around 12:45 PM, i decided to get back. Got back within an hour or so.

Actually, we only ascended up to the ridge above the lake. The basin was fogged in and at the ridge the wind was causing the trees to release snow bombs.

Yesterday, I knew I had to get out and hike in the new snow especially when they forecasted that today might be the only clear or semi-clear day.

We debated a destination hoping that the clouds would part and provide sunshine on new snow. Mason Lake lost out as we drove east on I-90 and decide that Snow Lake trail was more interesting than that first mile or so of the Mason Lake trail and higher would probably be less drippy (snow melting off trees).

It was immediately magnificent in the parking lot - okay, I'm easy - a peak with snow through a veil of clouds.

Snow depth was shallow with bare trail for the first half mile and then the snow got deeper. The fog would part and the sun would light up the vegetation and the pillows of snow on the boulders. By the Source Lake junction there was, at least, 6 inches. More as we climbed the ridge till it was probably 12 inches or more. Traction was pretty good in the deep snow. There were some snow bombs and dripping but it was not too bad.

Hit the ridge and turned around. Slowly made our way back down enjoying the snow and the sun and thinking about skiing. It got pretty slushy and sloppy the last bit as it warmed.

Saw a total of about 8 to 10 people - very unlike the normal hordes on the Snow Lake Trail.

Excellent excursion and a small taste of winter and definitely wonderland.

Alpental - Snow Lake - Middle Fork - Goldmeyer - Red Mtn Pass - Commonwealth Basin - Alpental loop.
Trail conditions:
to Snow lake: great, see other trip reports

Snow Lake - Middle Fork Snoqualmie River: pretty narrow trail, somewhat overgrown for about 1/3 of it, some large, loose rocks on the trail. Pretty easy to follow, but not ideal to run in the downhill direction, especially in road racing flats!

Middle Fork to Goldmeyer hotsprings: trail in good condition, a few minor washouts. Most important, log bridge across Burnboot Creek is easy to cross.

Goldmeyer to Red Mtn Pass: This is the old PCT. The trailhead is somewhat hard to find. As you hike on the Middle fork trail upstream, instead of crossing Burnboot Creek at the log bridge, continue on the south side of Burnboot creek, following a rather indistict trail for less than a 1/4 mile until it turns away from the creek and starts to climb. From there it is VERY easy to follow the trail all the way to the top.
Note 1: There is no water on this trail except for snow. It climbs about 3000 ft.
Note 2: The last 200 ft to the pass are up a NE facing gully that usually doesn't melt out til later in the season. This is the ONLY easy way up...
Note 3: I nailed a small sign "Red Mtn Pass 4 miles --->" to a tree where the trail starts by Burnboot Creek & the Middle Fork trail.

Red Mtn Pass - Commonwealth Basin - Alpental: trail in good condition, no bridge at creek crossing.

Whole loop took about 4:30 hours including stops, 3:30 running time.

My friend and I got off to a bit of a late start, but we also avoided the cold morning hours. Our coats were already off before we left the parking lot. The first surprise to report is the very new and solid concrete outhouse. This trailhead really needed it! Then at the beginning of the trail there has been some gravel and step work and further down a lot of brush clearing. Thank you to the workers. We also noted a lot of drainage work all along the trail.

We took the option to Source Lake to check it out first and decided it would be better to classify it as a pond, but a nice view looking down at it. Now the trail the Snow Lake begins to climb with nicely constructed switchbacks. We reached the top around noon and began the descent to the lake. Portions of the trail here were still frozen. I suspect by this weekend there will be snow at the lake. My friend and I found a lovely rocky area at the water and she celebrated by getting in the lake. She noted that only Lake Superior felt colder! Brrrrr. I stayed high and dry. We enjoy lots of warm sun, but a cool breeze kept us from hanging around too long. Saw a couple of Pikas on the way down. Back to the car by 4. Even though this trail sees a lot of traffic we still had a lovely and quiet time. People with dogs, please take your poop bags back to the trash cans provided at the traihead.

The forecast looked good, but the brush might be wet, so we picked a peak with minimal brush to travel through. We left the Snow lake trailhead early and saw few along the way going in. The trail had some frost and some mud holes but generally very good. We departed up a way-trail from Gem lake to the east side of Wright, through a cairn marked boulder field and up to the top. Once on top Don had to suit up for his summit photo before "anyone sees me". Photo link below.
Heading down the sun back-lit the landscape but the Fall foliage displayed very well. The traffic picked up considerable on the Snow lake shoreline going out. Many are taking advantage of the crisp, clear Fall weather when it is the best time to photograph the landscape or just to take in the beauty of autumn.
http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

I hadn't been up to Snow Lake in <mumble mumble> years, so one of my goals this fall was a midweek sojourn, away from the crowds. Hiking buddy J, the Wonder Pup, and I arrived at 10:00, and were car #15 or so.

The crib steps were as advertised...not well suited to everyone's pace. But no complaints, please. I'm just glad they stopped the erosion.

