On Thursday, Leslie and I went on what is now one of our favorite hikes, Snow Lake.  We went on this hike long ago, when we first started hiking together.  Even the sound of it, Snow Lake, sounds magical.  Well, the hike lives up to its name!

Snow Lake is one of the most popular hikes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  It is a sort of wilderness superhighway.  On a sunny Sunday,  one can expect to see hundreds of hikers on the Snow Lake trail.  Because we went on a Thursday, it was not the superhighway mentioned above, but we did see a fair amount of people on the trail.

We hiked 8 1/2 miles and had a cumulative gain of 1,800 feet.  Most of the altitude gain is on the hike in.  However, oddly enough, 400 feet altitude gain is on the way back out because going in, you hike down into the magical lake and, later, have to hike back up again.  This hike is  a great workout!

There was still snow clinging to the sides of the mountain leading to the lake.  We wondered what it would be like to swim in Snow Lake and we decided it was most likely TOO cold.  Sheets of ice lead right into the lake!

On the hike in, we were admiring the wildflowers and the Bear Grass in bloom.  Bear Grass grows in tufts and then sends out beautiful fragrant white flowers that have pointy heads.  The flowers  balance daintily on sturdy thin stalks!  I was photographing the Bear Grass flowers when I suddenly heard, “Fran Gallo!”  It was my friend, Butch!  He had just come back from hiking into Gem Lake!  Can I tell you how amazing it is to run into friends on the trail while hiking (or photographing flowers!)?  It was really fun and surreal to run into Butch on this most magical of trails!

It was September 1st and I was so happy to be out with Leslie hiking!  I think we will have a beautiful September (beautiful =sunny)…we deserve it because once the rain comes, we can get socked in for weeks/months!

My first glimpse of Snow Lake!

Bear Grass in bloom!

Taking it all in! No wonder this place is so popular! Only 53 miles outside of Seattle!

Shimmery water below our cliff lunch spot

I think Snow Lake will have to be an annual destination.  I was surprised to learn there are a few camp sites on the lake.  As we were heading out, we saw an very jovial daddy and his son, both weighted down by heavy packs, cheerfully heading up to camp at Snow Lake!