Started a little later in the afternoon than I'd planned to. I had to drive around the FS roads until I found one that didn't need a pass since the Ranger Station was closed and I couldn't buy one.
I left the trailhead a little after 2pm. This is a GREAT hike. The trail is in fantastic shape smooth and well marked. There was one blowdown along the trail but it wasn't a real obstruction. There's a few very small streams and a couple of waterfalls as "eye candy" along the way.
I talked with a person at the trailhead who'd heard the snow level was 5000'. I brought along a pair of used snow shoes I recently bought hoping for the chance to try them out.
The temperature was pretty mild at the start, due to physical work and altitude. At 4944' there was a very slight dusting of snow begining. The temperature really began to drop and I found more solid snow on the ground about 5300' or so. It wasn't too deep and the traffic which passed before me had compacted it to ice. I walked beside the trail and made good use of my trekking poles. *Some of those YakTrax deals for your boots would've been ideal here.
I strapped on my snow shoes when it was closer to 8-12" since the snow would be getting in the tops of my boots. They were sure handy and definately needed once the snow got much deeper. I passed a couple near the fork at Silver Lakes who'd made a wrong turn (there is a sign here Left to the Lake and Right to Mount Townsend). I continued as far up the trail as I could (following melting tracks from probably a week ago) I stoppd about the 6000' level-also took into consideration the soon to be gone daylight.
The clouds would break from time to time offering from unlimited to a few hundred feet of visibility.
I'd give this hike 2-thumbs up. Probably a great summer hike too. Dress for deep snow and very cold temperatures if planning this hike from here thru Spring. This will be a repeated hike next year for certain.
Happy Halloween!
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