Shadow and Ediza Lakes Trail

Solo hike from Agnew Meadow to Shadow Lake and then along the Shadow Creek Trail to just below Lake Ediza. The bridge to cross the creek below Ediza was non-existent. I kept going along a secondary trail but I couldn't find a place that I felt comfortable crossing the creek. It was getting late in the afternoon so I turned back. I did talk to folks who found a place to cross. The trail above Shadow Lake is absolutely beautiful and was a great place for lunch and wading in the creek.

This hike rivals those in Yosemite. Took us about 7 hours all said and done with a stop at Shadow for lunch and a stop at Ediza to take a dip in the lake (incredibly cold but so nice). Highly recommend. Hike isn't too difficult. The elevation gets you more than anything. Bring some mosquito repellent...i got chewed up...

I hiked this trail in August of 2016. Definitely one of my favorite hikes! Beautiful views the whole way. I started around 6am and finished at 3. After hiking to Ediza, I trekked on to Iceberg Lake and then tried to make Cecil lake, but the trail past Iceberg became much more difficult and I was uncomfortable proceeding alone. Absolutely beautiful, and I highly recommend going on to Iceberg as I liked that one more than Ediza.

Love this trail and would like to make this an annual summer trip. As of 7/22/17 the high bridge is washed out. This weekend most hikers have traveled up the right side of the creek, scrambling on hands and feet near the creek for that last .9 to the lake. Lots of snow this weekend so travel is slow. Take the bolder rout to the right when you reach the lake. Your favorite camp sites are available and snow free. Take extra deet! Enjoy.

I am a pretty avid hiker and surprisingly found this hike to be pretty tough. I had intended to start at 7am so I could drive in, but I got up late and ended up starting at noon. This meant I had to cut my hike short. I wanted to get to Iceberg Lake but had to stop at Ediza. I ended up returning around 7:45pm and just barely made the last shuttle out of the valley, otherwise I would have to hike another seven miles up to the resort, and then down the road into town.

The hike is truly beautiful the entire way. It starts off quite easy at Agnew Meadows, and then you're hiking downhill on the ledge of a volcanic ridge which was really cool. Then through some "kissing canopies" of trees past Olaine Lake and the base of the climb to Shadow Lake. The climb to Shadow Lake is... wow. It's entirely on rock and exposed to the sun... not incredibly fun. Once you get to the top, you're at beautiful Shadow Lake. If you know what's good for you, stop here for a while to relax. It doesn't get any easier. From here, you can continue south on JMT to Rosalie Lake after climbing a series of switchbacks, or north to Ediza Lake.

The climb from Shadow Lake was intense and quite a workout, and a little less gradual than I anticipated, but by now you're in the thick of the forest and following beautiful Shadow Creek the entire way. There are wildflowers and tons of random waterfalls throughout. Ediza Lake is breathtaking and peaceful. Again, stop here and rest. At the southern end of the lake, you can see the trail to Iceberg Lake. It goes through a meadow and looks like it leads nowhere.

On the way back I started to panic a bit because I was running out of time. I hightailed the entire way which really took a toll on my body. I was no longer seeing any hikers on the trail except for a group of Cub Scouts. I did see some backpackers setting up tents. Probably the most grueling part of the hike was the end, from the bottom of the Shadow Lake climb back to Agnew Meadows as it was entirely uphill and I was exhausted. My repellant had worn off and I didn't apply more as my goal was to get back before I missed the last shuttle. I was eaten alive at Olaine Lake by swarms of mosquitoes.

I'd like to try to get an earlier start (7am) and do the full loop from Agnew Meadows to Devils Postpile via Shadow-Ediza-Iceberg-Cecile-Minaret. I would need to take more breaks and probably start with a decent breakfast. I tend not to eat before I hike (which goes against all wisdom) because all of the activity can made me sick.