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tiggymalvern
There are some great reasons to go to Snow Lake. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's easy to get to, only an hour's drive from Seattle, and the trailhead is just two miles from I-90. The trailhead's also a ski resort in winter, so there's plenty of parking - not much risk of getting there and finding it's full.
These are the same reasons NOT to go to Snow Lake. Because 10,000 other people go there each summer. What that means in practice is you never go at the weekend, and you never go during the school holidays. It's a trip to make in June when the snow first disappears or at the tail end of the hiking season when most people are at work. You'll still meet a bunch of people on the trail, but thinly enough spread that you can enjoy the mountains.
The Snow Lake trail is scenic from the start. It meanders gently up the hillside on one side of a long valley.
The pearly everlastings were living up to their name, the only things still flowering in late September.
1.7 miles in, the trail stops meandering and starts to climb to the top of the ridge.
It's been several years since I visited Snow Lake and the signs have changed with the technology - no drones for that aerial shot please!
At the end of the climb, the trail crosses the ridge, and shortly after, Snow Lake comes into view below you.
Sandwich stop, sitting among the bleached remains of a dead tree overlooking the lake.
And then you follow the trail down to the lake itself.
The trail goes around the east shore of the lake and then along most of the northern shore. The colours of the water are like looking at the Caribbean.
After that, the trail moves away from Snow Lake and on towards Gem Lake, but I turned back.
Autumn colours on the hillside descending from the ridge. Not much else about yesterday felt like autumn, it was warm and lovely.
Seven miles, or thereabouts, and 1800 feet upwards.
At one point, the Snow Lake trail forks and the other path goes to Source Lake, which I've never been to. I'm thinking I might do that one next week...
These are the same reasons NOT to go to Snow Lake. Because 10,000 other people go there each summer. What that means in practice is you never go at the weekend, and you never go during the school holidays. It's a trip to make in June when the snow first disappears or at the tail end of the hiking season when most people are at work. You'll still meet a bunch of people on the trail, but thinly enough spread that you can enjoy the mountains.
The Snow Lake trail is scenic from the start. It meanders gently up the hillside on one side of a long valley.
The pearly everlastings were living up to their name, the only things still flowering in late September.
1.7 miles in, the trail stops meandering and starts to climb to the top of the ridge.
It's been several years since I visited Snow Lake and the signs have changed with the technology - no drones for that aerial shot please!
At the end of the climb, the trail crosses the ridge, and shortly after, Snow Lake comes into view below you.
Sandwich stop, sitting among the bleached remains of a dead tree overlooking the lake.
And then you follow the trail down to the lake itself.
The trail goes around the east shore of the lake and then along most of the northern shore. The colours of the water are like looking at the Caribbean.
After that, the trail moves away from Snow Lake and on towards Gem Lake, but I turned back.
Autumn colours on the hillside descending from the ridge. Not much else about yesterday felt like autumn, it was warm and lovely.
Seven miles, or thereabouts, and 1800 feet upwards.
At one point, the Snow Lake trail forks and the other path goes to Source Lake, which I've never been to. I'm thinking I might do that one next week...
no subject
Date: 2022-09-23 05:51 am (UTC)"There are some great reasons to go to Snow Lake."
One of which is that it doesn't have a stupid name, unlike some lakes you've visited!
Drones are a fucking menace. It should be legal to shoot them out of the sky.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-24 12:11 am (UTC)We had someone come and give us an estimate to clean our roof yesterday - she brought a drone and flew it up there to check it out without ladders. That was a very good use for them! Our resident hummingbird didn't agree though, he buzzed the drone a couple of times wondering what the hell else was hovering in his territory.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-24 12:14 am (UTC)I saw an orthopaedic registrar yesterday who reassured me that it's likely to be *years* before I need a total knee replacement. Thanks, I guess? :)
I'll allow drones have their uses. But only when not operated by selfish shits in wildernesses and other places people expect peace and quiet!
Have you settled the house purchase yet?
no subject
Date: 2022-09-24 03:25 am (UTC)The house purchase was settled really quickly. In just under a month. Which is practically unheard of, honestly, but apparently everyone was motivated.
We let the neighbours stay in it for a month after completion so they could get themselves organised (they needed to get movers for their grand piano, among other things). And since then we've had someone come to measure the windows for replacement, since it takes 6 months after ordering to get them, and we've had an architect measure the place to draw up detailed plans for the designer and contractor to work from. We're expecting the plans to be done in a week or so, and then the real work can begin!