This is an overnight trip for snow camping. Original goal was camping at upper Thunder Mountain Lake, but due to some minor problems, we camped on the ridge under Slippery Slab, just south of Trap Pass.
Current condition: the well engineered trail to Surprise Lake is half buried in the snow. You need GPS map in order to find the route. Or you go after a big group, so you can follow their footprints. The last mile or so to Surprise Lake is steep. Since no trail to be seen, you need to be comfortable on steep snowy slope. Good thing is it's wooded, so you don't slip far, at most into another tree. Surprise Lake is thawed on the edges, quite pretty.
Condition above Surprise Lake: no trail to be seen. Steep slope, need GPS map to navigate. No one but our group made up to the ridge.
Condition to upper Thunder Mountain Lake: gentler terrain. Very pretty. View all along the way. Only 1 minor/short traverse on steep-ish slope. The lake is also thawed on the edge.
Snow condition: soft. One of our group member didn't have any traction device, and was able to go up and down with the footprints the group made. I had micro-spkes and ice-axe. Some of us used snowshoes down in the valley, the flat part.
Here is a panorama photo of the sunset with our tents, and the view north.
Here is a panorama photo of upper Thunder Mountain Lake and the view south.
Other photos:
1. trail under snow
2. Surprise Lake
3. treed slope
4. Slippery Slab Peak
5. looking back at the camp (marked in red), on the way to Thunder Mountain Lake