It is the change of seasons - there is now more water in the creek and there is snow on the upper half of the Annette Lake Trail:
The first mile is pretty snow-free. Going up there was compact snow and ice on the bridges and boardwalks, but coming down there were mostly bare and wet. About 0.3 miles for the trailhead there is a fresh blow-down that is easy to step over. There were more sticks on the trail on the return, than out-bound, so windy weather can be a concern.
The second mile had patches of snow and slush on the trail. The actual description depends upon when in the day your are describing the conditions. On the way up there were bigger patches of snow, but on the ways down some of these had melted out or were more slushy. Most of the creeks and springs are bridged or in culverts, but there are a couple of springs that run down the trail for 5-10 yards.
After the second mile, and above 3200 feet, the trail is consistently covered with loose and compact snow. In places it was crusty, but generally not icy. I didn't use any spikes, but others on the trail were using micro-spikes for traction. There is about 8" of snow at Annette Lake.
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