I hiked to Dog Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon last week and it was awesome! The Mill D North Fork Trail is one I have hiked many times. I have hiked to Dog Lake, Desolation Lake, both and more, but this was the first time I have seen Dog Lake covered in slush and snow.
Let me back up a bit. This winter has been a very bad winter for snowfall. Spring also came way early, with record setting high temperatures in March. Snow was melting very quickly, even at altitude.
When I saw the forecast for the end of last week calling for big-time snow in the mountains I just knew I had to get out into it. My plan was to hit the trail early enough so I would be coming back down from Dog Lake when the storm hit. And that is exactly what happened!
The trail started out a little muddy with no snow at all. The elevation at the trailhead is around 7,300 feet. The temperature was probably between 35 and 40 and the sky was partly cloudy so conditions were good. I didn’t come across any snow on the trail until around ¾ of a mile up the trail.
By the way, the view of snow-covered Kessler Peak and Mt. Raymond, both of which I have climbed, were awesome!
By the time I hit 8,200 feet snow covered the trail and became a bit deeper until half a mile of snow before the lake. Dog Lake is in a bit of a depression between mountain peaks, which means it doesn’t get as much direct sunlight. This meant more snow on the ground. The snow just before and at right Dog Lake was knee-deep or more.
The snow and wind picked up just after I reached Dog Lake (see the first video above). It made for a very fun hike back down to the trailhead!
My hike to Dog Lake and back to the trailhead covered just over 6 miles and the elevation gain was just under 1,500 feet.
The Mill D North Fork Trailhead in Big Cottonwood Canyon is also the start of the trail to Donut Falls and other awesome hikes. The parking area is around 15 minutes up the canyon from Wasatch Blvd. If you want to check it out, understand there is a fee to park for most people so read the signs when you get there. Click here for map.
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