Cove's First Hike: Source Lake at Snoqualmie Pass with 20 Foster MBAs

Every pack has a first trail. This was Cove's.

Cove is a five-month-old Siberian Husky, Washington-born, and Delta's half-sister. Until this October, her biggest adventures were our local Seattle neighborhood, Red Bridge Campground, and whatever she could find under the couch. So when the University of Washington Foster MBA Outdoor & Sports Industry Club put together a hike to Source Lake at Snoqualmie Pass on Sunday, October 18, we knew it was time.

Source Lake sits at the head of the valley above Alpental in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, about an hour east of Seattle. You start on the Snow Lake Trail from the north end of the Alpental lot, climb a short set of log steps, then settle into a gradual grade through the forest. About a mile in, the trees open onto a talus slope and Chair Peak shows up across the valley.

Right around the 1.75-mile mark, where the Snow Lake Trail starts switchbacking up the ridge toward the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, a spur peels off across a boulder field to an overlook of Source Lake, the headwaters of the South Fork Snoqualmie River. 4.1 miles round trip and 944 feet of gain. Big enough to feel like a real mountain day, but also short enough for a puppy's first one.

We rolled out with more than twenty Foster MBA candidates from the University of Washington. Future founders, consultants, operators, and a few on their very first Cascades hike. Cove treated every single one of them like a long-lost friend and let them all know she was happy to be there.

She set the rhythm early: sniff, trot, stop for a pet, repeat. By the first mile she had a fan club. By the talus slope, people were asking for a turn on the leash. I've spent over a decade leading people, and I'll say it simply: nothing builds a team faster than a puppy.

The day was epic. Bluebird sky, crisp air, and that clean October light you only get a handful of times a year in the Pacific Northwest.

At the overlook, the group spread out across the rocks with Source Lake below and the ridgeline above. Everyone pulled out snacks and phones. Cove, on the other hand, decided to recharge with a little nap.

She curled up next to my boots and was out in about thirty seconds. We let her sleep while the rest of us took in the view. No one argued with her priorities.

Every good hike ends somewhere with a patio. Ours ended at Dru Bru, a few minutes down the road at Snoqualmie Pass, where leashed dogs are welcome outside. A bite, a cold beer, a fire pit, and a table of classmates trading stories and good times.

Cove's contribution: the big nap. Fully horizontal on the ground, recharging like she'd just summited Rainier.

As we were leaving Dru Bru, my friend spotted a couple walking in with their own Husky and told them they had to follow us on Instagram. The woman looked at the puppy in my arms and asked, "Is that Cove from Camp Husky?"

She follows Camp Husky and had watched Cove grow up all summer, from tiny puppy to trail dog, one post at a time. And there she was, sleepy in my arms after her first real hike.

Hi, Erin and Dakota! It was so good to meet you guys. Cove sends Dakota a scratch behind the ears.

That's the moment that stuck with me. We build this brand on content, but the point has always been people. The ones on the trail, the ones at the table, and the ones who have been along for the ride since day one.

Both hikes start at the same Alpental trailhead. Snow Lake is 7.2 miles round trip with about 1,800 feet of gain and a steep climb to the ridge. Source Lake turns off before that climb: 4.1 miles and 944 feet. For a puppy, an older dog, or anyone new to Cascades hiking, Source Lake gives you the same valley, talus, and peak views at about half the effort.