[tigermn]

Well a bit ambitious for an after work hike but what the heck. I think I found 10 miles after work starts to push the fun zone. At any rate it was Snow/Gem lake (assuming I had enough time).

Snow/Gem Lake route

It was warm but not too bad. The bugs were a bother once near Snow Lake and continued to be bad. It didn't help that I didn't put on any bug stuff but oh well. I was hiking shortly after 02:30PM. A fair number of cars in the lot. I suspect some overnighters.

Snow Lake trailhead.

After some brief stairmaster action at the start the trail eases and goes in and out of trees.

Starting up Snow Lake trail. The stairmaster stairs are short lived.

Early views on Snow Lake trail.

Snow Lake trail crosses one of several more open areas.

The junction with the Source Lake overlook trail is reached in about 40 minutes and the switchbacks begin up to the high point which is also about where you enter the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area.

Enter Alpine Lakes Wilderness. This is basically the ridge crest just around the corner first views of Snow Lake.

Just past here are some of my favorite views of snow lake before actually descending much.

First views of Snow Lake.

Better views of Snow Lake as you descend down to the lake.

Better views of Snow Lake as you descend down to the lake.

Better views of Snow Lake as you descend down to the lake.

Views continue off and on as you descend to the lake.

Better views of Snow Lake as you descend down to the lake.

Better views of Snow Lake as you descend down to the lake.

Various crews were working in the lakes areas. One crew near the toilet sign at Snow Lake. Even on a Thursday evening this is not a hike of solitude. In fact I saw probably more people on this hike than I see on a typical West Tiger 3 romp. Snow lake with the right lighting is a very pretty lake. I think the lighting in general is better earlier.

Snow Lake from Snow Lake trail.

Green water color on banks of Snow Lake.

Snow Lake trail continues around to go up through that notch.

Green water color on banks of Snow Lake.

I continued past the crowds to reach the junction with the Gem Lake/Middle Fork trail in about an hour and a half. The number of people seen greatly diminished but did not evaporate.

Gem Lake/Middle fork junction on Snow Lake trail.

Some nice views out to the east as you ascend past the trail junction.

Views starting up/towards Gem Lake.

Views starting up/towards Gem Lake.

Views starting up/towards Gem Lake.

A little dipsy doodle and you cross the outlet on a wide footlog.

Log crossing outlet of Snow Lake.

Snow Lake from outlet.

Looking down the Snow Lake outlet.

Now you start climbing more up the side with more overlook views of Snow Lake and the peaks behind.

Views past Snow Lake outlet heading up towards Gem Lake.

Views past Snow Lake outlet heading up towards Gem Lake.

Snow Lake from above on way to Gem Lake.

Views on trail heading up to Gem Lake.

Views on trail heading up to Gem Lake.

The climbing continues and you cross a talus/rock field shortly before arriving at Gem (aka mosquito) lake.

Final talus slope crossing nearing Gem Lake.

Views nearing Gem Lake.

Views nearing Gem Lake.

Finally Gem lake is reached in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. A pretty blue color but not the most spectacular alpine lake and too buggy to really enjoy today. I wouldn't traverse it but turn around pretty quick.

Gem Lake in Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Gem lake in the wrong lighting.

Gem lake banks.

Enough campers. Hope they brought the skeeter juice.

Campers at Gem Lake. With the bugs one might wonder why.

I headed slightly back from the campers away from the lake/less bugs just long enough to eat a snack before retreating holding a towel to wave to swat bugs or at least try and keep them away. More nice views on the way down but the light was waning as some clouds moved in and the sun eventually got behind the peaks.

Views heading back from Gem Lake.

Views heading back from Gem Lake.

Views heading back from Gem Lake.

Views heading back from Gem Lake.

Snow lake glacier.

Views heading back from Gem Lake.

Saw a few people still.

Snow lake banks.

A man and dog head back towards Snow Lake.

Back at the outlet and around to snow lake for the return.

Snow Lake outlet.

Snow Lake from outlet

Snow Lake.

Snow Lake.

This looked like some kind of eagle/bird sitting but was just a log. Doesn't look like much in the picture but..

This log looked like a bird/eagle or something on first glance.

A few more day hikers and campers. The worker crews had put the toilet sign back up and were gone. A few more pictures then the slog back up (I had having to climb on the return trip even though only a few hundred feet).

Snow lake as you head back up the ridge.

Snow lake as you head back up the ridge.

I took one more quick break at the crest to drink/eat another snack then made for the car.

Views from switchbacks going down Snow Lake trail towards the parking lot.

Views from switchbacks going down Snow Lake trail towards the parking lot.

Flowers on Snow Lake trail.

Berries on Snow Lake trail.

VIews from Lower Snow Lake trail down valley.

VIews from Lower Snow Lake trail down valley.

Clouds to the west from lower Snow Lake trail.

After all that was back at the car at 07:52PM. Still 27 cars in the Alpental parking lot. All in all not a bad trip except for the bugs (Gem Lake has a hex on me I guess) and it was just about the limit for as tired as I was I guess. I felt more fatigued after this trip than the 4th of July weekend hike last weekend which was longer with a lot more elevation gain!

[mthyer]

[tigermn]

Yea I saw various trail crews, some at Snow Lake, more coming down/out from Gem Lake. One guy hiking out even asked me (prefaced by saying it might sound like a strange question) if I happened to smoke. I didn't walk to the west end so I didn't really see where/what them might have been doing. It does seem to be too many people up there, at least around Snow Lake. At times it almost made West Tiger 3 seem like solitude

[polarbear]

Nice set of pictures! I was hoping the bugs would be gone by now--I was talking with some friend on Sunday that were planning on going to Snow and I recommened they continued on to Gem Lake. I hope they don't get eaten alive.