Not the most useful trip report as snow is coming and conditions will change, but... here goes!
Please don' do this if avalanche danger is anything but low. There was all sorts of debris everywhere and even before the lake you cross some sketchy sections. Be safe!
Parked at one of the Alpental lots and followed back to the last parking lot, from which the trail leaves (it's wide and has lots of warnings about fast-moving backcountry skiiers). There were a lot of paths meandering by the creek or off the main trail, which are fun to romp around on, but can make the way slightly confusing.
Once at the lake I marveled at the immense mountains and tiny dots of skiers making their slow way up - it was a perfect day. I put on spikes (never even used snow shoes in the melty snow) and followed footsteps up and over a big ridge next to a rocky outcropping with a waterfall to find myself a view of snow lake. The climb was steep and obnoxious and i kept questioning whether I was even close to the lookout point but if you head up and vaguely right towards the forest you should find it! There isn' a trail even on a GPS but you can get an idea of where you'e headed by looking at one.
As I said, I didn' use snowshoes, but I imagine that'll be quite different after all the snow this week. Beautiful day though !
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