Sand Lake Snowshoe

A MUCH easier snowshoe today than yesterday thankfully!

I parked in the spacious pullout just east of the pass, next to the transistor tower and just west of the Wenatchee Forest sign.  I was walking around 9:45am, deciding to start up right on the PCT so I walked about 300 feet down the road and over a lowered berm at the speed limit sign.  Within 500 feet I was at the horse camp parking lot and the groomed trails where I hung a left and continued until I hit the PCT trailhead sign less than .2 miles from my car.  I was SO happy to see there was already a trail to follow, I was not in a mood for another day of postholing.

It was a slow day, I briefly had the company of a cross country skier but was soon in solitude as I made my way up the gradual PCT.  I passed the wilderness boundary 1.25 miles from the car and then a PCT marker, both at snow level.

In another mile, I made it to the large meadow before Deer Lake around 11am and I could see a zigzag track across it to the trees on the other side.  GPS said that was the direction I needed for Sand Lake so I followed the tracks leaving Deer for the return trip.  I’d rather zig and zag than posthole more than I have to!

Crossing the meadow, I could see a small break in the treeline on the other side where the PCT continued up.  However, when I got there the tracks stopped.  I’m guessing that someone decided they didn’t have the navigation to continue on. From here, the PCT took a northerly tack directly to Sand Lake, it was not that hard to see where it would go but I checked GPS repeatedly so as to keep on the PCT.  I was breaking trail at this point in deep snow but thankfully it was fairly powdery.

At 2.6 miles, I reached another meadow on my right which I skirted to the left and through the trees to reach Sand Lake in another .1 mile.  What a magnificent winter sight and I enjoyed a spot by the lake for a snack.  Robber jays flittered overhead.

As I returned, a couple of cross country skiers were heading up and we chatted briefly,  They were regulars and do trail maintenance in the area and I thanked them for not having to maneuver trees today.  They thanked me for breaking trail and staying on the PCT!

Back down at the large meadow, I skirted it to the right through the trees to reach the spur for Deer Lake in .15 mile.  There were several tracks to follow, I just tried to keep heading south.

Deer Lake was lovely, too.  I can’t tell you how much I am enjoying the blue skies and bright white landscapes.

Leaving Deer Lake, I continued on a track that went around the meadow to the right in the trees a bit to come to the junction where I had crossed the meadow.  From here I returned on the main trail back down to the Nordic area.  I didn’t see anyone else but a solo skier on the nordic track.

To get back to my car this time, I followed the road straight south from the trailhead, over the bridge and landed directly at my car.  The total miles for the trip were 5.6 and 3.16 hours.