Soda Peaks Lake via the Trapper Creek trailhead: a great hike on a sunny late spring day, with lots of blooming wildflowers (mostly white-blossomed, especially Columbia Windflower, Bunchberry, Queen’s Cup, Western Starflower, Candy Flower, Inside-out Flower, Sitka Valerian, and Thimbleberry), a few birds (olive-sided flycatcher on the trail, water ouzel at the creek near the Trail #192 / Trail #133 junction, varied thrush at the lake), and conifers emitting their hot-day terpene fragrance.
Difficulties: The creek on Trail #192 just before the junction with Trail #133 was running too fast and deep for rock-hopping, so I scooted on a log going up (not advisable) and waded across on the return. A half-dozen trees on Trail #133 were too large to step over and required climbing over, sliding under, or pushing through branches. Nearing the lake, the trail has here and there sloughed downhill and sometimes is just a steep rocky creek bed. Only a few patches of snow on the trail near the lake, not an issue.
No cars at the trailhead upon 9:00 a.m. arrival, no one on the trail up or down, no one at the lake. The lake was rimmed with snow, bright, and clear: idyllic.
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