Snow Lake

Because it was Friday, it was time to wander. I have seen many pictures of Snow Lake on my friend's social media pages and I have been dying to go. I looked up information on the hike to Snow Lake and it was noted as being an easy, 7.2 mile trip with a 1,000 foot elevation gain. My brother and his friend Cole were also interested in going so we made plans to make the trek on this rainy Friday morning. Now, this is the longest hike I have ever been on....but I was determined to accomplish it. Kellen also wanted to bring Mac, but I was scared that it would be too big of a hike for his little legs. Although the weather forecast predicted rain, it has often been wrong, like always. But this time, they were spot on. We started our hike around noon and at the time, there was just a slight drizzle. As we progressed further, the light rain created fog around the surrounding mountains which was beautiful to capture with the camera. Mac led the group strongly up the rocky path, making sure to stop and check back often to ensure everyone was still there. His eager attitude and 25 foot leash allowed him to scale the slippery rocks and guide us up the mountain.

Because the reviews said the hike was easy, I had the mindset that I could do it. But instantly, the climb was steep and the strengthening rain didn't make anything any easier. We pressed on and finally asked a passing hiker a few hours in "how much longer until the lake?", they gasped and checked their phones and said about an hour. We were definitely in for a challenge but the scenery was just too beautiful to stop, and I had to get to that lake! Kellen and Cole were great sports about stopping and taking pictures. Cole snapped a few for his own collection, while Kellen was happy we were taking pictures for him. Because I planned to shoot in the rain, I brought a small towel to hang over my camera to keep it dry while it was around my neck. This plan worked magnificently and it allowed me to dry and clean the lens as needed. I can not explain to you how hard it was raining half way through. We were drenched!! And because we didn't mind getting wet in the beginning, we ended up soaking our clothes and then were forced to put our rain jackets on afterwards. We were a mess. As the trail came to its final descend, we approached the foggy lake. Now, if you look this lake up online, it looks so pristine. Unfortunately, we didn't get to experience that, but we did get to view the lake in an ominous and grey setting. The light was still great, but we had to wait around for the fog to pass to get a good picture. By that time, the camera towel had been soaked and it was time to officially retire it for the day.

As we munched on muddy buddies and oreos at the lake, we planned for our return back. Like I said, the rain was really coming down...and we were so uncomfortably wet. Mac started to get tired, cold, and wet. He started shivering, so we wrapped him in a dry towel and packed him into Kellen's backpack. This method worked surprisingly well and he enjoyed a relaxing 3.5 mile ride. Once we got back to the car, we cranked up the heat and head back to Seattle. We all felt so accomplished by completing the hike in the weather we had. To go seven miles, it took us about four hours. Although online reviews rate it as being easy, I would say it was medium. The path was not flat, and the rocky foundation was uneven and difficult to maneuver. The hike was beautiful but I would suggest avoiding on a very rainy day. I would also suggest packing an extra pair of clothes in the car in case the weather is very hot, rainy, or you decide to take a dip in the lake. We can't wait to have another outing in the Snoqualmie region- maybe Denny Creek.