A snowshoe hike to Source Lake and then up to the top of the ridge overlooking Snow Lake. About 7 miles round trip and total elevation gain of 1500’ for the route we took to Source and then the ridge climb. The roundtrip to Source is about 3.5 miles and 700’ of elevation gain. We parked in the upper parking lot at Alpental at Snoqualmie Pass, arriving later than usual at 11:30am. Already about 8 cars in the lot. There was about 6” of fresh snow on the road and we actually needed to put chains on our car to get to the lot after getting stuck halfway up. We could have parked at the lower, first lot and walked, but we had the chains and decided we’d save our energy for the trail proper. Trail starts at the North East corner of the parking lot and is easy to see (no signs). It is a broad snow road and passes a water tower soon along the way. Not too far in (less than 1/2 a mile) the road will turn down a hill steeply and usually (as this time) there is a split in routes. Going down the road/hill will keep you close the creek (North Fork of the Snoqualmie) up to the waterfall area where you’ll climb steeply to gain about 600’ before reaching the top of the waterfall ridge and continuing on. The other route will stay left at the junction and traverse higher along the Western slopes of the valley (underneath Bryant, the Tooth, etc). This is the route we took as the snow was stable and avalanche danger had passed. The exposed slopes are NOT recommended when avalanche condition are present. We passed through a few areas of avalanche debris from the previous cycle. At about 1.75 miles you’ll reach Source Lake. It is nearly all covered in snow and it is so small that it looks like nothing more than a creek poking through the snow cover in a couple places. It’s at the head of the valley and the large snow bowl below Chair Peak will be just beyond it. This is a good turn around point for a good easy snowshoe trip. Weather was good (cold and snowy) for traveling on, so we circled Source Lake and headed up the Eastern side of the snow bowl. It is a steep climb and the snow was wet powder 24” deep. We angled and switchbacked up the slope through the trees and finally attained the ridge at about 4450’ in elevation. From the “snow bowl” approach we traversed across the top of the ridge to the East (right) to the Snow lake overlook, which is just a mound of white. No views as fogs and clouds filled the lake basin. 3 other parties of snowshoers, and 1 group of BC Skiers (12 of them) were met on the trail. Poles and Snowshoes on the trail to Source needed (though if the trail is packed down you could get by without snowshoes. Ice Ax and/or poles and snowshoes on the ridge climb were used. Be sure to check snow/avalanche conditions carefully before climbing past Source Lake to the ridge as there is high potential for avalanche danger here. Photos of hike here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33346716@N03/sets/72157629114416109/

Decided on a trip up to source lake as the avalanche danger was downgraded to low. We saw no areas that looked potentially dangerous along the way. For the full review please visit our blog: http://triplehhikers.blogspot.com/2011/12/source-lake-snowshoe.html

Open fields of recent avalanche debris on the lower slopes of Snoqualmie Mountain provide a constant reminder that, even on a day of low avalanche risk, the route to Snow Lake requires constant reappraisal. We started from Alpental at 8am on the northeast side of the creek to Source Lake, but soon found ourselves ascending too high too quickly up to a viewing area with a snow-carved double bench that would have provided a picturesque scene of the valley below on a clearer day. The first few chute crossings felt solid, but we were finally turned back at a flume with steep, soft sides. On its far side was an exposed, steep and corniced ledge, and the only other suitable crossing we could see was far below. After backtracking and turning around at another steep, open slope, we finally retraced our steps close to the start of the trail, where we stayed on lower ground and navigated a path around the wide drainages of chutes we had crossed above and through the lower forest where we were greeted by hungry Whiskey Jacks. At the plateau overlooking Source Lake, we saw groups of snowshoers, skiers and snowboarders, many of whom had followed the southwest side of the creek and had been listening to slides on that side of the ridge throughout the morning. We lunched on cucumber, spinach and hummus sandwiches with warm tea for the final northwest push to the divide on the eastern shoulder of Chair Peak and down to Snow Lake. As the afternoon warmed, the more consolidated snow of the morning became a slushy oatmeal. With the vertical slope of the last fifty-foot pitch to the shoulder at Chair Peak's base, the snow began to feel particularly unstable and wet, and new steps would have been precarious and loose. The two climbers who had been to the top ahead of us said the obscured views down were not worth the effort of those last few feet. Since we were at our turn-around time of 2:30pm, since the slopes were warming, and since we were already exhausted from breaking trail (and in my partner's case, post-holing), we turned our backs on Chair Peak. The steps we pounded on the way up provided little support and we easily triggered small, loose, wet slides as we bounded directly down towards the Source Lake basin and the route to Alpental. After a few glissade attempts on steeper sections of the forested lower trail with soft landing zones, and after a quick side trip to a small waterfall off the main creek, we were back at our car a little before 5pm.

