Pulled up to the Schaefer Lake trailhead around 9AM on the last Tuesday in June 2021 and was alone at the trailhead. I was warned not to attempt this trail so early in the season, but I did anyway.

The first quarter mile to the river is an overgrown, flooded, mosquito breeding ground. I quickly powered through this section to the log jam that allows passage over the river. The river is currently raging but the logs are massive. This crossing was tricky and could have easily turned into disaster. Later in the season when the river dies down a bit, it shouldn’t be a problem.

The next mile or so after the crossing is a flat trek through a thickly overgrown trail. So thick at times I couldn’t even see the trail ahead of me. Most of this section is flooded and there’s no way to keep your feet dry.

Once you reach the one mile point the trail opens up a bit and you begin the ascent. This middle section of the hike has many trees down over the trail and some were pretty tough to navigate. 

Mile 3 is where the real punishment begins. The trail goes vertical and you gain around 1200 feet in one mile. With knowledge that the lake was at the end of this climb, I kept pushing and made it to the top. I encountered snow right around 5000 feet but it was manageable and melting fast. There were several campsites still snowed in/flooded but the premier site on point on the eastern side of the lake was open. I stayed the night here and was rewarded with a beautiful alpine lake all to myself and excellent fishing for brook trout. 

I logged 4.5 miles to the lake and it took me a grueling 4 hours, 2h 20m on the way down. This hike was challenging and punishing but having this beautiful alpine lake to myself made it worthwhile as I didn’t see another person the whole time. 

This hike is not of the faint of heart but those who are up for a challenge will be rewarded with an epic lake and solitude.

Hiked up to see larches and had to deal with some snow towards the top. The larches were there, so that was good, and 5 miles turned out to be the right amount for our group.

It snowed the week before we went up, and the snow line was around 5000 ft. The last mile of the hike is steep, and that was the snow-covered portion of the trail. I wouldn't recommend the hike or camp if there's more snow unless you have dedicated snow gear and are prepared to pitch a tent on snow or dig out a footprint. We were lucky to find a snow-free campsite on the left-hand trail once you reach the lake.

We took the foot log crossing, and it took about 30 minutes for 3 people and a dog to cross. The first portion of trail on the other side of the river was relatively flat and wet. Then there were about 3 miles of steady uphill on decent trails. There were plenty of downed trees, but we were able to easily get over all of them.

After we crossed the bridge over Schaefer Creek, the trail turned steep and snowy. There was probably 3 inches of snow on the trail. Trekking poles and waterproof boots helped, but it was still a slog.

3.5 hours after we started, we made it to the lake and were rewarded with a glassy lake, beautiful blue sky, and a nice mix of snow, rock, evergreen and larch trees rimming the lake. We camped one night and hiked down the next morning. It took about 2.5 hours to get down.

Overall great hike, but we were probably pushing the fall/winter line. Check snow levels and expected weather at Stevens Pass on WSDOT before going up for a shoulder season hike.

We did a quick overnight.  The log jam is in good shape- take it slow to ensure logs are stable and your footing is steady and it is fine.  There is a pink ribbon marking the trail on the other side.  After the log jam, there are sections of trail that are incredibly overgrown (to the point where you can't see your feet).  The trail was not too difficult to follow, but I would have been happier to have been wearing pants instead of shorts, since there were many brambles/Devil's Club/other very spiky plants.  The overgrowth was much better once we started climbing, although there were a couple more short stretches that were pretty overgrown as well.  There were many logs down across the trail that we had to climb over/under, but none that were too difficult.  A couple small snow patches as you enter the lake basin but no big deal (definitely no spikes needed).  Clearly the lake basin has only very recently melted out, with most plants still just starting to leaf out.  Campsites were all nice and dry.  Mosquitos were terrible in the river valley + when crossing the log jam and intermittently during the climb.  A breeze kept them away at the lake, but later in the evening they were back with a vengeance.  The next day they were also pretty miserable, although not the worst I've seen.  We had the lake to ourselves Wednesday and saw just one group of 2 dayhikers as we were hiking out Thursday, so not too busy midweek.

My cousin and I went up to the lake to camp over the weekend. The mosquitoes swarmed us in the parking lot and never left us alone the entire time all the way up to the lake. That was probably the worst part of the trip. The trail itself is in pretty good condition, there are some fallen trees but only a couple require more than just stepping over. There are also several river crossings. The first you walk across a log jam, there are plenty of large-diameter, stable logs. Keep to the far right to meet the trail again on the far side. There are a couple more crossings as you go that aren't too bad if you don't mind getting your feet wet. The last half-mile or so is covered in snow still so we lost the trail but it's easy enough to pick your way through the trees following the river uphill until you come to the lake. The lake was surrounded by snow still so we continued uphill to find a place to pitch the tent. Overall, very good, scenery is great, wildflowers blooming.

Hiked up to Schaefer with a group and stayed overnight at the Lake. Initial river crossing was definitely doable. Log boom went all the way across so we didnt need to take off our shoes. There were a couple swampy areas after the river which were a little tricky. Boots and long pants highly recommended as you may have to step in the swamp a bit, and the mosquitos were everywhere for the first mile or so. No mosquitoes after the first 1,000 ft elevation gain. Last mile was mostly on snow. We did it without spikes though. Amazing camping spot at the top without any snow. Very cold though. I can see why folks usually wait until July.