The trail is boot beaten, and muddy in spots (probably much more so after this coming weekend). Please remember to walk in the muddy areas whenever possible, so that we can keep from widening the trail. But there are also delightful sections, with smooth trail and gorgeous views. And the fall colors are brilliant, even in the cloudy weather.

Novice hikers: you will want to wear supportive shoes (good) or boots (better), as large parts of the upper trail require hiking across rocky avalanche chutes. Oh, and don't forget your camera <grin>.

J and I had our lunch near the mouth of the creek, and I am positive that (for a brief spell) we were the only ones at the lake. What a cool experience!

Just as we headed back up the ridge overlooking the lake, the clouds starting rolling in. Perhaps I should say roiling, as they poured through the gap on the north side of the lake. It was awesome to watch.

This is a perfect time to explore all those heavily travelled trails...don't miss out.

See trip photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/sytelus1/SnowLake#
See GPX track at http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=835490

This was my first time to Snow Lake at Snoqualmie Summit. The well signposted trailhead is right at the giant parking lots at Alpental ski area across the lodge. You need NW Forest Pass to park there. There is "Permit" card that you need to fill out at trailhead but it doesn't cost money. I guess its there just to count how many people are using the trail.

The trail is appropriately called out as "wilderness highway". I spent about 5 hours on the trail and estimate seeing about 500 people on the trail. The trail is very well maintained. In fact this might be the most maintained trail of its size class in Washington.

The trail starts out with nice wooden "stairs" which adds to its beauty although it would be hard on knees to some people when coming down. After quick little section trail almost flattens and opens up a view on parking lot and surrounding peaks. Then it starts climbing gradually getting in the woods again and opening up on switchback turns. I've bit lost the ability to appreciate trails in closed woods that doesn't give way to views but this trail is very pretty even in the woods. Fall colors are taking peaking everywhere with reds, oranges and yellow with berries and even some late wildflowers.

As you climb up fall colors become more aggressive and brighter. The views are mostly looking in to Alpental valley. After first 700' of elevation gain there is well marked forks for Source Lake on left and Snow Lake on right. For next 700' trail becomes steeper and climbes bit more aggressively ending up at a viewpoint where you can look down on Snow Lake. The Snow Lake is supposedly very beautiful but to me it looked like just a normal lake surrounded by few peaks (may be because lake was out of sunlight). Overall I would say this is very pretty trail but it doesn't have those cool panoramic views. Also I'm not particularly fan of trails that end up at lakes instead of panoramic views. So I don't understand why this trail is so immensely popular.

Anyway, to get to lake shore you got to hike down about 380'. This trail is again pretty with fall colors and few creeks however the lake shore didn't looked anything special (there are no beaches, for example). I didn't saw anyone in the water. The trail continues for another 1.5 miles (I guess) climbing to Gem lake. You would encounter lots of backpackers continuing there.

Interestingly it was very cloudy all the way until Exit 45 and then the sky was completely clear after that. I guess it won't be too much fun if there are low clouds because of whiteout. You can see traffic cameras for Snoqualmie Pass at WSDOT website. At the end of the day I saw very low clouds rushing on filling entire I-90 corridor while keeping everything above 4000' sparkling clear. That was one of a kind scene: river of cloud (literally) in the valley down there and clear blue sky above.

This popular trail was busy but expected as the weather was outstanding and the scenery spectacular.

This trail moves one in and out of the forest, over open rocky areas and through meadows. Pika sounds entertained though out the day. Within one hour, one is at the Alpine Wilderness sign at the ridge and ready to see the first signs of Snow Lake. As one drops 1/2 mile to the lake, the views entice one closer and closer to visit the shores of the lake. A sign directs one to the lake. Visit the old abondoned partial stone structure/home with fireplace and/or hang out at one of several remote locations next to the lake.

It was too nice of a day not to continue to Gem Lake. Follow the posted Main Trail which hugs the east side of the lake. The water along the shore was a beautiful blue-green reflected off the white rock on the shore. There is a large, long, easy-to-cross footlog at the outlet of the lake.

Continue on the trail for 1 1/2 miles gaining elevation and enjoying more views of Snow Lake, views of the east side of the ridge, meadows, ponds and more rock outcroppings. There is one large scree-covered slope to navigate and within approximately 10 to 15 minutes after crossing the slope, one will get their first views from the south end of Gem Lake.

The colors of Gem Lake were outstanding, maybe more so than Snow Lake. Many who visit Snow Lake do not continue hiking to Gem Lake which means there is significantly less traffic on the trail to Gem Lake and a bit more privacy.

One hidden surprise today on the trail to/from Gem Lake, a partial view of snow capped Glacier Peak topped with a lenticular cloud (my guess - please correct me if I am wrong). Such a clear day, the mountain to the north was framed by the blue skies and green-treed mountains in the foreground.

The return route from Gem Lake to the packed parking lot with minimal stops for photos took less than 2 1/2 hrs. Be aware, 80% of the trail is wet, muddy and rocky which takes more hiking time to ensure secure footing. The scenery far out weighted the trail conditions today.
  

