Snow Lake, Source Lake, Snow Lake - Winter & Source Lake - Winter Route — Friday, Jan. 22, 2021

FRI, JAN 22.  Did my first ever snow shoe today. My goal was the ridge overlooking Snow Lake. However, I made it only approximately 15 minutes toward Snow Lake from the turnoff to Source Lake.

Main advice —

I hiked in show shoes, along with poles. The trail would’ve been very do-able in micro spikes - packed snow with just a trace of loose snow on top.  If I’d continued any further, I can imagine the snow shoes would’ve felt necessary.  Doing it over again, I would’ve worn spikes and brought the snow shoes on my pack as an option. 

After the turnoff, as I made my way uphill toward Snow Lake, the boot track petered out after ten minutes or so.  So I cut uphill, saw and followed a few more scant boot paths along the way, then they’d quickly disappear.  Finally gave up and turned back.  Doing it over again, I would’ve brought GPS/Gaia and followed the “official” trail further with my phone, in hopes of picking up the boot path again.  A few hikers mentioned an avalanche covered part of the trail a week ago, so perhaps it would’ve been obvious otherwise.

Enjoy it up there!