Looking for rainbow trout on your hike through the Alpine Wilderness area? Look no further than Lake Serene. This lake's trail had been closed for many years until the Forest Service re-built the trail making it safer and more hiker-friendly. The trail is indeed very steep - and longer than advertised. The sign at the trailhead said "3.6 miles, strenuous hike", but Mike Carey's trip in this video came in at 9.6 miles. Elevation gain was 2,083 ft to a maximum elevation of 3,597 ft. There are a LOT of switchbacks - 23 is the number Mike recorded - and a LOT of stairs! They could call this hike "the stairway to heaven", also because of the beautiful lake.
