Jan 20 - Lake Serene
Weekend before last brought a beautiful winter hike up to Serene Lake. Part of our beginning training circuit in the lower Cascade Mountains before the warmth of summer melts the bigger mountains. This year I want to climb some of the bigger scrambles in the high alpines, so we have to start training now.
Was happy that the traffic back up from Monroe was mostly because of Steven’s Pass skiers as the trailhead parking was pretty light. For winter, the trail is still very popular despite being a pretty long and steep (in parts) trail.
Was happy that the traffic back up from Monroe was mostly because of Steven’s Pass skiers as the trailhead parking was pretty light. For winter, the trail is still very popular despite being a pretty long and steep (in parts) trail.
The trail passes by some pretty impressive falls at about the halfway point and would be a great lunch spot if it hadn’t been so cold.
As we got higher in the mountains, it was advantageous to have microspikes but not necessary. Most just some remnants of packed snow on the trail itself left from multiple people compacting its surface. The trail is fairly flat hiking up the edge of the hillside and then the middle portion of the trail inclines steeply with the aid of stairs that can be hard on the knees. The switchbacks take you up not completely to the top of the mountain but then curve around the side, traversing along till you see the lake.
Mt. Index is high enough above to collect snowy and rockies views that are pretty spectacular from the lake. Make sure to head all the way to Picnic Rock (even thought it is up a steep little hillside) as the view becomes unobstructed and there is a completely smooth rock that you can sit and gaze upon the mountain from.
Mt. Index is high enough above to collect snowy and rockies views that are pretty spectacular from the lake. Make sure to head all the way to Picnic Rock (even thought it is up a steep little hillside) as the view becomes unobstructed and there is a completely smooth rock that you can sit and gaze upon the mountain from.
Leave early if you can as Highway 2 has a lot of stoplights through small towns like Sultan and Gold Bar making traffic barely a crawl later in the day -- when people visiting eastern washington and skiing come back from the pass.
HIGHWAY 20 pro tips
Excellent breakfast spot that started our day: Sultan Bakery. It will now will be our go-to for Mt. Loop hikes. They sport a breakfast burrito for only $3 and coffee and pastries as far as the eye can see.
There is a Safeway in Monroe on the way out that does have supplies of snacks and protein bars. Yay!
On the way back, we stopped at my favorite drive-in Alpen Village in Sultan. Pretty good post hike meal!
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