Donner PCT TH to Flora Lake ~ Snowshoeing in 2012 with 2016 photo update

See Donner from the Flora Lake hike. Visit snow covered, iced over ponds and lakes. This is a memorable snowshoe experience!

The Sno Park is a great family fun place! Toboggan, build snowmen, make snow angels, and have a snowball toss (with close parking and restrooms)! 

Peachy Hiker on the lake, very well iced over in  September 2015.

 Azalea Lake, a frozen beauty queen!

And it is right off I-80 at the Boreal exit!

Snowing so hard over I-80 we couldn't even see tail lights in 2012.

Quite a few of my photos are not showing any longer.  Not sure why so I am editing those out today (Aug 28, 2015).  I will go for replacements this winter assuming we get snow!  For now and ease in updating, I am leaving the captions.  Sorry for the difficulty!  This link still has all of the photos:  GPS tracks 

Along your way are creeks to cross, views to take in,

and photographs waiting to be taken.  Great backpacking destination!

• Distance:  Posted is out and back totaling about 3.5 miles. 
• Difficulty:  Easy+ at this time.  Nothing steep.  Conditions can change quickly so check forestry sources if you are concerned. 

Now let's get you going!

Advisories:

• Get a sno park permit at the hotel before you park.  (Better yet pick one up from stores like REI in town!)
• There are restrooms in the parking area.
• It is snowplowed.
• The trailhead is marked with a billboard at the eastern side of parking.
• You can download tracks to the route from the Old Donner Highway side.  My article for that section is Old Donner Pass to Azalea Lake Loop. I have not traveled it in snow.

• Carry food, and plenty of layers. Be prepared for all weather. We encountered rain, snow and sleet. It got windy and colder late in the afternoon.

*** Find GPS links and a map at the end of this article!

(Missing image)   In the snow, Everything had a mystical aura.

The Sno Park is likely to be full of families playing in the snow and building snowmen.

This creek offers a bridge, but there may be creek crossings ahead!

Gaiters helped me stay dry.

 It appears that there is a seasonal Interpretive Loop.

(Missing image)   The first large icy pond beside the trail.

 Looking back at our snowshoeing path!

 The photos, despite all looking quite grey, are really in color!

 Haha...We headed toward PCT and Donner.  Sometimes I got ahead of myself and
landed on my knees by clipping the back of one snowshoe with the other. 
Take your time...

(Missing image) 

If you stay on the PCT you will see markers on trees. This route breaks off of 

the PCT to get to the lakes, so this is the only one you should see on this trek.

Good insulation kept me warm, but I did
have to change layers on our way back. 
I carried my usual safety supplies and first aid kit
but was so engrossed in the trip and
achieving our goals, I forgot I had a rain poncho. 
It could have been used over my daypack in the heavy moisture!
We were snowshoeing in a storm.

(Missing image) Flora Lake, inviting and picturesque.

(Missing image) We could see Donner Lake from here but it feels like a "Where's Waldo?" view!

(It is near the center in the "v" between the dark hill and the snowy one.)



We each had our poles broken on this trip...wow.  My new set is ordered, but what a
strange problem.  From reading, the aluminum poles are stronger (slightly heavier) but
what good is it to carry out the weight of broken carbon poles and do without any benefit?  My
new set has my coveted cork material handgrips, soft wrist straps and a locking mechanism.

(Missing image)  The storm wasn't taking breaks at high elevation.

 This creek usually has water, but creeklets were pouring under the snow.  It took some
searching to find places to cross.  Use caution.

(Missing image)  Donner Lake is in the "V" behind the tallest sparse tree.

 Approaching one of the unnamed lakes and ponds that are all iced over.

Iced over pond.  I wouldn't recommend

 stepping on any of it.

(Missing image)  Bridge to civilization and a weather break.

 Almost back to the car!  Photographed from the bridge.  The blur is snow.
I highly recommend this trail for snowshoeing!!!

