Lake Valhalla is a fantastic destination combining
outstanding scenery, the potential for very good trout
fishing, and a fairly easy 2 1/2 mile hike in!

My wife, Michelle, and I started our trip on the
morning of what promised to be a 100 degree day east
of the Cascade Mountains. After a fairly strenuous
2/3 of a mile climb, we reached the Pacific Crest
Trail. We took a left and followed this well used
trail about 2 gentle miles before reaching Lake
Valhalla.

The lake is dominated by the presence of
Mt.Lichtenberg on it's east side, and flanked on it's
northwest by a small sandy beach. There is an inlet
stream that crosses through a gentle alpine meadow and
hill beyond the beach.

We started our too brief visit to the lake with lunch
and a refreshing, clear water swim. After that it was
off to look for the Cutthroat Trout in the lake. They
were easy enough to find, as they were constantly
jumping while we were there. We caught and released
one keeper sized fish on an elk hair caddis fly and
had several more hits that didn't translate into
landed fish. I also tried various spinners and
spoons, and finally hit on one the fish liked. This
turned out to be a silver bladed Mepps Spinner with a
bucktail, which landed three good lucking Cutthroat
that ranged from 6 to 9 inches.

Much too soon, it was time to head back from the mild
temperatures and awesome scenery and head back to
civilization. If you have the time, there are several
nice campsites on the NW and SW side of the lake,
including a stock area on the NW side in the meadow
just off the lake. This is a popular destination
among hikers, so a midweek trip might be a good idea
if you want a little solitude.

To reach the trailhead for Lake Valhalla, travel to
Stevens Pass on Hwy 2. Just east of the pass is Smith
Brook Road. Follow this road about three miles. The
trailhead is just past the major switchback at that
location. Parking is on the road itself. Don't
forget your USFS Trail Pass when parking there.

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