We left from Barlow Pass TH at about 7:45 AM but the number of cars parked made us worry about getting a tent site at Silver Lake. When we arrived all sites were occupied except for one site large enough for 3 tents that a couple wanted to keep all for themselves. Fortunately someone told us about sites across the outflow creek, which we crossed by walking a log (with the help of a trekking pole and green belays) and stones. The far side looked like it might have multiple sites, and had a box toilet, but was completely snow covered. We found a site big enough for two single tents that was high above the snowline and dry. A section of trail along the bluff overlooking the lake was also dry; we sat there to cook our meals. We had to cross back to the north side of the outflow to swim (very briefly: most of the lake was still snow covered).
On Sunday we got up at 6. The snow had cooled and hardened at night, and we had to kick in with our heels to descend back to the outflow. We went back to Poodle Dog pass to see how far we could get toward Twin Lake; a camper at Silver Lake had said he only went a mile Saturday afternoon before encountering snow and turned back because he did not have microspikes. We were glad to have our spikes to cross the hard snow in the AM; the snow was so much softer in the afternoon that we did not need our microspikes to return. In fact we met a group descending from Twin Lake who complained more about the scrambling than the snow. Our progress was slowed by sections of the trail that were narrow or steep or both, and lost the trail one time when it disappeared under a snow patch. Upper Twin Lake was beautiful from the ridge, completely melted and amazingly blue, but it took awhile to get to it. We were so hot from the slow difficult descent that we swam at the first beach we reached; we later explored the others. It looked like there were a number of tent sites but they were all under snow still.
Upper Twin lake was so pleasant that we lay on the beach until almost 3. The hike back out to Poodle Dog pass was just as difficult as coming in, and we didn't reach Monte Cristo until nearly 7 PM. We made good time on the road out, and reached Barlow Pass TH an hour and 40 minutes later.
NOTES: We were both glad we had not carried overnight packs to Twin Lake. We went with just a light pack; we left our overnight packs at the side of the trail.
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