"I would probably not recommend this trip to a friend."
Last weekend I hiked in to Barclay Lake with a friend. This hike is one I have always considered fairly easy, with lush greenery. I've hiked this trail on many different occasions over the years and picked it thinking since it was low elevation, and it WAS May, after all. All things considered it would be the easy hike it always has been.
The drive up to the trailhead had more chuckholes than usual, and we passed a number of snow embankments along the way. As soon as we started on the trail we encountered snow, which continued and deepened until we got to the lake. Neither of us had brought gloves, which was a mistake, thinking it would be fairly warm. But we were otherwise prepared.
Because of recent storms and weather conditions, trail crews had not yet made it in to clear fallen debris. We encountered a number of downed trees that we crawled under or over. We found most of the lake to be frozen upon arriving, and didn't dawdle longer than it took to eat our lunches, because of the chill and time of day (late afternoon).
All in all, this wasn't the pleasant, beginning of the season hike it usually is. The deciduous trees hadn't leafed out yet. That coupled with snow and chill made it less than pleasant. My advice to anyone considering it would be to wait until it's snow-free.
Barclay Lake's trailhead is off US 2 near Baring, WA.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.