Randy wanted to snowshoe to Surprise lake and get in some GPS practice along the way. So we drove to Scenic and parked in the snow-cleared parking area. After the short hike to the trailhead we put on the snowshoes. There was a previous snowshoe and ski route to follow; which is probably the only reason we made it to the lake by our turn-around time (1300). It took us 3 hours and 45 minutes to go in and 2 hours and 30 minutes going out. The snow was consolidated enough so that there were no avalanche issues crossing the several steep, open slopes. Some heavy snow remained on the tree limbs so we had to watch for occasional descending snow-bombs. Good idea to wear a hat, and also gaiters.

Ventured out on the trail to Surprise Lake on Sunday with some friends. We missed the turn off for the trailhead at first while heading east on Hwy 2. Definitely keep an eye on your odometer after you pass through Skykomish as the road is not clearly marked. We had also mistakenly been looking for a railroad overpass as our signal that we had gone too far rather than an underpass, as the directions indicate. Oops! We managed to course correct before long. Also, FYI, the coordinates listed on the hiking guide are incorrect. They appear to take you to a different Surprise Lake in the Rainier area. After crossing the train tracks as the driving directions say, the parking area is directly in front of you. Head west from the parking lot to pick up the trail. The trail to Surprise Lake as indicated on the signpost is slightly longer (an extra 1/2 mile one way for a total of 9 miles RT) than as described in the hiking guide here. We carried our snowshoes for probably 2/3 of the way as the trail was firmly packed down and clear. Thanks to the last person who broke such a nice trail! However, if coming here after a heavy snowfall, the trail would definitely not be obvious and would be much more strenuous. This snowshoe should not be attempted unless you have experience with map & compass and route finding. There are a number of log bridges to cross. Be careful to stay in the middle of these crossings and in the middle of the trail. One friend postholed up to his hip and needed help digging out. The trail ascends gradually at first and then at approximately 3.5 miles, the trail begins to ascend steeply. Our thighs were working overtime! We did not actually make it all the way to the lake. We were probably less than 1/2 a mile away according to our GPS, but the snow starting falling fast, creating white out conditions. We were all feeling hungry and tired so decided to break for lunch and head back to the car just in case conditions worsened. We slid down on our butts a good portion of the steep section just for fun, so bring rain or snow pants! This was a great workout through a winter wonderful with views of the icy and beautiful Surprise Creek and some occasional glimpses of the surrounding peaks. NOTE: DOG LOST ON TRAIL. We ran into some hikers about halfway up the trail who told us they had talked to a couple looking for a dog they had lost two days prior. They had stopped because they thoughts they heard may have heard him in the distance. He's a black dog named Inca and he's now been out in the elements about three days. We called to him and tried following what looked like paw prints, but didn't find him. If you have any information about this dog, feel free to leave a message here. We took the couple's phone number to contact them. We hope you're found Inca!

Despite the effort of the group that hiked the trail just a few days prior in leaving a a good path for the others, their tracks had since been buried in new powder. I parked the car just on the other side of the railroad tracks, couldn't go any further due to the amount of snow on the road leading to the trailhead half mile ahead. This was our third Christmas Day trip since 2010 and it was definitely the most snow we had encountered. Snowshoes were working in overdrive starting from the car and all the way to the our turnaround point at 2.5 miles in. Looks like more snow is on the way in the next few days, so our tracks may or may not still be visible by the time someone else hikes the trail. Crux of the hike was getting around the scattered boulders below the boulder field. Even with snowshoes, I was postholing to the waist and at times to chest level trying to follow the summer trail groove. The trail around the boulders was now a deep trench covered in fresh powder, and we ended up avoiding the groove altogether by getting on the snow-covered boulders to not posthole as deep. Cloudy weather turned partly sunny around noon and stayed that way for a couple of hours. Unfortunately we were in the shade the entire time and didn't get to enjoy the much needed heat.

Took advantage of the recent heavy snowfall and made the trek to the Stevens area. The weather was perfect; partly sunny the whole hike. Me and my party of 6 arrived at the trailhead at 12:30 (much later than we expected). Note that there are only about 100 yards of plowed road once you exit off of the highway. You can park right across the train tracks, and then follow the road angled slightly to the the left for maybe a quarter mile until you reach the trailhead. Even with the recent snowfall, the route was a clear "groove" in the snow. It's not hard to find your way. Although you want make sure you stay as close to the center as possible or you will sink up to your hips or higher. With limited time, our group only made it about 2 miles up the trail. Leading in front of the pack, I had the job of trudging through the deep snow (making it easier for everyone behind me). For anyone who does this hike before the next big snow, thank me for making the trail.

We passed by the three or four "chain-up" areas on Highway 2. You can pull into the parking lot just across the railroad without chaining up as you exit before going up the pass. There's a convenient Honey Bucket here (probably for the RR workers), though there's another Toilet at the official trail head which is about 1/3 mile walk. All the trail info is nicely covered with plastic. We began at 10am. The trail goes up from the trail head until you cross under the power lines. I did this snowshoe about 8 years ago, and I noticed more boardwalk which brings you up at a very gradual rate. The trees will unleash their snow in clumps, so beware! Also, some of the log bridges across smaller creeks require a good amount of balance, but you should be able to walk across the streams themselves. Our conditions were perfect, it had snowed 22 inches in the last 48 hours, but only 1 inch overnight. You get more views of the creek about a mile in, which is a great place to stop for lunch. Our pace was 3 miles in 3 hours, but you could easily go faster. We ran into maybe 10 other snowshoers that day, so it was by no means crowded.