Arrived at the trailhead at 9am. The parking here is an issue. This seems to be a very popular spot for backcountry skiers, but there is not enough space on the side of the road plowed to meet demand. I was lucky enough to get a spot that wasn't blocking the road, but most end up in one lane.
The bathroom is open and still had TP when I left. I was surprised it was still in use at all. It's also pretty clean, just damp.
The trail itself is very clear. Follows the summer route the entire way. It's all compact dry snow. I used spikes for the added traction, but you could easily do this without any additional traction devices.
The one thing to watch out for is this place is popular with backcountry skiers, so don't follow their tracks as many deviate from the hikers trail. Be mindful of their space as well.
The climb was pretty easy, though very cold. This is shadowed until afternoon so bring all your layers!
The lake itself is frozen and is covered with snow. Just stunning. There are tracks of people walking onto the frozen lake. I am never confident in how frozen over it is to do any of that. I had the place to myself! I stayed as long as I could before the cold started to set in and I had to get moving again.
Overall great day. I only encountered one other pair of hikers. The rest were skiing, and not on track for the lake. Parking was still crowded when I returned.
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