Gold Creek and Heli's Ponds

Drove up to the Gold Creek Pond SnoPark near Hyak to hike up and around Gold Creek and Heli's Ponds. Only used the snowshoes breaking trail around Heli's Pond, the rest of the route was well packed down, 4.6 miles round trip. Only saw other people when I was coming back after Heli's Pond. It was a cloudy day, with some views of local peaks.

zoom of peaks to the west before reaching Gold Creek Pond

From the bridge over Gold Creek Pond looking upstream

and downstream.

Had blue sky for a short while at Gold Creek Pond, looking north:

zoom of the peaks to the north:

View of Gold Creek as I continued around the pond:

View from the west shore

zoom of what might be part of a beaver dam

Varoious views from the northwest and north shores:

Some type of snowmobile or snow cat had recently gone down the road to Heli's Pond, compacting the trail.

Various views going around Heli's Pond:

zoom of the peaks northwest of Heli's Pond

 

Gold Creek and Heli Ponds

We went to the Gold Creek SnoPark at Hyak on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass to snowshoe around Gold Creek Pond and Heli Pond. Our route was 4.7 miles with minimal gain. The closed road to Gold Creek Pond, the trail around Gold Creek Pond and to Heli Pond were all well packed and we carried our snowshoes until we started post holing on the back side of Heli Pond. View of Gold Creek before reaching Gold Creek Pond.

View of Gold Creek Pond from the south shore

Some views along the north shore of Gold Creek Pond

Heli Pond from the south shore

Heli Pond from the north and east shores

 

Gold Creek Pond and Heli's Pond

This morning I drove tot he Gold Creek SnoPark at Hyak to hike out to Gold Creek Pond and Heli's Pond. My route today was 4.5 miles and the snow was well packed down, so snowshoes were not needed. I did not see any other people until I was well along the closed road heading back to the parking area. It was amazingly quiet, serene and beautiful this morning. I hiked up the closed forest road and turned into the closed parking area to head around Gold Creek Pond clockwise from the south side. View of Gold Creek looking upstream from the bridge.

Just past the bridge, this is the view looking downstream along Gold Creek.

The south end of Gold Creek Pond is completely covered with snow, looking northward.

The very north/northeastern part of Gold Creek Pond was not frozen and was a beautiful place to take lots of photos. Looking southwest:

View along the east side of the narrow peninsula into the pond

View along the peninsula looking southwest, and

the view looking northeast out on the peninsula.

Views looking southwest and westward as I continued going around Gold Creek Pond,

From the east side of Gold Creek Pond, I took the Gold Creek Trail up to the closed road, and continued northward for about 0.7 miles to the turn off to Heli's Pond There were some peekaboo views of the nearby ridges.

View of Heli's Pond looking southwest. There are signs stating the bridge is not safe and not to cross. There was enough well packed down snow on the north side of the bridge to safely cross to the other side of the pond.

View of Heli's Pond standing in front of the bridge looking north. I could see a distant snowy peak.

zoom of the peak, I think it is Chimakin Peak

Views as I continued going clockwise around Heli's Pond