Lake 22 — Thursday, May. 18, 2023

Hit the TH at 9:15am on a warm, sunny Thursday and the lot was a quarter full. Took my awhile to traverse the exposed and rocky switchbacks in the warm sun, but rest of the trail is nicely shaded. Lots of water on trail, at several points it’s a stream due to all the snow melt. Three decent blowdowns to jaunt around at various points, one is a steep step up, another is a crouch and shimmy under (in snow). The last .25 miles are pretty consistent snow. Some post holing, the earlier start the better to avoid mushy slush and slipping. I found boots and poles to be necessary. Don’t think microspikes will help much over the next few sunny days. I was surprised by the amount of snow, it’s several feet high on the trail but there are portions you can walk beside. Not a ton of snow free spots to lounge at the lake, but the trail traffic wasn’t too overwhelming and there are some portions of the wooden walkway clear of snow. Toilets were in great shape! Up in 1.40, down in 1.20. Parking lot was just over half full when I returned around 1:45 as I enjoyed a nice hour long hang at the lake. Due to the water, blowdowns and snow, trail might not be as accessible for folks with mobility issues until they are cleared.