Miles: 5.6 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 885ft/5322ft
Map: Green Trails No White Pass, WA
Favorite Eats After Hike: Cliff Droppers, White Pass Taqueria, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Snowshoe Details:
Sand Lake sits along the Pacific Crest Trail a short distance northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail from White Pass and offers an easy snowshoe outing for most abilities.
Leaving SR 12 and passing the east side of Leech Lake, the trail takes off in the forest, crossing the nordic center ski trails a few times before heading northwest to the William O Douglas Wilderness boundary. In a little over 2 miles, a large meadow opens up and you have two options. The Pacific Crest Trail takes a swoop around to the left, passing by Deer Lake in the process. It makes a pleasant stop before continuing around the large meadow and heading north towards Sand Lake.
The trail here is often harder to find because many stop at Deer Lake. Keep a northerly tack through the trees and at about 2.6 miles the trees open to another smaller meadow. Take a left into the trees and Sand Lake will open up before you briefly. Find a place to sit and enjoy lunch but watch out for robber jays! You can find my complete hike guide description on WTA.
My snowshoe:
2/19/2020
A MUCH easier snowshoe today than yesterday thankfully!
I parked in the spacious pullout just east of the pass, next to the transistor tower and just west of the Wenatchee Forest sign. I was walking around 9:45am, deciding to start up right on the PCT so I walked about 300 feet down the road and over a lowered berm at the speed limit sign. Within 500 feet I was at the horse camp parking lot and the groomed trails where I hung a left and continued until I hit the PCT trailhead sign less than .2 miles from my car. I was SO happy to see there was already a trail to follow, I was not in a mood for another day of postholing.
It was a slow day, I briefly had the company of a cross country skier but was soon in solitude as I made my way up the gradual PCT. I passed the wilderness boundary 1.25 miles from the car and then a PCT marker, both at snow level.
In another mile, I made it to the large meadow before Deer Lake around 11am and I could see a zigzag track across it to the trees on the other side. GPS said that was the direction I needed for Sand Lake so I followed the tracks leaving Deer for the return trip. I’d rather zig and zag than posthole more than I have to!
Crossing the meadow, I could see a small break in the treeline on the other side where the PCT continued up. However, when I got there the tracks stopped. I’m guessing that someone decided they didn’t have the navigation to continue on. From here, the PCT took a northerly tack directly to Sand Lake, it was not that hard to see where it would go but I checked GPS repeatedly so as to keep on the PCT. I was breaking trail at this point in deep snow but thankfully it was fairly powdery.
At 2.6 miles, I reached another meadow on my right which I skirted to the left and through the trees to reach Sand Lake in another .1 mile. What a magnificent winter sight and I enjoyed a spot by the lake for a snack. Robber jays flittered overhead.
As I returned, a couple of cross country skiers were heading up and we chatted briefly, They were regulars and do trail maintenance in the area and I thanked them for not having to maneuver trees today. They thanked me for breaking trail and staying on the PCT!
Back down at the large meadow, I skirted it to the right through the trees to reach the spur for Deer Lake in .15 mile. There were several tracks to follow, I just tried to keep heading south.
Deer Lake was lovely, too. I can’t tell you how much I am enjoying the blue skies and bright white landscapes.
Leaving Deer Lake, I continued on a track that went around the meadow to the right in the trees a bit to come to the junction where I had crossed the meadow. From here I returned on the main trail back down to the Nordic area. I didn’t see anyone else but a solo skier on the nordic track.
To get back to my car this time, I followed the road straight south from the trailhead, over the bridge and landed directly at my car. The total miles for the trip were 5.6 and 3.16 hours.
Directions: Drive east on SR 12 to White Pass. The Sand Lake snowshoe route follows the Pacific Crest Trail as it leaves White Pass just east of the ski resort. Parking is on the north side along the berm marked with the transistor tower. After climbing over the berm, follow the signs marked for the PCT, over a wide bridge and past Leech Lake on the east side. A vertical blue marker shows where the PCT heads into the forest. No pass is needed.
Visit my White Pass-Mount Rainier page for more adventures in the area.
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