Ira Spring Trail - Mason Lake — Friday, May. 1, 1998

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

This walk starts out with an easy warmup on an abandoned logging road. Switchbacks start at the junction with Bandera Mountain trail and are in fairly good condition with views south across I-90. At about 1/4 mile the trail splits. I took the left (wrong) fork which follows Mason creek for another 1/4 mile and then disappears. After a half hour of careful scrambling I found the trail just before the boulder field which is quite steep and covered in 3-4 feet of snow. An ice axe would be helpful here. Snow was deep to the lake and finding the trail was hit or miss. The rewards at the lake made all the step-kicking worthwhile. Still frozen over, with a 6 inch frosting of snow, the lake was picturesque and the bowl was beautiful, the sun breaking through the high overcast as I arrived. After half an hour a heavy mist dropped into the bowl, hovering about 15 feet over the lake. Heading back down I found the official trail much steeper and in poor repair. I had the trail and the lake all to myself today. I expect that as soon as the snow melts this nearby subalpine lake will be mobbed.