Surprise & Granite Lakes Snowshoeing
On Saturday, twelve of us (plus one, but don’t tell the ranger) headed out to Skykomish for a snowshoe trip to Surprise and Granite lakes. In the summer there is a well-traveled trail; in the winter, you simply follow the creek up the valley.
It hadn’t snowed in several days, so the way was already well-marked. Jerry Chang and Mark Sheffer, both famous for their step-kicking abilities, were left sorely disappointed. There are a few more pictures of the adventure in the image gallery. Read on for the trail description and topo.
How to get there: Drive US 2 (Stevens Pass) past Skykomish about ten miles. Before Highway Bridge turn south on Scenic Road. This will take you to a Railroad Service station with a large pile of gravel/dirt in the lot. Go over the tracks and turn right. In the winter the plowing ends at the tracks; in the summer, you can continue 1/4 of a mile to the official trailhead.
Description: From the summer parking area, walk up the road approximately 1/4 of a mile to the Surprise Lake trailhead (elev. 2,250’
. Follow the river valley up, being careful of the open slopes which can pose an avalanche danger. At 3,600 feet the route steepens to gain the basin where the two lakes sit. Surprise Lake sits at 4,500’, approximately 4 miles from the TH. To get to Granite Lake, continue around the east side of Surprise Lake. Follow the ridge and continue south another mile or so. Granite Lake sits at 4,850’.
Distance: 8 mi RT to Surprise Lake, 11 mi RT to Granite Lake
Time: 5-6 hours on snowshoes
Total Elevation Gain: 2,600’ to Granite Lake
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