Snow Lake, Snow Lake - Winter, Source Lake - Winter Route & Source Lake — Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

Another perfect day, another attempt on Snow Lake. Or at least the pass/overlook leading to it. Three days ago I hiked out from the Source Lake overlook to see the switchback for the Snow Lake trail I had missed. Today I went back with my 14 year-old son. 15 degrees in the Alpental lot and a little foggy about 8:30 when we started. Trail in great shape and we got to the switchback in a little under an hour, and to the top of the pass about an hour later. The trail gets a little mangled switchbacking up and with descending climbers plunge-stepping and pioneering new routes, it is a moderate jumble, but it just takes a little extra work, that's all. We stayed in our boots and left the snowshoes on my back. No traction devices needed. Glorious views and plenty of company at the top (including a surprise HS reunion, which was surreal to overhear). Even more company on the route out, including one group of 12-15 with as many dogs of nearly as many different breeds (including, yes, a poor Chihuahua). That was an interesting group to pass. We spent about 25 minutes at the top and just about an hour on the hike out (we short-cut the biggest switchback by accidentally taking a cutoff that we assumed was somebody's glissade chute, but turned out to have been carved by a giant snowball about 4 ft wide that we discovered at the bottom of the hill). Knowing roughly where the trail should be, my son navigated, found some tracks, and got us back on trail quickly, and back to the car in about an hour. 3:28 total time.