Flickr: http://bit.ly/lodge-lake This was a backup hike as the original plan to climb Abiel fell through due to the amount of snow on 9070. In fear of getting stuck like the year before, turning around was a smart thing to do. This short hike is best to do early spring to early winter as part of the trail runs across the Summit West ski slope. Trailhead began at the west end of the Snoqualmie West Summit parking lot, which shared with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) the entire 1.5 miles to and back from the Lake. Beaver Lake is on the way to Lodge Lake, with a tiny shed north side of the lake. Personally I think small lakes are much nicer to look at when they're frozen and/or covered in snow. It started to rain just after we arrived at Lodge Lake and it was nice and quiet.

This is an easy hike trail that is perfect for families and a great way to get out and stretch your legs. Key points about the hike: - very easy access to the trail head. - first part of the hike (and return) have awesome views north and west. - you are on a section of the PCT which is cool. - recent trail work (WTA?) has the trail in great condition - no bugs! - Saturday hike during a warm weather spell and few on the trail - our dog enjoyed access to two lakes - Lodge lake was muddy on the edges. - a couple of good and comfortable lunch/camping spots at Lodge Lake. - easy to extend the hike to any distance sine you are on the PCT We will put this on the list to do again since it is so easy to get to and makes for such a nice day.

We had a wonderful hike up to Lodge Lake. Unfortunately the sun didn’t show up, but although there was a bit of fog, it didn’t bring the temperature down too much. Five of us and our dog left the trailhead at around 1pm, and there were about seven cars as well as a horse trailer parked there. The trail was easy to follow and it was enjoyable walking under the skiing chair lifts. This is where we found a profusion of berries. There were huge ripe huckleberries & blueberries, and even a few salmon berries. As we rounded the corner to Beaver lake, we ran into a PCT Through Hiker named Focus. We gave her some candy and a sandwich and told her that she was very close to town, and she was beaming! Beaver Lake was a nice little pond with lily pads around the edges. As we continued on we had to dodge a bit of fresh horse manure, which wasn’t too difficult as the trail was pretty wide. There was only one blow-down which was close to Lodge Lake, and it was simple enough to navigate. We passed a PCT Through Hike registration book, and saw a PCT trail marker, which gave me fond memories of my section hike a couple years back. We also ran into a very friendly Ranger, who was making the rounds and checking the condition of the trails. Thank you Rangers!! Not long after, we came to a signed turnoff for Lodge lake where there were a few little spots to enjoy the lake. We were testing out our inflatable kayaks maneuverability (on land that is) so this short hike with a nice lake was the perfect way to give it a whirl. Once at the lake we decided to go for a swim while the other members of the group got the kayak inflated. The recent hot streak made the water nice and warm, around the same temperature as the air. There was about a foot of mud when you stepped into the lake, so once you are able to pull your shoes out of the mud, you can wade deeper and start swimming. We made it all the way across the lake to a perfect natural diving board. A tree had fallen into the lake, but the roots were still attached at the bank, so it was strong and had a bit of bounce to it. We tested the depth of the water and after determining that we were safe proceeded to jump in quite a few times. The kayakers joined us and towed us back across to the other side to dry off. After a quick lunch we packed everything back up and went back under the ski lifts to pick some berries. There were so many berries it was hard to leave. My dog even figured out what we were doing and started eating the berries off the bushes himself. We only ran into a few people as we were heading up, and two couples at the lake. We figured there would be more people on the hike, especially since it was a weekned, so we were pleasantly surprised with the seclusion. The hike is pretty mild, without much elevation gain and not too many roots to trip on. We also noticed that there were no bugs, besides a few beautiful blue dragonflies. All in all a very enjoyable short & easy hike, and a great way to spend the day in the wilderness!

I had time for a quick hike, so my Beagle and I headed up to Lodge Lake. It was a fun hike, crossing under the chair lifts. Soon we were in the trees and enjoyed the cool breeze. The lake was calm and quiet. This was a good calm quiet hike, which we needed. Relatively easy and few people on the trail.

As we were driving by the ski area parking lots to the trailhead, a PCT through hiker was coming off the trail. When we started the hike to the lake, it was only 58 degrees at Snoqualmie Pass. The first 1/4 mile of the trail goes through forest before breaking out into the ski area where we hiked under chair lifts. This part of the trail is some what rocky as it is used as a creek bed during the snow melt. With a good breeze blowing, it felt more like an early fall trip. Once past Beaver Lake, the trail heads down hill to Lodge Lake. Some drainage work has been down in this section. There is a PCT Through Hikers registration book on a tree just south of Beaver Lake. We check it out. Three through hikers had come by, with the first one for 2012 on August 6th. He was from Virginia. Before getting to Lodge Lake, three fisherman passed us. Once at the lake we found a good log to sit on for lunch and watch small trout jumping out of the water to eat bugs. No flies or skeeters at the lake, only a few dragon flies and some water bugs. There was once a lodge at Lodge Lake. The Mountaineers built the Snoqualmie Lodge in 1914 and it was used until 1944 when it burned down. During the summer you'd hike up from Denny Creek Campground 1 - 1/4 miles or go 1 - 2/3 miles in the winter from the train depot at the pass. After taking a few photos and eatting lunch we headed back as the fisherman were trying to catch the big one. Along the way we met two bus loads of kids from the Preston YMCA day camp. As we passed by Beaver Lake, we got a nice view of Snoqualmie Mtn. Guye Peak, Red Mtn. and Kendall Peak. Another nice day in the mountains.