Lake Ingalls — Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018

Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway

Beautiful day to see the larches and fall foliage. The day started out quite chilly from the trailhead (think 26F at 8am chilly) but the incline quickly warms you up. Didn’t need more than a lightweight thermal top once we got moving. We met three goats at the pass while we were gawking at Stuart and all the larches. No aggression was detected. They were just moseying along, snacking on shrubbery here and there. WARNING: When you’re ready to approach the lake, pay close attention to the trail and keep your eyes peeled for cairns and boot paths, the trail can be lost REALLY easily. We spent a good 20mins each way doing route finding. The lake with Stuart towering in the background amongst the crisp, blue sky was pure magic. Luck was on our side with beautiful October weather and little to no wind. RANT: If you are a dog owner, KNOW THIS IS NOT A DOG FRIENDLY HIKE. We came across three young women with a dog in the basin just before the lake. Gave them a friendly heads up that having a dog at such a popular fall hike like this could bring them some trouble if a ranger comes along. We continued along on our return trip to the TH but were later passed by this same group of women, now with the dog unleashed. I can’t stress enough how important it is to not only be respectful stewards of the hiking community but also responsible dog owners.