Switchback, Lake Angeles & Klahhane Ridge — Friday, Jun. 6, 2025

Parked my car and started the hike from the switchback trailhead. Arrived at 9:30 and there were about a half dozen cars already, with room for a few more. The trail starts off with a bang, a steady incline of about 1500 ft in a mile and a half. Along the way, you have some amazing views to keep you motivated. I also saw four young bucks grazing. Once you reach the junction with the Heather Park trail, most of the elevation gain is complete. There were a couple of groups enjoying the views just to the right on the way towards Klahhane ridge, but it was otherwise quiet. Lots of little wildflowers in bloom. I continued on towards the ridge, and hit my first patch of snow shorty thereafter. The snow was intermittent across the ridge, with only one place where I felt a bit uncomfortable due to the angle and potential for sliding quite a ways if you slipped. Once I reached the back (north) side, the snow became mostly consistent. There were very faint boot tracks in places, but I would highly HIGHLY recommend being comfortable navigating yourself without being able to see someone else's tracks or a trail. I was post holing knee deep in places, once up to my hip. You could also hear running water beneath the snow in places, which I tried to avoid. The snow disappeared shortly after I turned the last switchback on the way down towards Lake Angeles. From there, it was easy going. The lake was stunning, with waterfalls cascading into it from the ridge I'd just hiked across and down. There was a sign at the lake warning of a cougar in the area, FYI. A handful of groups scattered around here, enjoying the views. The trail down from the lake was smooth and never too steep. Once at the Lake Angeles trailhead, I walked the short distance to the road and then caught the hurricane ridge shuttle back to my car. The shuttle is only $1 and comes by hourly, check the schedule online. Also, don't forget to bring your park entry pass as you'll need it to get past the booth again :).