3/13, Saturday. Sunny with clouds. Headed out late, traffic on hwy-2 from Sultan to Gold Bar. +20 min delay. A lot of cars in multiple parking lots for Lake Serene.
The trail starts out on an abandoned logging road. Wide. Took the half mile side trail up, to Bridal Veil Falls. Junction well signed. Over-engineered trail: many steps. Quite a lot of people. We crossed the waterfalls to avoid the crowd. The waterfall was wide, and quite nice. At its lower part, good view of the mountains across the valley.
Back down the main trail, passing a smaller waterfall. It's also wide. A good place to wash your microspikes on your way back. Continue for another mile or so to an open slope. Good view across the valley. Time to put on microspikes. A lot of "tourists" were sliding.
The lake was still snow covered.
Saw a little bit of melt on edges. We walked all the way to the southern end of the lake. 3pm now, the lake was in the shadow. Might be nicer in the sun. Mount Index goes straight up by the lake, looks very dramatic. Thunders now and then, caused by avalanches. I video-taped one snowfall that lasted over a minute. It was fabulous!
+40 minute delay on the way back :( Same traffic on hwy-2. Got home ~7pm.
