Enjoyed hiking approx. 4 miles roundtrip on Wynoochee Lake’s East Shore Trail (aka Lake Shore Trail #878), approx. 3 1/2 hours at moderate pace.
Snow covered about 15% of trail (limited to areas where the tree canopy was open), but snow on trail was easy to crunch through in walking shoes. Beware of occasional small trees fallen across trail (about five trees), but easy to circumvent.
Started hike at south trailhead on south end of lake (beside the dam) because the parking lot there was paved, easy to get to in my compact car, and not covered in snow. It’s the small pull-out just before the bridge in front of the dam, just before the Vista Overlook at base of dam. Trail signage is located there beside trailhead. I could not drive to the northern trailhead due to high snow banks on either side of gravelly Forest Road 2270 (also labeled as NF-2321 in Google Maps).
No one else on trail, much seclusion and quiet except occasional bird chirps and chastising from Douglas squirrels. A few small hardy mushrooms peeping out despite 36 degree F temps and snowfall. Beautiful large trees mixed with many young trees. Forest floor covered in moss. Also, lots of leaves recently fallen on trail, but not enough to obscure the trail.
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