Start at trail (elev 3100') just 50 feet downhill from the Snow Lakes trailhead. This is a climbers path and you can tell. This is one of the steepest trails I have been on, and the only trail that it even compares to could be Mailbox. We reached snow at around 3500', which made for a hasty ascent as the trail is mainly rocks, boulders, and roots. After about a mile and a half you reach a junction where there is a sign that points out either Guye or Snoqualmie Mtn. We had a really late start as we had done Tiger Mtn in the morning so we had not left the trailhead till about 130pm. So we followed the trail up to Cave Ridge so we could scope the scene from there and decide. With Snoqualmie having an elevation of 6200, we knew it was too far for us so we shot for Guye Peak. Unfortunately we did not bear right as much as we should have and we hit the unnamed peak the sits above Guye Peak at 5270'. There was plenty of snow and bush belaying above Cave Ridge, and the snowshoes were much appreciated. Turned around at 330pm and made it back down to an empty Alpental parking Lot by 5pm.

The trail to Dorothy Lake is in need of some vital repairs. WTA has worked it a couple of times this year, and there are some nice new turnpikes, crib steps and other structures from previous years; but much of the trail is one long root-filled, rocky mess. The Forest Service is planning to upgrade the trail soon and survey stakes line the trail laying out the extensive work that needs to be done. It's a short trip to Dorothy Lake, but the lake must be one of the longest natural lakes in the Cascades (I wonder if any one has compiled such as list). It seemed like it took almost as long to walk the length of the lake as it did to hike to the lake. The trail follows high above and to the east of the lake passing nice, secluded campgrounds along the way. Cross a foot log at the end of the lake. Take a close look at the log before you cross it. I hope the Forest Service is planning to replace this thing too. I wouldn't rely too much on the rusty cable that passes for a railing when crossing the log. I headed up over the pass and down toward Bear Lake. The trail from Bear Lake on down to Snoqualmie Lake is not much better. The portion from Deer to Snoqualmie is the worst. It follows long, wet, muddy switchbacks down to the lake. I continued on to the south end of Snoqualmie Lake before turning back - I had a fair amount of elevation to buy back if I wanted to get home. There's now snow on the trail anywhere, all the lakes are open and the bugs aren't bad yet. I found a nice spot by Bear Lake to sit and space-out for a while. I was surrounded by patches of marsh marigolds and Jefferson's shooting-stars. Zeek's at 7:00pm was good - spicy chicken strips with French fries, but they should really offer onion rings as a substitute.

These popular trails sure are great Monday hikes. There were just two cars at the trailhead, and I saw only one person until the very end, when I ran into a van full of Forest Service folks. I started on the trail to Dorothy Lake, which is in good condition. The trail climbs a little above the lake and goes seemingly forever next to the long lake. Then it climbs up and up. I barely made it to Bear Lake, which has a little snow on the far banks. Also just a little snow on the trail, but easy travel. Just after passing Bear Lake, I cried out ""Oh Dear"" because suddenly, there is Deer Lake. Mumbling these ultra-corny ramblings, I kept going to Snoqualmie Lake, which looks to have some pretty nice camps, then down to the junction with the Taylor River trail. By this point, I'm suffering from my recent lack of hiking and still had to do the ""retour"". Luckily, I found the energy reserves to climb back from 1800' to 3700', then drop back down to the 2200' trailhead where the lake-filled journey began (interspersed with a few chats with the various lakes).

Our group of five hardy hikers headed for Snoqualmie Lake from the Dorothy Lake trail head. This trip is 14 miles round trip with about a 2,000' gain. At the parking lot a troop of Boy Scouts were backpacking into Deer and Bear Lakes. The trail to the lakes is still a rough one with rocks, roots, mud and water. There are spots on this trail that need some work. Drainage to get water running off the trail instead of down it. After crossing the inlet stream at the head of Dorothy Lake, you switchback over a ridge, hike on some snow and then down to Bear Lake. Up over another ridge and hike along Deer Lake. Both of these lakes are in a nice setting. You loose a lot of elevation going down to Snoqualmie Lake. We found a rock near the lake shore for lunch as the clouds moved in and out. After a bite to eat and a photo op, it was back up hill to get to Dorothy Lake and out to the trail head. We were the only ones this day to hike to Snoqualmie Lake.

The purpose of this trip was to inspect the contracted work on the Snoqualmie and Nordstrom Lake Trails. Surprisingly, there were no obstructions to the Miller River Trailhead. All trails were completely snow-free. There is a set of windfalls at the south end of Dorothy Lake and one on a switchback 0.2 miles before the ridge. There is one windfall between Beer and Dare Lakes and one suspended seven feet off the trail by Snoqualmie Lake. The Nordstrom Lake Trail has one windfall 0.2 miles before the lake. Both the Snoqualmie and Nordstrom Lake Trails have been brushed out and logged with the exceptions noted above. The Nordstrom Lake Trail should be renamed the K-Mart Lake Trail owing to the really worn out tread - very rooty, rocky and slippery. The Taylor River Road has some brushy spots between the four and six mile points. Nordrum Lake' We pronounce it NORDSTROM in Bellevue.