Fall color is always a bonus to the beauty of Lake Valhalla with Lichtenberg hovering above. We watched the status of Hwy 2 associated with the Bolt Creek fire and decided yesterday was a good time to drive east over the pass. We were able to get past the fire activity zone near Skykomish with no problem in the morning...but were stopped for a couple of hours coming back late afternoon while fire mitigation activity was underway. Small price to pay in comparison to what the fire crews, their support crews and communities in the area are going through.
Lake Valhalla and Mount Lichtenberg were cloaked in fall color....always a draw to this beautiful place. There was some smoke in the air but not too bad....basically not detracting from the views at the lake. The trail is in good shape with no obstacles, a bit rooted and rocky in places but not at all a problem. We went first to the lake and then took a side trip about 2/3 the way up Mount McCausland for views and photos of the lake....incredibly and stunningly beautiful as always. From the upper trail over the lake and from the McCausland boot path, we could see a smoke plume from what appeared to be a smaller fire to the south. It spread out a bit, lingering over the lake but not too much impact on the view.
When we arrived at the Smithbrook trailhead, a little after nine, the lot was empty. Later in the day we saw one other hiker on the way to the lake and then were joined at the lake by a hiking group of about 8 people. On the McCausland trail, we saw two other people....a very uncrowded day for this hike.
The fall colors were great...especially reflected in the waters of Lake Valhalla and up on its slopes. A great day and, as always, a wonderful hike.....and no bugs! Well, a few nosy yellowjackets at the parking area but not bad enough to count. The road from Hwy 2 out to he trailhead is in good shape, a little rocky with some washboarding but, to me, accessible for all types of vehicles.
If you do make the trip eastward past the fire zone, you will see the damage to and impact on this area. Please be mindful of the traffic warnings and the crews working there. And think about what a hard and dangerous job they and their support crews are doing and the impact the fire has had and is having on the local communities. Be thankful for all of our first responders.
Comments
Desdemona on Lake Valhalla
Hi! So you were able to get to the Trailhead? Very hard to tell if the closure is before or after (coming from the west, Redmond). Thanks!
Posted by:
Desdemona on Oct 14, 2022 02:20 PM
seabeav on Lake Valhalla
Yes...left Redmond and passed through the fire activity area yesterday before it was closed around 10 a.m. It was closed for a section of road near Skykomish and was supposed to open again yesterday at 5:00 PM but they did not finish their work by then...it reopened around 6:30 PM. WSDOT has tried to let people know by twitter and other ways when there may be a closure but specific times and days are difficult.
These are not scheduled closures in advance...they are responding to ever-changing conditions and shut the road down for tree-clearing and other work as needed. See the link below for more information.
https://mynorthwest.com/3672767/bolt-creek-fire-mitigation-closes-us-2-again/
Posted by:
seabeav on Oct 14, 2022 03:49 PM