Smithbrook, Lake Janus and Grizzly Peak — Thursday, Jun. 25, 2015

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - East

We started our hike to Lake Janus from the trailhead on the Smith Brook Road off Highway 2 just east of Stevens Pass. Only two cars at the parking lot when we arrived. We hiked the Smith Brook Trail up to Union Gap at 4,700' and took a snack break at some fallen trees that make a good bench. Then we headed north on the PCT to the lake through old growth forest. The trail switchbacks down and crosses over the first boulder field. A little further on we could see down through the trees to a nice meadow with a pond. This was the site of the old Meadow Camp but has not been used by backpackers for many years. The trail continues down hill and comes to the second, bigger boulder field where the trail now goes back up hill and over a ridge. Then down hill on a horseshoe curve the trail crosses a creek with a waterfall. From the creek it is only a ten minute hike to the lake. We took a side trail off the PCT and found a shady spot by the lake shore for lunch. Another senior couple was leaving the lake when we arrived, so we had it for ourselves, as no one else was there. Janus Lake is 29 acres and 40 feet deep in the middle. Years ago it had a wood pole/cedar shake shelter for backpackers. After we sat down and started eating, some black flies showed up and wanted us for their lunch. We watched a Barrow's Goldeneye duck and her eight ducklings paddling by. The ducklings would dive under water to feed. There were a lot of tadpoles in the lake, so maybe they were eating them. Trout were jumping out of the water to get the black flies and a lone dragon fly was also getting some of them for its lunch. As we ate our lunch at the quiet lake, we could hear it coming from the southwest. Soon it was just over our heads and low over the lake, then banking sharply to the left and gone in a flash. It was a lone Navy jet from the WINAS. The loud roar did not bother the little ducklings, they just kept paddling along. When we left the lake on our hike back, we met a lone senior woman who was backpacking and going to camp at the lake. About halfway back to Union Gap a younger couple passed us who had camped up at the meadow near Grizzly Mtn. Further on we met another senior backpacker who was also going to Janus Lake. He had started his trip on the PCT from Stevens Pass. After a break at Union Gap we headed down the Smith Brook Trail where we met more hikers going and coming from Lake Valhalla. In our two trips through Union Gap, we never did see Gary Puckett. The hike to Lake Janus is 6.5 miles round trip. The Smith Brook Road is rough from all the loose gravel on the surface, no big pot holes. There is no restroom at the trailhead parking lot. The first 1/4 mile of the Smith Brook Trail is overgrown and needs brushing. Also the PCT at the second boulder crossing is overgrown with Thimbleberry bushes and Bracken ferns. You need to watch your footing. We had another great hike in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. Bugs not bad except for a few pesky black flies at the lake.