The weekend weather forecast didn't look so good so I wanted to find a hike in an area with the least amount of rainfall. I started checking the weather forecast at 6 AM, hoping that somewhere the weather would at the most being mostly cloudy. Snow Lake seemed like a fairly relaxing hike for a day like this, since it was reported that the Snoqualmie Pass area wouldn’t be getting much rain until the afternoon.

I have been holding off on hiking to Snow Lake due to its popularity. Both times I went up to Snoqualmie Mountain early in the morning there would be a parking lot full of vehicles with the early birds headed for the lake. But with the not-so-ideal weather like today, I figured there would probably only be a handful of people. I was right.

The rain started to fall by the time we got to the parking at 9 AM. It started to taper down 10 minutes later, and we left the trailhead at quarter after while there was just a drizzle. The hike was pretty quiet for the most part with occasional bird chirping. It didn’t take long before we started zigzagging through the switchbacks and going up the headwall onto the ridge. Shortly after descending down from the ridge, the lake came into full view and the first switchback was the best spot for a photo op.

We got to the trail junction by the lake around 11:30 AM. Instead of taking the access to the lake, we stayed on the main trail and went around the lake to a higher lookout area. We had the perfect lake viewing spot got a good glimpse of Bryant Peak. The rest of the peaks were submerged in the clouds the entire time, including Chair Peak. The fog started rolling in from the north around noon, and the pouring rain soon to follow. I brought my rain gear just in case, but we were also lucky enough to have been close to a few tall trees to lend themselves as our temporary shelter from the rain.

We hung out under the trees long enough for the rain to stop and for us to finish taking pictures before packing up and heading back down to the car. On the way up we past about 4 or 5 people, but on the way back we past at least 15. We got back to the trailhead just before 2 PM, cleaned up and changed before driving back to Seattle.

Flickr: http://bit.ly/snow-lake

drove out of the clouds once i reached the alpental trailhead. the skies were a deep hue of blue. it was a cool start till i reached the switchback trail. off came the leggings as i was now hiking in full on sun. the descent however was in the shade and the trail was wet but manageable. i continued on past the snow lake turn off, continuing on the main trail which was signed accordingly. angling around the east side of the lake i dropped down to a log crossing of the lake's outlet. now the climbing began on an easy to follow trail. coming to the gem lake and north fork road junction i continued climbing up to what i thought was the lake basin. no such luck. i continued hiking crossing a large rocky basin then ascending again. more switchbacks in the woods, i could still see snow lake below. eventually i crested the obvious lake basin and behold there it was, gem lake! i continued around a lake trail to the saddle after which a trail dropped down to the wildcat lakes. having had enough, i retraced my steps to the east shore of gem, sat on the boulders and had lunch. after taking pictures i began the slog back to the trailhead. a nice hike with beautiful skies, lakes and cool fall weather.

Rainy day, but still a busy trail! All 6 of us on the hike (+ 2 dogs), had a great time! It was a bit cold by the time we reached the top viewpoitn of the lake, so we didn't venture down. Next time when it is sunny out I'm sure we will!!

Less than 20 cars at the trail head at 9:30 am on this beautiful Wednesday, and didn't see more than half a dozen people on the trail as Daphne and I started the hike. Trail is in great shape, though somewhat hard at times to discern where it goes once you start hiking around Snow Lake. I found if I kept the "Meadow Restoration" signs on either side of me, the trail was always in the middle. No mosquitoes and only a few pesky flies. Lots of great, unoccupied places for lunch.

For the dogs, the trail has running water for the first 0.5 mile, then becomes dry, hot, and dusty for the last 1.5 miles up the switchbacks to the lake. But swimming in the gorgeous turquoise waters of Snow Lake was reward enough for Daphne. I was surprised by how many hikers were just coming in on this hot sunny day as I was leaving at 1 pm.

And disappointed that I wasn't a ranger because I could've raised $2000 for the Forest Service simply by fining the owners of the 16 dogs I passed who weren't on the required leash. Please obey the rules so our canine companions continue to be welcomed on trails.

Weekend day.Trail crowded.For that reason I did choose old the trail via Source Lk.lookout.Plan was make loop.but change plan because so many people hiking up afternoon.and I know rules...people hiking up are on right to way.So I use old trail to go back. then by Chair peak decide to hike up 600 feet for nothing?wrong peak.note:no trails here.On my way back down meet 3 youngsters climbing up..?
They are missed main trail and they are was following me.wrong turn and I pointed them back to OLD trail.They was surprised.."what old"...they missed long before main trail and ended here. SUGGESTION, make better sign for Snow lk. and Source lk.
No bugs or little.

The trail was crowded, as expected, but the trail was also narrow in most parts and which created difficulty in passing other groups. The trail goes up the side of the mountain allowing for nice views, but is pretty exposed to the sun (we went on a hot day). Once over the mountain and on the lake side, it's much cooler. There were some mosquitoes so bring bug spray. Snow Lake is BEAUTIFUL and well worth seeing--if you can handle the hoards of people.