Forum Index > Trip Reports > Snow Lake & Gem Lake 10/25/08
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silly_traveler
~ roaming ~



Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
silly_traveler
~ roaming ~
PostSat Oct 25, 2008 11:26 pm 
I've been to Snow Lake 3 times, and each time I've wanted to continue onto Gem Lake, but for some reason haven't been there yet frown.gif So my goals today were to make it up to Gem and get back to the car before dark hmmm.gif I didn't start up the trail until 1230 rolleyes.gif Lots of people at the Alpental parking lot as usual shakehead.gif but I actually didn't encounter that many people on the trail biggrin.gif most people were coming down as I was heading up to Snow Lake, and beyond that there weren't that many people on the trail period. It was actually really nice smile.gif So I got to Snow Lake and continued along the side of the lake to this junction that points Gem Lake to the left and Middle Fork trail (if I remember correctly) to the right. So I turned left towards Gem Lake. After a short while I saw a lake.... and for some reason I thought this was Gem Lake huh.gif as it turns out it's just another side of Snow Lake huh.gif I didn't realize this until I asked a couple if they were up at Wildcat, and they said they didn't even make it to Gem huh.gif At this point, I was like wtf, isn't this Gem confused.gif lol.gif After a quick sandwich and hot chocolate break, I kept going.... looking for Gem.... irked.gif Up and up and more up.... and lots of cool fall colors later.... I arrived at Gem Lake just a bit after 3:30pm. Everybody was heading back down and I didn't want to be the only one left paranoid.gif so I quickly went around the lake a bit and took some pictures and after 10 minutes or so was on my way back to Snow. It's really too bad I didn't have much time to spend at Gem. It is a pretty little lake and very beautiful with a light dusting of snow and fall colors agree.gif up.gif Note to self: must get up earlier next time hockeygrin.gif All in all a great day to be out and about. And I got back to the car just before 6pm chickenleg.gif Some pictures.... the sun was in my face the whole day it seems like, so the pictures are kind of not so great embarassedlaugh.gif but it's really beautiful up there I swear winksmile.gif
Snow Lake
Snow Lake
Snow Lake
Snow Lake
fall colors
fall colors
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
ponds
ponds
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
reflection
reflection

♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
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Ingunn
Hiking Viking



Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 1751 | TRs | Pics
Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostSat Oct 25, 2008 11:59 pm 
We were there today too! A couple with a little Italian Greyhound - did we meet you? Hm, I'm thinking you might have asked us how far it was to Gem and what time it was? Here's the only photo I've uploaded so far but at least you can see what one third of our party looked like:
JK and Gem
JK and Gem
I wasn't prepared for how beautiful it would be since all I've heard about Snow & Gem is that they're crowded, but sadly the sunlight (not that I'm complaining about the sunlight...) messed up my photos as well.

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silly_traveler
~ roaming ~



Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
silly_traveler
~ roaming ~
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 1:12 am 
Yes, that was me, I didn't have a watch or a map doof.gif Nice to meet you wave.gif Hey, where did you take that picture? I walked around to the left of the lake a bit but didn't get too far.

♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
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Ingunn
Hiking Viking



Joined: 01 Feb 2008
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Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 1:25 am 
We had lunch under a tree about halfway around the lake - then headed up to the ridge behind us for a look at Glacier Peak... wub.gif

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seattlehikertoo
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Member


Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 582 | TRs | Pics
Location: Finding an alternative to Mailbox Pk
seattlehikertoo
Member
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 10:36 am 
Gem is another 2 miles and about 800 feet above Snow Lake past that jct. All the way to Wildcat is a haul for one day, but great for solitude since I don't think there is any other way to get to it via a trail.

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Yet
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Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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Location: Happily Ever After
Yet
Member
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 10:45 am 
This TR is cute just like you, silly. embarassedlaugh.gif And to think you met Ingunn and didn't know it! Glad everyone else is still getting out while I am sitting on my butt getting fat. embarassedlaugh.gif

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Ingunn
Hiking Viking



Joined: 01 Feb 2008
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Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 2:16 pm 
I'll just add my photos here instead of starting a new thread.. Parts of the trail were muddy and icy, especially between the pass and Snow Lake - other than that conditions were perfect (well, not for photography rolleyes.gif).
Bobby was not amused by the new snow
Bobby was not amused by the new snow
Foundation of an old cabin?
Foundation of an old cabin?
First hike post-flu, we're happy
First hike post-flu, we're happy
Snow Lake
Snow Lake
Shoreline
Shoreline
My boys in fall colors
My boys in fall colors
Gem Lake was so pretty. I think we'll start taking out-of-towners here; you get great views for not a lot of effort. Go up to the ridge behind the lake for Glacier Peak views wub.gif
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
Gingerbread Man vs Puma
Gingerbread Man vs Puma
Glacier Peak is up in the corner there
Glacier Peak is up in the corner there

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silly_traveler
~ roaming ~



Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
silly_traveler
~ roaming ~
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 3:14 pm 
Yet wrote:
This TR is cute just like you, silly. embarassedlaugh.gif And to think you met Ingunn and didn't know it! Glad everyone else is still getting out while I am sitting on my butt getting fat. embarassedlaugh.gif
winksmile.gif thanks Yet! How come you're not getting out?
Ingunn wrote:
Gem Lake
Gem Lake
Hey, I want that picture! Maybe next year hmmm.gif I feel like I have a bunch of unfinished business from this summer.... the Park Butte tarn, the BT Lakes winksmile.gif and now this view of Gem Lake! irked.gif

♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
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bobbi
stillaGUAMish



Joined: 13 Jul 2006
Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics
Location: olympics!
bobbi
stillaGUAMish
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 4:59 pm 
great TR and photos, silly and ingunn! i may start lake bagging after seeing your photos! here's a photo of lake angeles from trail lookout i took today.
klahhane ridge
klahhane ridge
your Bobby looks cute agree.gif bobbi

bobbi ૐ "Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
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polarbear
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Snow Lake hide-away
polarbear
Member
PostSun Oct 26, 2008 10:19 pm 
Nice pictures Silly Traveler and Ingunn! up.gif up.gif up.gif I can see where one could discover Snow Lake twice (and actually it's a worthy lake to discover twice up.gif up.gif ). It's a big lake. This is probably the same situation Columbus had crossing the Atlantic....the "East Indies".

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Ingunn
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
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Location: Redmond
Ingunn
Hiking Viking
PostMon Oct 27, 2008 12:56 pm 
Yet wrote:
And to think you met Ingunn and didn't know it!
This is why we need the patch! Oh, and I thought the butt end of Snow was Gem as well redface.gif...I even mentioned to JK that I must be in better shape than I thought. FAIL.

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silly_traveler
~ roaming ~



Joined: 04 Jun 2006
Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
silly_traveler
~ roaming ~
PostMon Oct 27, 2008 2:24 pm 
Ingunn wrote:
Oh, and I thought the butt end of Snow was Gem as well redface.gif...I even mentioned to JK that I must be in better shape than I thought. FAIL.
I know huh.... I thought I was ahead of schedule and could hang out at the lake for a long while, WRONG! shakehead.gif I even had my boots off already!

♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
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