The road to the trailhead was clear of snow and in good repair. As of Mid-May the snow began about 1/4 mile into the trail, but wasn't continuous until about 1-1.5 miles in. We hiked just in boots to the shelter, where the snow was about 5ft deep, but it was solid and not too difficult to walk in in the morning. After the bridge it got fairly difficult so we put on snowshoes and that helped, but the trail was buried under all the snow and we couldn't find the route so we turned back after about a half-hour. The snow shoes were not essential but definitely helped; by afternoon especially when the snow began to soften. I'd guess the snow is gonna be around for at least another month, at least above the shelter.

I turned around before getting to the trailhead. I traveled up Big Quilcene River Road (Forest Road 27) as the snow got deeper and deeper. There was a good set of tire tracks melted down to the pavement as far as I went. I turned around because the bottom of my car was scraping against the snow in the center of the road, and had been for quite a while. With 7 miles remaining before getting to the trailhead, I figured that I'd have to give up before reaching the trailhead. 2.8 miles from the start of Big Quilcene River Road there was a nice place to turn around, so I took the opportunity.

The snow was pretty soft, so I could imagine this melting soon. If I had a high-clearance car, I'd definitely try it again right now (with a backup hike in mind). My car only has 5.5 inches of ground clearance, so even a Subaru might be enough.

On the way out, I saw a VW Jetta heading toward the road. I wonder if they made it all the way to the trailhead.

If you do this trip, please post an update about the snow conditions on the road as well as on the trail.

We started hiking around 9:30 am. There was snow at the trail head where we parked but once we got into the woods it was pretty clear. Once we were about an hour in, we hit ice. We hiked for awhile slipping and sliding our way up (the trail was completely iced over for the remainder of the hike), then decided we had better put on our microspikes. They helped tremendously, I definitely recommend them. We may have turned around had we not had the spikes. We lost the trail about a half a mile from the lake but we were able to work our way to the lake on our own. The lake was completely snowed over. We wanted to see if we could get a view so we decided to go straight up an embankment which was extremely steep but with the spikes and the help from tree roots we were able to get to the top which had an absolutely gorgeous 360 view, with Mt.Constance the neighboring snow capped mountains right behind us. Absolutely gorgeous. Total we did around 8 mi and the trip took us about 4 hours. It was a fairly relaxed hike, only challenge was the ice. With the right gear (mainly traction), I highly recommend this hike right now!

Success!! We made it up Tunnel Creek trail to 5050 Pass to be hit in the face with a stunning cobalt-gold-green-black-and-white tapestry woven of Mt. Constance and her companions wrapped in pristine snowy cloaks with skirts of evergreens basking in a winter sun. This view is glorious! You get only fleeting glimpses through the trees to tempt you onward. RT 8.5 mi. is well worth it! Even if you don’t reach the Pass, the woods and creek are beautiful and almost always promise solitude.

The road had some potholes and loose rocks after splitting off (from where you’d stay right to Lower Big Quil), but nothing difficult if you’re reasonably prudent. There are a couple snow-ice patches, and the parking area is compact snow and ice. We were the only ones at the trailhead on a sun-drenched Sunday and indeed saw not a soul on road or trail from turning off 101 all the way back to 101. There were tracks of one hiker & canine companion to the shelter, then it was all pristine snow.

The trail is in good condition except a few drainage issues, and we did remove several branches that had recently come down. Even trackless and snowy the trail is easy to follow until about 1/3 mile to the lake where it’s anyone’s guess and lots of postholing through snowy woods. Starting soon after the bridge, extra traction is almost a necessity for safety, and certainly for any speed as there is a lot of ice and some traversing on the switchback portion (last mile). Micro-spikes were perfect. At this point, snowshoes are not needed and would be an impediment until you’re almost there anyway.

The lake, though snow covered, is not frozen (reports a woman with a very wet boot and pant leg who would know), and the route from the lake to the Pass is kind of a free-for-all, or that’s how I treated it. The view from the Pass, as stated, was well worth climbing through waist-deep snow from the lake. The wind was screaming, but the sun was full out. In all the hike took us 4 hours, including a brief lunch at the shelter and time up top to revel in the Olympic views. You can also see the canal & things east, but the mountains steal the show!

More photos at: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/