Day 6: Mig Lake to Valhalla Lake (13.1 miles)
Today I got to sleep in. Hubby and I certainly didn’t turn in late but I guess my miles were catching up with me, and I didn’t have the incentive to race to the pass for my resupply.
So we slept in and hit the trail at 8:30, a full hour later than usual.
The trail eased us into our hike, offering some gentle rolls over the first mile or so. Next we had a steep climb to reach a saddle.
After that the trail descended gently and the more steeply to reach another small lake, Lake Susan Jane. We took a short break for a snack and enjoyed watching some fish roam in the crystal clear waters.
Lake Susan Jane
Re-entering civilisation… powerlines and ski lifts!
A mile on we passed out of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, crossed under power lines and switchbacked up a to the top of Stevens Pass ski resort. Civilization was upon us!
The last two miles were surprisingly lovely, descending through forest instead of down the middle of ski runs like we’d done at Snoqualmie Pass.
Dan had some great treats waiting for us at the car including fruit salad and fresh avocados. He cooked lunch at a picnic table at the Stevens Pass resort, supplemented with some coffee from the cafe.
I dawdled a couple hours there, chatting briefly with my dad and sister (yay wifi!) and then packing up my resupply.
I made a couple small adjustments to my pack to drop weight, including removing the brain compartment and dropping a couple small and unused items.
Northbound trailhead at Stevens Pass
Finally though it was time to kiss hubby goodbye and hit the trail. I had just over 5 miles to my chosen site for the night at Lake Valhalla.
I moved quickly along the first couple miles, following a wide and gently downhill track. My pack was certainly heavier, but not unmanageably so.
At 3 miles I crossed into the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. From that point the trail climbed over 800 feet, eventually giving me glimpses of Lake Valhalla.
Mountains towering over Lake Valhalla
A fellow hiker was setting up camp at a site along the trail so I took the spur trail down towards the lake to see what other offerings there were. The sites were lovely, up on a bluff above the lake.
I got myself set up, had a swim, had dinner, and then tucked myself in early. It had been a busy day and I had miles to make tomorrow.
Lakeside campsite at Lake Valhalla
Lake Valhalla just before sunset