Lake Valhalla Snowshoe

The winter route to Lake Valhalla covers 6.5 miles one way from Highway 2, following Smith Brook Road (FR 6700) through second-growth forest and clearcut meadows before connecting to the PCT corridor. The route gains 1,700 feet through a series of switchbacks to 4,000 feet, then traverses above Smith Brook Valley with views of Jove Peak, Lichtenberg Mountain, and Nason Ridge before dropping into the lake basin at 4,800 feet.

This is an all-day commitment on snowshoes. The road walk portion (about 3 miles to the big hairpin turn) can be done without snowshoes in low snow years, but the upper route through forest and across open slopes demands proper gear and navigation skills. The PCT crossing is not always obvious under snow, and the final descent to the lake requires careful routefinding. Views from the clearcuts and ridgeline make the long approach worthwhile, with panoramas stretching from the Stuart Range to the Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Park along Highway 2 near where Smith Brook Road intersects the highway, about 6 miles east of Stevens Pass summit. The pullout fills on weekends. An alternative approach from Stevens Pass parking lot D follows the PNW trail north, which is more direct but steeper. Nordic backcountry skis work well on the road section, though the upper terrain is better suited to snowshoes.