Trip report by: Reuben Slasor
"I would recommend this trip to a friend."
Nothing like taking a day of vacation when the sun comes out. My last two weekend hikes were in the fog so when I heard that it would be 80 degrees it was time go hiking.
Photo: Gem Lake (Slasor photo).
This trail is one of those over populated hikes that gets visited by 10,000 people each year so a weekday hike is a good idea. The trail is very well maintained and slowly climbs to the ridge above Snow lake. Most people stop at Snow Lake so the climb to Gem Lake is typically quit.
I decided to continue my hike and climbed a rocky peak just east of Gem Lake. The views are fantastic, you can see Glacier and the entire middle fork valley. On the return trip I found lots of people taking their life in their hands attempting the snow slides in there nice white running shoes. I also ran into a Japanese tourist who was very badly cut and had a broken nose. It looked like he slipped and slid down only to stop his fall with his face. Ouch, He made it out ok and got lots of help from every hiker on the trail.
It is very important that everyone be prepared for snow and icy conditions. Conditions on the north side o f the ridge were a different story this year (1999). The descent to the lake requires a good pair of boots and an ice axe of ski pole. The snow pack was more like ice pack and you will need to cross a half dozen of these slippery obstacles to get to the Snow lake. Snow Lake was approximately 20% covered in snow and melting fast. Only the north and south ends of the lake are covered in snow. The trail to gem lake was free of snow for the first mile around the lake. After the first mile the trail was spotty so some trail finding skills were required. Gem lake was 90 percent covered in snow with only small sections around the rim exposed. I was wearing my step in crampon boots and had two ski poles.
I took 48 photos of the lakes and views at the summit. I would highly recommend making the extra climb above Gem Lake.
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.