The trail in red is what I posted for GPS tracks from this snowshoeing trip. Our side trips
are edited out. GPS tracks supplied are accurate regarding areas where we had to detour
due to trail conditions, and may diverge from what a forestry map shows, or maybe from
conditions when you arrive.

The pink trail is one I hike from the Old Donner highway (the brown line) during dry seasons, but is included for your frame of reference. (Posted on Wikiloc)  I would still like to snowshoe
all of that from Old Donner Highway to I-80.

On January 5th, my daughter in law, Kristin, and I went up and below is our map of tracks.  We followed snowshoers tracks mostly, but blazed our own tracks east and just beyond Flora Lake to our Donner view lunch spot, perfect for a great view on a sunny day!

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updated 12-14-2012
updated 8-28-2015
updated by adding the standing on lake photo and rearranging the Advisories text 1-4-2016

Donner Area Hike for Families to Backpackers

Old Donner Pass to Azalea Lake Loop

(or you can park at the Sno Park parking near Boreal

and hike from that direction for a shorter, easier hike. 

*GPS links are at the bottom of this page.)

 

 

Suitable for beginners, families, and backpackers to PCTers!  Hike this 6 mile semi-loop with views of Donner Lake and the covered train tracks running across the range to the south.  Visit George S Stewart Peak to scramble sunny boulders, then retreat to the shady forest trail that will have numerous runoff creeks earlier in the season.  On the return you'll pass ponds and small lakes including Azalea and Flora, and finally Angela Lake.  For a 6 mile loop you get fantastic views, and a family friendly hike!  I met a 5 year old and 7 year old happily making the trek.

The bonus is arriving at Azalea and Flora Lakes with plenty of campsites for backpackers. 

But back to the beginning, parking!  I parked across the street from this favorite rock wall  and began my hike at the marker shown below.  Enlarge to see the climbers.

There are several easy options: You could park across the Old Donner Bridge and just walk back across the the nearest TH, or park at Mt Judah PCT parking and catch a TH there.

The trail will traverse uphill and the tracks I linked you to from my own hike will ascend all the way to the top of George S Stewart Peak.  It isn't too hard, even for the kids, although it isn't stroller worthy.

I started in the heat of the day so it was nice to photograph Donner Lake and the surrounding sights while snacking.  I could see the covered railroad tracks to the south, the Old Donner Bridge, to the west Lake Angela, and to the north through the forest see 80 carved in.

The Donner Pass Railway was covered for protection from snow, according to my grandfather who worked on the rails.

Descend into the forest and find wildflowers even in August despite the runoff creeks being dry.

This widow maker is a landmark that you are nearing the trail leading into Azalea Lake.  Me?  Got impatient as the sun dropped and bushwhacked over the rocks to get to the lake's basin.

Finally I arrived at Azalea Lake.  The trail went around the east side of the lake and continued past campsites and a small ascent on to Flora Lake.  I was the only one there!



Flora Lake is also set in a beautiful bowl.  If you climb a small distance to the east you get views of Donner again.  I added waypoints to my GPS tracks along this section as the trail isn't always clear, but is easy.

Pink is the old Donner Pass Highway.  Orange is Highway 80.   The small dark line at the top is where you could park and begin your hike rather than from my starting point.   

The Garmin Elevation Profile can be read more easily if you click on it to enlarge it.

Links for GPS:

Peachy Hiker GPS tracks  from Old Donner Pass
and
From 80 to Azalea by ClipperCreekWanderer  from 80 near Boreal.

Articles about other hikes you may be interested in:

Tahoe National Forest

• Carr Lake Under Snow
• Crooked Lakes Trail (Survivor Night)
• Tahoe Rim Trail
• Grouse Lakes Basin Trails near Lake Tahoe
• Grouse Ridge Campground and Trail Head 7-2012
• Loch Leven Lakes, Salmon Lake
• Anticipating Mosquito Ridge with Friends
• Snowshoe to Flora Lake from Boreal Sno Park

Trails listed by Location

Thank you for stopping by.  Happy Trails!

edited 6-2013