In mid-January the temperatures rose and snow started to disappear in the valley, but the snow near Isobel Lake is at a higher elevation and the area is in behind forested hills.     The snow was going through some melt-and-freeze cycles so it was hard where it had been walked/biked on, and crusty elsewhere.    The road was hard-packed on the way in so care was needed on the curves, but it was drivable by most vehicles.     The area is walked, snowshoed and ridden on fatbikes in winter (who also maintain the trails).   The parking area was cleared (with thanks) and there were lots of signs along the trails.

I wore snowshoes on the trails (rather than spikes on my boots) to support the efforts of the fatbike community, which asks hikers not to make postholes in the tracks.

Although the day was cloudy there were bright spots in the southern sky and a mist hung over the lake.

I hiked around the lake, a 4.2 km route taking about 80 minutes.

There are more trails in the areas, packed for fatbiking, but fine also for snowshoeing, so a return visit is planned for this winter.

Since that day, the temperatures warmed and conditions for snowshoeing and fat-tire biking deteriorated .    After more snowfall and below zero temperatures, conditions will improve at Isobel Lake.

• YouTube Shorts video – Snowshoeing the Isobel Lake Trails