We hiked via Smithbrook. The weather today was like a special order into to the big man. Sun was out, no much clouds, cool breeze. Absolutely perfect. The trail was pretty muddy in some spots but easy to get past, but keep in mind it hasn’t rained in two days. I definitely would not hike this on a rainy day. I also did this hike in tennis shoes because my boots were wet from a previous hike.
The trail starts at a parking lot, no pass required. We arrived at 9am, three other cars at TH. We got back at 2pm with about 15 cars there. We ran into about 20 day hikers and two PCT through hikers.
For preface, I am a 260 lb woman with bad knees and believe me when I say, this hike is doable. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It starts with switch backs until you reach the PCT trail. There are about 11 short, kinda steep, switchbacks right at the beginning and 14 long switch backs at a modest grade. Then you hike the PCT until you reach the gap between the two mountains, again at a modest incline. Then you’ll see the lake from the top and decline another 15 minutes you’ll get to the lake. Before we got to the lake we explored the meadows that the hikers from the other entrance would pass.
The lake was tranquil, set beautifully with the fall colors.
Fall foliage was beautiful but it was only about at 40%, in a couple of weeks it’ll be full blown! I dipped in the water, it was freezing but the sun was out.
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