So I have this problem of wanting to hike all the hikes. If there's a line on a map, I figure I ought to see what's there. And the long line leading to Snoqualmie Lake has been taunting me for a long time. On the map it's seven miles one way. Not bad. Anything under 15 miles is completely doable.
Reality was different.
As usual, I started in the dark. Just me and Tink, two little lights in a dark forest. On the upside, we didn't miss much for the first hour of the hike. The trail is (a) one we've been on plenty of times before and (b) an old road and not very exciting. In fact, the trail didn't really get good until two hours in when the road ended and we continued on a real trail.
(Fun fact: The road we followed was once planned to go all the way to Highway 2!)
(Fun fact: That first fun fact wasn't very fun.)
This is where the trail got steeper. And after six miles I was already a little worn down. But up we went. Switchbacks and rocks and wet wet wet. It wasn't technically raining, but somehow everything, including us, was wet.
When we finally got to Snoqualmie Lake I looked out and saw... nothing. Fog obscured all but the closest features. I was about to head back when I realized there were two more lakes just up the trail. It'd be only about another mile and 600 feet of gain. And when I came at this from the north I wouldn't have to drop that 600 feet to connect the routes.
The next lake was much like the first. Nothing to see. But the third lake... was just like the previous two. The only good thing about the third lake is there was a touch of snow. Time to head for home.
Home. Almost 10 miles away. Hoo boy. The first few weren't bad. The next handful weren't terrible. The last bunch were brutal. I'm not meant for big mileage days. The real question, though, is whether I'll remember that next time I look at a line on the map. Here's to hoping I'll be smarter next time.
(Spoiler: I won't be.)
📍 On the lands of the Snoqualmie people.
