Lake Valhalla is a magical hike in the snow
Published 1:27 pm Monday, November 3, 2014
Do you ever go hiking in the snow? It is, in short, magical.*
A friend and I took our first snowy hike of the season on Sunday to Lake Valhalla. It’s along the Pacific Crest Trail, north of Stevens Pass. We knew from checking out trip reports that we were likely to hit at least a little snow.
We got an early start (thank you, time change) and were the first ones in the parking lot.
This early arrival had an unexpected benefit. Once we hit snow, there were tracks all over the trail. We saw a number of tracks I couldn’t identify, beyond saying I’m sure they were a mammal and not a dog. I’m no good at tracking skills.
I didn’t need tracking skills, however, to analyze one set of prints. It’s pretty easy to see what happened when a perfectly clear set of bird footprints sit right in front of a small bunch of berries, with many missing.
The snow was thin, in most places only an inch or two. That made the tracks stand out exceptionally well and we enjoyed them all the way up.
The forest was gorgeous in the snow and we made the 3.5 miles to the lake so quickly we were shocked when it came into view. When we dropped down to the lake, we felt the temperature start to drop noticeably. By the time we found the path to the lake — the snow make it slightly difficult — it was snowing for real.
We stared at the snow. It was gorgeous but now we were cold, and a bit exposed sitting on the edge of the lake. Was it worth sticking around? Or should we just head back? The other hikers who had arrived at the lake at the same time as us had already turned around. After a few minutes of shivering and readjusting layers, however, we settled in to enjoy our lunch. It was worth it. We were clumsy eating with gloves on. The gray jays watched us intently while we ate, putting on quite a show.
We had both forgotten something to sit on, so we sat on our waterproof Green Trail maps on a log. A foam pad would have been better, but it kept our pants off the sopping wet log. (The Green Trail maps are awesome, by the way.)
Eventually the snow slowed and then stopped. The temperature warmed up a bit — or the food did its trick — and we ended up spending nearly an hour at the lake.
On the way back, we realized how lucky we’d been to see so many tracks. The trail was now well-beaten down by boot prints and the snow level was noticeably higher. Trees that had been completely snow-covered were now bare again.
As an advantage, though, more mushrooms were more exposed and we enjoyed them on the way down.
I’m ready now for another snowy hike. Where should I go next?
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that winter hiking requires special precautions. Winter weather can change very quickly. Heavy snowfall can cover your tracks and hide the trail. Fog can completely disorient you. Days are short and if you get lost, you’ll be in the dark before you know it.
If you’re going hiking in winter, you absolutely must have the 10 essentials (OK, you should have them any time of year, but winter just has less room for error.) You also need to know how to use the essentials. A compass won’t help you if you don’t know how to use it.
If you’re serious about getting outside in winter, you should also seriously consider an emergency locator beacon. I just wrote about them here. They could save your life if you’re lost or injured.
Ten essentials
- Navigation (map, compass, GPS if you’d like)
- Insulation (warm clothing, waterproof layers)
- Illumination (head lamp or flashlight, extra batteries)
- First-aid supplies
- Fire (matches, fire starter, lighter or similar)
- Repair kit (basic tools, knife, duct tape, etc.)
- Nutrition (extra food)
- Hydration (extra water or way to treat water)
- Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses)
- Emergency shelter (bivy sack, tarp, or similar)
Non-essentials
These things aren’t vital to keep you alive, but they’ll make your trip a lot more fun.
- Warm drink in a thermos
- Insulated sit pad, a chunk of cheap foam works great
- Really good chocolate
- Cozy, dry clothes to change into once you get back to your car
- Umbrella — to keep ice chunks off of your head in case of heavy wind. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.
If you go
Lake Valhalla will probably be accessible as a hike for a bit longer. Check WTA for trip reports or call the ranger’s station. There are two ways to access the lake. One is to go on the PCT the whole way, starting at the parking lot on the north side of U.S. 2 at Stevens Pass. Just head north, staying on the PCT. That way is longer, about 10 miles.
You can also go from Smithbrook Road, via the Smithbrook Trail to the PCT. That way is about 7 miles. To drive there, turn left on Smithbrook Road right after the highway divides, about 3.5 miles to the east of the ski area. The trailhead is 2.5 miles up the road on your left. Follow the Smithbrook Trail until it runs into the PCT. Take a left here (south) and follow the PCT until it reaches the lake. Access to the lake is a bit easy to miss with the snow. Look for a tree with a sign that says “No stock beyond this point” and a blank sign below it. The trail to the lake heads down from there.
