...Blizzard Lake

THE ROUTE:  Drive (yellow) to Lower Skilak Lake Campground/Boat Ramp, hike (red) along edge of Skilak Lake and bushwhack final .2 mile to Blizzard Lake, return.
TERRAIN:  Rocky lake shore, dense vegetation during bushwhack.
DISTANCE:  4.12 miles RT.

Walking along the edge of Skilak Lake on our way to Blizzard Lake.

The bushwhack to Blizzard Lake took us through some dense vegetation.

Mrs. Huffy and Emily plow through the bushwhack area near Blizzard Lake.

Blizzard Lake...covered in ice.

Emily enjoys a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during a lakeside picnic.

Checking the GPS enroute to Blizzard Lake.
(Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Hufford)

On our way back to the car.

The car got a little muddy during our drive to the parking area.
(Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Hufford)

I have wanted to visit Blizzard Lake for a long time.  We tried twice before and were thwarted on both attempts.  Once by summer vegetation and difficult route finding (we tried to find the lake from Skilak Loop Road), and another time the water was too high to walk along the edge of the lake.

This afternoon conditions were perfect.  Low water allowed us to hike along the lake shore in warm sunshine.  It was a bit breezy but not bad considering the bitter winter conditions that were existent just a short time ago.

It was nice walking along the shore but I particularly enjoyed the bushwhacking for the final .2 mile before we arrived at Blizzard lake.  I followed the arrow on my GPS and it took us right to the edge of the lake near a beaver dam at its outlet.  It is a beauty of a lake and now that I've been there I definitely want to go back in the summer to see what it looks like unfrozen.

We didn't stay long before turning back toward Skilak Lake where we had a picnic while basking in the warmth of the sun.  We filled up on sandwiches, apples, and oranges, and decided to save our cookies as a reward to eat upon our return to the car.  Then we loaded everything up and shouldered our backpacks for the return trip.  Along the way we played guessing games and talked about our adventure.  Upon our arrival at the parking area we put our packs in the back of the car and broke out the cookies.  It was a great way to celebrate our hike to...Blizzard Lake.