First, there was no eminent threat of an avalanche while I was there. BUT I had been checking conditions at www.nwac.us and even called the rangers in North Bend. We parked right in the last spot of the upper lot, right next to the road that you take to the trail. The path is nice and wide, but only to start. As soon as the trail to Source Lake starts you are in the woods. Stay left, far above the river bed, the trail eventually takes you closer to the South Fork of the Snowqualmie River. Before you know it you are at Source Lake. Today, Source Lake was a busy place. I was with a group of three, there was a family of three, a group of about 8 adults, then a group of about 16 adults in an avalanche training course. This was early in the morning too. More and more groups were in this area. The hike up to the saddle is steep and brutal, but awesome. There were the obvious signs in the snow of earlier avalanches this season. I heard it being referred to as "avalanche debris," but I have no training there. The saddle had some fun places to play around in the snow. We went on down the other side of the saddle to Snow Lake. The backside was much steeper and definitely fun going down. We saw people out on the lake when we were in the saddle, but we made our own way down in the untouched snow. Here was another area where avalanche assessment would be nice. Walked out on to the lake a bit, had lunch in the middle of a frozen lake. The walk back was easy enough to find, following our tracks, but it was not an "easy" snowshoe hike. Great trip, and easy to get to from Seattle. Pick a day when avalanche danger is low and get out there.

3.69 miles round trip. 650' elevation gain total. Snow all the way, some form of traction recommended along with poles. Snowshoes not needed until more fresh powder comes along. Crampons worked well on compacted trail. 3 hours total with long lunch break at the Lake. Forecast was for rain, but as we approached Alpental Exit (#52)at Snoqualmie Pass the sky was just overcast and didn't look like rain. Parked at the uppermost lot at Alpental next to the trailhead Source Lake (water tower road). Snow was pretty solid with just an inch or two over the harder crust. Snowshoes were not needed as the trail was hard packed all the way. Wore Katoolah micro-spikes for traction, but carried snowshoes and crampons just in case. Trail was easy to follow. The only challenging portion is gaining the 120-140 feet of elevation at the waterfall near the middle of the hike. Traction and a handy axe was reassuring making it up the hard packed snow for those steep 140 vertical feet. Arrived at the lake and found two partial snow caves there, so we set about digging one out with a "snow claw" to make a shelter from the wind and rain while we ate lunch there at the lake. Ours was the only car at 10:30am, and when we returned around 2pm there were a total of 4 cars. Saw no one going in to the Lake and had the lake to ourselves for a good 1/2 hour or more. A 2-party group arrived as we were getting ready to head back. They came down to Source Lk from the upper summer trail through the avalanche chute below Chair Peak, not exactly the recommended trail for winter, but they were young and "brave." The only other hiker we saw was a lone snowshoe lady on the return trail. A very quiet day and it was great. The rain finally hit about 1PM and the return trip was in pretty much constant rain and about 38 degrees. More pictures of the hike and route here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33346716@N03/sets/72157625774936577/