Talapus Lake Trail

Our group of 4 snowshoed to Talapus Lake on Feb. 14 during snowpocalypse '21. Breaking trail in the deep snow was hard work but it was a fun day and we basically had the trail all to ourselves. It took us 3.5 hours from the start of FR9030 to Talapus Lake, and the hike was 9.3 miles RT. Getting there/Parking: We arrived at 9:40AM and Forest Road 9030 was completely blanketed in snow but there were tire tracks from people who headed up to the Ira Spring Trailhead. We were in an AWD vehicle but played it very safe and parked at the beginning of the road. As we hiked up, we realized we probably could have driven further up, at least until the gate, without issue; we saw a few jeeps that went all the way to the Talapus trailhead. But, we had already started hiking and didn't want to return to the car. And, we were okay with the extra 3 miles of exercise. Trail: Hiking up the road was fine as we took advantage of the tire tracks. On the actual trail itself, we encountered one party of 3 ahead of us that broke trail (thank you) for about a quarter of a mile. They decided to turn around but we kept going. The snow was soft, dry, and deep, and in a few steep sections, we postholed up to our knees. The bridges for the 3 creek crossings were snow-covered but easy to cross. Talapus Lake is frozen and covered in snow but the ice is not thick enough to hold body weight, as one of our party members learned the hard way. Recommended gear: Snow conditions are changing rapidly, but when we went, we used snowshoes, hiking poles, and gaiters. We brought microspikes but didn't end up needing them. As the snow gets older and icier, that may change. Other notes: Always check weather and snow conditions before heading out and bring the 10 essentials.

1/24/21 - Be aware that the road to the trailhead is closed so you will need to walk in. This turned our distance to 9.6 miles. This was an absolutely gorgeous hike with a spectacular view of the frozen lake. The first part of the hike was very straightforward but it paid off having spikes as you got closer to the lake.

1/4/20 Made it up to the trail head fairly easily. Got stuck at the trail head due to there being way more slush and compact snow in the parking lot, tried digging ourselves out but had to call a tow truck. Tow truck almost got stuck and so did another group driving a FJ Cruiser. Road closed for a reason, ya live and ya learn!

this was my first hike which ended in frozen lake. loved the experience, we wore microspikes so the entire path was super comfortable for us. near the top there is a lot of snow so it was very pretty. the road to the trail has a road closed sign but the cars were still driving so we decided to take our awd too. we had a minor slipping incident down the hill while coming back which panicked us but situation got undercontrol. would recommend precautions if you are driving your vehicle to trailhead

It says the road is closed at the bottom of the road, but cars were going up anyway. the road conditions were okay but AWD recommended toward the top. the trail starts out muddy but quickly turns into compact snow. the lake was frozen over but still beautiful!

•edit road closed, signs posted after we arrived at bottom of forest road• Road is a little rough with potholes, slush in parking lot. Beginning of trail is very wet, trail turns into compacted snow later on. We used micro spikes and had no issues. Lake is iced over and looks beautiful with surrounding areas covered in snow.

The trail was a little slushy on the bottom of the hike but the higher we went, the more compact snow we encountered. Yak Trax or microspikes were helpful. Parking lot was slushy. Beautiful morning at the lake for a quick leg stretch!

my first time doing this hike, a pretty simple climb up to a beautiful frozen lake ! I went yesterday, there's probably a foot of new snow up there now? bring your microspikes, the trail is icy in some spots.. the road at the top was kind of icy too, it's only going to get worse as time goes on , so be careful...

The drive up had so many pot holes! We were so glad we took the big tired car because otherwise we might have been stuck !! The trail was a breeze - I personally would have rated it easy instead of moderate! We hiked Thursday morning and it was perfect weather, the trail was a little icy and slippery in some areas but completely doable. We enjoyed exploring around the lake area but did venture out a little too far and got some wet boots. Just be careful where on the snow / ice you are stepping up there. The birds swarmed our snacks. The views were amazing. Highly recommend!

Road to the trail completely clear of snow but tons of cars all along the road up to the parking lot, and was a bit precarious maneuvering with people leaving and coming. Trail was snowy and icy - crampons and poles helped. Overall beautiful day for a hike!

great trail yet very muddy and TONS of pot holes in the way to parking lot. i don’t advise walking on the ice because i did fall into the lake yet would recommend

The lake view was beautiful! Lots of pot holes on your way to the trailhead so be prepared to go a little slow. Got there at 8am and parking was fine, with only three other cars onsite! The trail is super easy until you get to the top where the snow is compact and slippery. I was okay in my waterproof hiking boots but there were definitely times I went on my butt to slide down some areas. Totally doable without snow gear though!