Lake Serene — Friday, Jun. 16, 2000

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West

This is one of my favorite early season hikes but it's always fairly crowded. The trail is snow free and in excellent condition all the way to the lake. I strongly suggest taking a short side trip to the base of the first set of falls. After crossing the large wood bridge that affords limited views to the falls of interest, turn right on a crude brushy path about 15 feet from the bridge. Ascend the ridge about 200 yards to the base of the falls. Rock hop out to a square flat rock out in the middle of the water about 30 feet from the base of the falls. From here the view of the falls is spectacular. You get that same vertiginous sensation that you get in an I-Max movie. You also stay surprisingly dry considering how much water is coming over the falls. At the lake itself, the USFS has now installed a new graveled trail and a log bridge across the lake outlet. Nicely done but a little too manicured for my taste. Surprisingly the lake is still 90% frozen over. Insects are still very light.