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communist_mini_pesto t1_iw1ptny wrote

This hike is extremely dangerous in the winter and crosses several avalanche paths.

People regularly die here.

Use extreme caution in the snow.

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honvales1989 t1_iw2j5ki wrote

It might just be better to just avoid it in the winter and wait for the snow to melt

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OldCrate OP t1_iw3na8k wrote

Once avalanche danger exists you're right!

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5hiphappens t1_iw3vg0g wrote

If there's snow, it can slide.

Also, you can get to the Snow Lake Divide other ways than the summer trail.

ETA: I thought this was a backcountry sub-reddit. When I said other ways, I meant other routes than the summer trail. The usually backcountry route starts from the upper Alpental lot and heads along the west side of the creek to Source Lake. To get to the Divide, you switchback through the trees from there.

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OldCrate OP t1_iw42jiz wrote

Next year I'm going to try the Middle Fork trail. I've never done that one.

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honvales1989 t1_iw3njsd wrote

Which will likely be sooner than later

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OldCrate OP t1_iw3qp8f wrote

That's true. Looking forward to some skiing this winter!

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OldCrate OP t1_iw3fzaq wrote

What's your source for "People regularly die here."?

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heartbeats t1_iw3jrtj wrote

A bit hyperbolic but they’re mostly right, Snow Lake does cross multiple avy chutes and people do get caught in them and die. It’s generally not a trail that’s used after serious snowfall.

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5hiphappens t1_iw3vvz3 wrote

https://nwac.us/accident-reports/

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OldCrate OP t1_iw42dxl wrote

Thanks for the link. I've seen that. The last avalanche deaths at Snow Lake were in 2018. I was wondering if there were more reports that weren't covered here.

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5hiphappens t1_iw4gwhz wrote

I don't think so. NWAC is pretty good at covering that.

It's actually really surprising how few deaths there have been with the surge of new people after the start of the pandemic.

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OldCrate OP t1_iw55m17 wrote

I agree. It seems like whenever I go skiing it alpental I see people either coming back or heading out to go to snow shoeing up there.

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