SplashClimber Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 So there are two Alpental parking lots, upper & lower lots. To do the "summer approach" which parking lot is best to use? The lower or upper lot? Is it even possible to access Snow Lake trail via the upper lot? AND... is the upper lot sometimes closed off by the ski area? (Summer approach -- by this I mean doing 1.5 miles of the Snow Lake tail, then diverging south, while staying east of Source Lake) I have rooted around cascade climbers for some help on this, but often it is hard to detect which lot was used! Quote
mike_m Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 For the summer approach, use the lower lot just below the gate, where the footbridge over to the ski lodge is. To my knowledge, though I haven't tried it, it would be a challenge to get across the creek & up to the trail from the upper lot. You'd waste whatever time you gained by driving to the furthest lot. FWIW, I did the Tooth via the winter approach from the upper lot last Thursday, it was in good shape except for the gully leading up from Source Lake to the Basin. Lots of bottomless moats in the first drainage we were punching through, especially on the way out in the afternoon. The further one under Bryant (where the summer route heads up) was in better shape. Quote
SplashClimber Posted June 17, 2009 Author Posted June 17, 2009 Thank-you, very helpful. I am thinking at this point it might be best to do the summer route both UP and DOWN. Althought toying with heading UP the winter route (maybe snow would be more solid in morning), and DOWN the summer route. Quote
spotly Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 If there's still snow, I'd stick with the winter route. If you posthole there, you'd be postholing on the talus above Source Lake too. Quote
mike_m Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 I'd agree--as you traverse around the South side of Source Lake, get into the second, more prominent gully heading up to the Basin, not the fainter first one Quote
SplashClimber Posted June 19, 2009 Author Posted June 19, 2009 RESULT...!!! I ended up taking the summer route up and down. No post-holing either way.... contemplated taking the winter route back down, but decided to just stick with the trail. Thank-you again everyone for the help. Quote
Franko Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Anyone tried the winter route after the snow is gone? Too brushy, or what? Quote
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