I read that Labyrinth Mountain makes for a short day. But despite the short drive, the part below the pass on Smithbrook Road was very bumpy. So that slowed us down quite a bit.
See more trip photos here.
Labyrinth Mountain at a Glance
Access: Minotaur Lake Trailhead
Round Trip: 4.5 miles
Elevation Range: 3800′-6376′
Gear: microspikes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance
Minotaur Lake Trail
Minotaur Lake Trail was still free of snow. So the three of us were able to go up the hill efficiently. But the path was steep, and it provided a great workout.
Later I put on microspikes at 4000′ in packed snow. Then we continued up to the lake. Soon, the trail faded into the deep powder in the lake basin. So we began scrambling from there.
See more trip photos here.
En Route to Labyrinth Mountain
Minotaur Lake was still icy. But the shoreline had started to melt when temperatures rose in the afternoon. Then we used the standard route from the east of the water.
Later we walked along the ridgeline above the east shore. Then at one point, I was able to look down the steep east side and saw Theseus Lake. It sat 500′ below Minotaur Lake.
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Labyrinth Mountain Summit
The higher we went, the more snow we had. But most boulders were partly visible. So we walked very carefully and tried not to step into any gaps. Once we got above the rocks, we moved northwest and reached the top shortly.
It was very windy on top. But we took cover behind the summit rocks. So we could stay out of the wind and enjoy the views. They included Theseus and Minotaur, and the Nason Ridge trio.
See more trip photos here.
Outro
Glad we had beautiful weather all day! Plus, the pups very much enjoyed playing in the snow. Then later, we got back down to the car well before sunset.