Mason Lake via Ira Spring

Giridhar Bhaskara

Mason Lake via Ira Spring

07/04/16

This is a great hike and worth it. Just make sure to park properly as it is difficult to move the car after you finished your hike because people park very close due to tight parking spots.

5.0

Explorer

Michael Graw

Explorer

Mason Lake via Ira Spring

04/12/16

I led a group of friends up towards Mason Lake as a day hike in early April - the whole Pacific Northwest has seen some early-season sunshine this year, so the snow was melted off until a few hundred feet below the lake. The trail comes out onto an awesome meadow and boulder field at about 2.5 miles, and the views are spectacular - especially in spring, the south side of the Snoqualmie valley is still covered in snow and Rainier is entirely blanketed in white. The only catch is that you'll need an ice axe and crampons to actually reach the lake via the meadow that the trail normally climbs. There's also a boulder field adjacent to the meadow that can be scaled safely, although be very careful of postholing through the snow and catching a leg between rocks. The boulder field was definitely do-able, but it was enough to turn most day hikers around (especially given the views already gained!).

4.0