Twin Lakes Loop Hike

8.1 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain •

We decided to take advantage of minimal snow below 5000ft and try out the Twin Lakes Loop. There were about 8 cars in the Frog Lake parking lot. There were a few snow flakes falling when we started the hike and on the way back to the TH! Too bad this couldn't be a snowstorm dumping.

This area has always been special to us and today wasn't any different. Very few people on the trail except when returning past the lower Twin Lakes trail intersection on the return trip using the PCT. When we arrived at lower Twin Lakes there was a group of boy scouts hanging around and enjoying the cool partly sunny weather. They typically have a snowshoe trip about this time every year but still decided to camp out in spite of minimal snow. Lower Twin Lake has a layer of ice on the majority of its surface except for the northern shoreline. The ice isn't thick enough to walk on but it was very cool to see!

We then took the trail to Upper Twin Lake and again, there was a layer of ice on most of the lake. Nobody was at this lake and the view and solitude were amazing! Hiking north around the loop we encountered the most snow seen on the trail. The patches of snow on the trail were dense and hard and a bit icy but not an impediment. We finally reached the northern intersection with the PCT on this loop and then headed south back to the TH. A totally enjoyable hike that isn't typically hike-able in February!