Alpine Lakes Wilderness #16 - Snow Lake and #17 - Guye Peak

I did not think my plans for the day were overly ambitious. First, I would hike to Snow Lake, a familiar 6.8-mile round trip. Then I would add Guye Peak, which was only another 2.5 miles. Easy.

The first half of the plan went exactly as expected.

It had been about ten years since I last hiked to Snow Lake with friends, and it was nice to revisit a trail that had become one of the classics of the Snoqualmie Pass area. I made good time, completing the hike in about three hours round trip.

One of the highlights of the morning had nothing to do with mountains or mileage. Along the trail I spotted my first Red-breasted Sapsucker of the year. A few Hermit Thrushes also appeared, another first for me this season. Bird sightings always slow me down in the best possible way. They remind me that there is more to a hike than simply reaching a destination.

After returning to the trailhead, I turned my attention to Guye Peak.

That was where the day changed.

I had underestimated the meaning of "only another 2.5 miles." I failed to account for the elevation gain. The trail seemed to head almost straight uphill. Progress was slow, and following the route required constant attention. At one point I wandered off course before AllTrails alerted me that I needed to backtrack and find the proper trail. After that, I proceeded cautiously, stopping often to make sure I was still on route.

An hour into the climb I checked AllTrails and was surprised by what I saw. I had traveled only half a mile and gained less than a thousand feet. There was still another thousand feet of climbing ahead. At my current pace, the summit was going to take much longer than I had expected.

I decided it was time to turn around.

Years ago, I might have pushed on simply because I had started. These days I have learned that turning around is not failure. It is simply part of hiking. The mountain will still be there another day.

Descending was easier, though I don't think I've ever sweated so much while descending. I was also surprised by the number of people heading upward. One couple carried skis. Another man remarked that the trail was steeper than he remembered.

I thought to myself, You climbed this before and came back? Why would anyone do that to themselves? But I understood.

It was the same reason I knew I would inevitably return someday. It was for the challenge.

Not every hiking day ends with standing on a summit. Some days are reminders that mountains are humbling places. They expose the difference between what looks easy on paper and what reality has in store. They remind us that experience does not eliminate suffering and that turning around can be the right decision. Slipping 2 times on the way down reinforced that I had made the right decision.

All in all, it was a good day.

Just a humbling one.

If You Go

Snow Lake

• Round trip: 6.8 miles

• Elevation gain: approximately 1,800 feet

• One of the most popular hikes near Snoqualmie Pass

• Arriving early is highly recommended, especially on weekends

Guye Peak

• Round trip: approximately 2.5 miles

• Elevation gain: about 2,100 feet

• Steep and strenuous with sections that can be difficult to follow

• Carry navigation tools and allow more time than you think you'll need

• Early season hikers may encounter snowfields, and some visitors carry skis

Don't let the short distance fool you. Guye Peak packs a lot of mountain into very few miles.