[Slide Alder Slayer]

After already hiking to Talapus Lake four times this year, Olallie lake two times this year, and Granite Mountain once, my eyes turned to one place Packpup and I have never been to, Mason Lake. Washington Online Weather promised snow flurries and a freezing level of 3,000 feet, and 100 Hikes In Washington Alpine Lakes stated, “to call it a trail (Mason Lake Trail) requires a stretch of the imagination.” Well it snowed on and off most of the day and the trail certainly has its’ moments, especially climbing and descending through a snow covered boulder field, but there are several pleasant sections with enormous trees, some of which we got to crawl under. Current snow conditions from the end of the switchbacks to the boulder field are one inch of snow increasing to six inches. Heading up the open boulder field snow steadily increases to twelve inches plus, then declined as we re-entered the forest. Snow depth then increased to one and one half to two feet at the bench just before Mason Lake. Hard to tell at the lake basin, two to three feet would be my best estimate. Six inches of new snow has fallen on a hard crust, snowshoes were not necessary to get to Mason Lake, but beyond Mason Lake snowshoes would be required. Special thanks to the solo hiker whose accurate tracks got us through the boulder field. Congratulatory thanks to the party of three who passed us near the top of the boulder field, packed down the snow, and found the remaining post holes. It has been a long time since either Packpup and I fell on a trail. Descending the boulder field from Mason Lake we both took nosedives because of the very slippery conditions, I recommend caution in this area.

[McPilchuck]

Ah, I love reports like this, puts me right there with you. Thanks for sharing Guy. McPil

[cookiejar]

Hey Slide, You posted this trip report last Sunday - but if you did the trip last Saturday then I was in the group of three that passed you (I was wearing a red jacket and/or an ugly lime green shirt). It was a good trip, the snow plastered trees by the lake were lovely. Nice to see a fellow nwhiker out on the trail!