Source Lake & BeyondA great winter trip that bypasses the crowds of the Alpental Ski area and leads into a basin surrounded by steep cliffs. December 28, 1999 Today is one of those days where the weather report may not provide completely reliable information. In some areas of the region, we've 'enjoyed' over a week of thick, dense fog that covers all but the tallest of buildings. Here in Kent, however, at 7 AM when Wayne arrives, I notice that the sky is uncharacteristically clear and I see stars for the first time in weeks. Far in the distance, the lights of Seattle's skyline reflect an amber glow off the fog that is beginning its morning descent upon the city. The sun's arrival in less than an hour will help us determine what the day will bring. In the meantime, we're content with beginning our day with a dryer cold. During the past week the fog prevented snow from accumulating in the mountains by keeping the heavy clouds at bay while maintaining consistently cool temperatures, therefore we expected a firm snow pack and easy travelling. Only an hour away, Snoqualmie Pass offers a convenient means into a mountain playground full of activities from skiing to snowboarding; from snowshoeing to ice climbing. As we drove eastward, we were treated to the wakening of the day. We pass by McClellen's Butte on our right, a mountain with a sharply rising peak reminding me of the Matterhorn of the Alps. The first pink rays of the day ignite the peaks in a soft alpenglow and begin draping the mountain in a slow cascade of light, as if she's putting on a soft wispy gown of sunshine. Looking to the west ahead, the sky is still clear, but the fog menace still lingers along the lower edges of the slopes. Within a half-hour, we arrive at the far end of the Alpental trailhead, one of only three vehicles. Our destination: Source Lake, and then either the base of Chair Peak or the base of The Tooth. We arrive at the trailhead and the far end of the ski parking lot, and find we are only one of three cars. That means we will have the early trail for ourselves, avoiding the crowds. The snow is hard and snowshoes are not necessary at the start of the hike, but rather than carrying them we put them on anyway and begin our walk along a well-trodden path into the woods. With the temperatures below freezing, each step we take creates a squeaking, crunching sound and soon we become a cacophony of noise that echoes throughout the valley around us. The beginning of the hike is fairly level and offers little challenge, so we bide the time alternating chatting and talking with periods of silence. At this time of year, the snow accumulation is only 6 feet, but this is enough to adequately cover the ground and turn it into a winter wonderland. All around us, the trees are covered with a delicate covering of frost deposited by the heavy fog and frozen during the evening. Even now, as we travel the valley floor, the fog is following us, creeping along the treetops, ready to drape its blanket of cold, wet mist upon us. Above, the steep tree-lined snow slopes point upward and we see the promise of a clear sky. The sun's morning rays finally discover our little valley as the upper ridge slowly becomes bathed in warm sunlight. Still early in the day as well as early in the year, we'll never see the sun fully at an apex in the sky, nor enjoy the full warmth that it will bring. We are travelling along the southern flanks of the valley and, as such, also along the northern side of Denny Mountain so that we will be the last (if at all) to feel the sun. However, across the other side of the valley, the sun illuminates the Snow Creek trail and the top of Snoqualmie Mountain with a glistening light that reflects back into the sky. This creates an interesting effect that causes me to stop and take notice. Around us, the frost covered trees in the foreground contrasted sharply with the brilliantly lit trees on the far slopes, producing a surrealistic appearance such as those found in movies. Like an optical illusion, the scene before me was captivating, the image of snowy trees, bathed in sunshine along a mountain slope, looking as if a master landscapist had purposefully painted them. As we continued through the valley, we become aware of the fog layer beginning to lower onto the treetops, hesitant to offer us the first real view of Snoqualmie Mountain. Teasing and tantalizing, the fog reveals just enough to energize us into moving forward and upward even more, so that we can get better glimpses of the valley. Interesting because the fog appears to be traveling in our direction, slowly undulating, crawling through the valley on a trek of its own toward the upper slopes. Soon the slopes are too steep for the heavy fog to ascend and we no longer are pursued. Reluctantly, it retreats as the sun begins to fill the valley, replacing the cool mist with warmth and light. After less than an hour, the trail expands with snowshoe tracks and cross-country ski trails leading off in every direction, revealing the base of Chair Peak, and Source Lake. The Lake, more of a small pond than a lake, is nearly filled in with snow and virtually invisible until almost right on it. A thick cornice hangs heavily over the water and ice, ready to pounce upon a careless traveler. Wayne and I don't stop here for long, because we still have to determine the right path up and to our left towards The Tooth, which is a prominent rock face frequented and climbed by mountaineers during any season. With the recent snowfall, the nice tracks leading through the lower valley are all but disappeared as we head to the upper valley. However, I located a steep, narrow, tree lined gully with faint boot tracks heading upward. If we started too far to toward the base of Chair Peak, we'd encounter a wall of vertical cliffs and the added danger of being in an avalanche-prone area. This is to be avoided at all costs! The trees provide protection from this by assisting the snow's adherence to the ground, and keeping it stable. |
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