Snow or shine, Travis and I were determined to finish the whole trail and we did. Yay! This time, we rented snowshoes from REI, and our two friends joined us as well. What an intense exercise snow shoeing was, and we have burned about 1,400-1,500 calories in 3 hours!
With the inches of snow on the trail, the difficulty rating is a combo of easy, moderate and difficult. The first half mile contains quite an incline upward, which can be moderately difficult especially for the beginners. The next mile is easy as this part contains little of an incline upward and downward. Being in shape would help since lifting the snow shoes up and forward requires legwork even on a flat trail. The last half mile is difficult as the incline upward is a bit steeper and the air seems to draw thin. This is the part where the hikers need to take their time while going up, but I promise that you’d enjoy the rewarding end so do not give up there! (Please remember to take your time if you’re not adjusted yet to the high altitude.)
Also, keep in mind that hiking or snow shoeing here during a sunny day will give you an opportunity to enjoy the view of the mountains and the lakes from the top. It’s my favorite spot where we could have a little picnic and take pictures of my hiking group!
When we reached to the top, we did just that. We sat down, relaxed and ate our snacks while enjoying the beautiful view and also the warmth from the sunlight. It took us about two hours to finish one way up, but about an hour on our way back. Before we headed back, we noticed that the sun will set soon so we dressed warm enough and put on our headlamp just in case. My husband also brought few emergency gear. During our way down, snow shoeing was much easier. However, our body was exhausted from going up so we took our time, take several breaks and stayed hydrated. My knees felt sore during the deep incline downward so I had to take several quick breaks. I then realized the need to buy knee braces for both legs for next time.
As we reached the bottom, I was so glad to remove my gear, get in the car and head home for a warm bath and dinner. Each one of us enjoyed the hike and would like to do this again. Travis and I are now interested in purchasing a pair of snow shoes soon and try a different trail at next time. Stay tuned! 
