After spending the morning in Skagway, I want to spend some time in the woods. The lower lake trail is touted as a two mile loop trail around a mountain lake. To get to the loop, there is a steep trail up the mountain beginning across the railroad tracks from the Skagway Hotel.
Our new friends J and N decide to join us. This gives my husband someone to commiserate with in the climb up to the lake. He now has a buddy to spend the entire hike telling me that I can’t calculate mileage, even though I am using the All Trails app the entire way (just to make sure we don’t accidentally get in the upper loop trail system). We don’t have bear spray so I want to make sure we stay relatively close to town and well clear of bear sighting areas.
The lake is beautiful and well worth the steep climb. The Summer flowers are in bloom and bursts of color line the lakeshore. The water is frigid so the swimming docks are nice in theory, but not used much.
We only pass a few other people on the mountain. They are also harassing their hiking partner. “are we there yet? This has to be more than two miles!” It must be what all non-hikers say in the woods to pass the time. By now, I am immune to the queries.
The pines smell fresh and the views are idyllic. This is my kind of country. I find myself wishing I was prepared for a full day hike. But my luggage allowance didn’t give room for heavy boots and hiking poles, and bear spray is expensive. So we will keep to the lower slopes where my cheap tennis shoes are adequate. The soles are already separating so I will likely be throwing them away long before we leave the North country.
About halfway around the lake, the trail takes a steep upward slant. The men begin to protest that the trail around the lake is supposed to be mostly flat. I tease them back. “Mostly is different than always.”
Midway up the hill we notice a rock that looks like a giant chia pet. It has a large nose and goofy grin if you use your imagination. And I love to use my imagination,
At about 3/4 around the lake we meet a family who wants to know if they are almost through with the hike. It is very amusing to me that people start a hike wanting it be over.
No. They are not “almost there” and neither are we. But we are approaching a day use area with boat docks and a swimming beach. No one is using either. It is no where warm enough for a swim (at for people from the lower 48).
At exactly the two mile mark we make our descent. I concede that the total walk is accurately logged at 2.5 miles. The All Trails description only included the lower lake loop and not the steep ascent/descent path. J is an engineer and claims he knew my app was flawed. I just smile. We had fun and everyone survived the hike up and down the mountain. Sometimes you just need an afternoon in the woods.
