Firsts

The snow lightly falling through the forest.

Snowflakes on your eyelashes.

The soft crunch of the snow under your snowshoes.

The biting cold numbing your nose, your ears, your cheeks.

Life is filled with firsts that are not soon forgotten. Do you remember your first snowshoe?

I do - I climbed up Mt Catherine near Snoqualmie Pass to learn how to glissade and self-arrest for a climb up Mt St Helens. It was a tough go for me but I ended the day satisfied that I had learned new skills and eager for more.

Just as memorable is being with a child as they experience their first snowshoe.

On January 1st of this year, I accompanied my sister and her granddaughter on her first snowshoe.

We meandered along Wenatchee Crest off Blewett Pass. The wind carried falling snow through the trees and coated our hats. No views were to be had, but snowball fights and snow angels were aplenty. Giggles and laughter floated through the air with the snow.

I'm sure she'll remember her first snowshoe - I know I will.

A June Lake Snowshoe

Barely 2 miles from the trail head, I had to ask.

"Did you check the trail reports?"

The reason I asked was that we were almost to the snow park and there was no snow.

"The last report was from 2 weeks ago and the gal complained about all the snowmobiles out on the road."

That was another sign we might be in trouble - I had yet to see a truck hauling snowmobiles. Our snowshoe might just turn into a hike.

We pulled into the parking lot to find that yes there was snow, but it was crappy snow. It hadn't snowed for several days so there were bare spots in the trees and tree debris on top of what snow there was.

It wasn't an auspicious start to our adventure, but we'd make the most of it. We always do.

The "we" here was me, my Sissy, a friend of ours, and an intern at Sissy's company. The intern wanted to get out and about as much as possible before he headed home to New York. What better way to see the state than a snowshoe through the wilderness on the backside of our volcano.

Clouds hung low through most of the day so we weren't able to see the crater rim. But anything could happen, right? We set off down the snow covered road avoiding the few snowmobiles enjoying each others' company and sharing stories.

About a mile along the road, is the turn off to the lake. Snowmobiles aren't allowed on the trail and since there weren't that many, we didn't leave any hectic traffic jams behind.

Heading up through the woods, I realized I am in far worse shape than I imagined myself to be. This should be an easy jaunt yet here I was dragging behind and huffing and puffing. I have a lot of work to do to get into shape for climbing Mt St Helens.

It didn't take long for the rain to start and I have to say it - I hate snowshoeing in the rain. It's miserable. I'd rather have blowing snow than rain. Ugh. We soldiered on and in no time we were at the lake. A pretty sort of a lake especially in the snow with snags and a waterfall on the far side. In the summer, this place serves well as a starting point for the Loowit trail - the 30+ mile hike around the volcano. In the snow it's an enchanted land of snow queens and fairies. At least in my fantasy.

We shared a big tree near the edge of the lake that served well to shelter us from the rain and ate our lunch before heading back to the car in the rain.

It may be a long drive, but I do enjoy snowshoeing to June Lake. I just wish the rain could have waited a little longer.

Cooper

I've always been a bit of a sucker for big brown puppy-dog eyes. My dad was a dog person so we always had dogs around. My first real friend was Lady, a German Shepherd with a taste for rubber squeaky mice. Oh how she loved to gnaw on them until the squeak was gone. She was my playmate, confidant and protector.

As a child, I would have most likely identified with being a cat person. I couldn't wait until we moved to the farm to get a cat (or several - it was a farm, you need lots of barn cats, right?) But dogs were always present.

Now I would consider myself an animal person. I would have a menagerie if I could. In the meantime, I will love on the critters I meet.

That is how I got to go for a walk with my friend's Golden Retriever Cooper. I had gone to Cle Elum for a business meeting, staying in Michelle's vacation home at the Suncadia Resort. Cooper was there too, keeping his favorite human company.

While she worked on a few things before our meeting, I decided to go for a walk to stretch my legs after my drive. I coaxed Cooper to come with me. A little reluctant at first, he soon became enthusiastic for the adventure. He trotted off ahead of me on the trail, a very large doggy smile on his face.

The Road before You

It snowed recently in the Seattle area. When it did, I got up early and went for a walk with my new camera. Near my home is a wonderful pathway. On sunny days, it is often crowded with walkers, dogs, strollers and bicyclists. Today there were very few people out in the snow and chill.

As I walked, I stopped and photographed simple scenes of winter. And felt pretty special walking out in the snow with hardly anyone else around. A few tracks in the snow revealed that I was not the 1st to pass this way, plus a bicyclist had ridden along the trail at some point in the morning. What a hearty soul they were.

I took my time. I had nowhere to go except forward. So I kept going.

Then I looked down and realized the snow was unmarred by footprints. I would be the 1st to tread here. I would be walking in fresh snow. There's a thrill to walking in fresh snow - to go where no one has gone, to have this pristine world in front of you ready for your adventure.

I stopped to absorb the moment.

I would be making my own trail.

And I stopped again.

What a great metaphor.

I would be making my own trail, here as in life. I get to decide where I walk and where not to walk. Isn't that cool? As with this trail, as with my life and my photography. And yours too. You get to walk down your path and make it your own. You get to decide how to live your life. You get to choose what your photography will be.

No one can live your life for you, nor can they tell you how to live it. Neither can they tell you which direction to take your photography. You get to do that.

There is only 1 right path and that is for you to decide. It's often scary, we'd love to follow in someone else's footsteps to know we are going in the right direction. But ultimately the right direction is for us to choose.

Detours are ok, too. You can join and follow others along the way. Others will follow you. Ultimately, you will know how these events and experiences were beneficial to you and others. But again, that is for you to decide.

It's all about you.

Are you ready to walk into the fresh snow?

June Lake Snowshoe

The forecast was for snow in the mountains. Lots of snow. Lots & lots of snow. So when my sister asked if I wanted to go snowshoeing with her & friends I thought SNOWGASM! Damn right I wanted to go.

Her plan was to meet mid-morning in Cougar then consolidate into 1 car for the trip to Marble Mountain SnoPark. But plans never work out and we met in the Lone Pine Resort late morning. The staff at Lone Pine were so sweet to let me sit in the cafe and filled me with coffee until she arrived. But we quickly got ourselves situated and we were heading up to the snopark with all the snowmobilers.

The first part of the trail meanders through the forest near the road. We could hear snowmobilers racing up and down the road - they sounded like they were having fun. But so were we, the heavy snows the previous day weighed down the trees making the scenery seem like a magical land.

One of number started having trouble in the deep snow in her snowshoes - they were too big for her to maneuver around and she kept falling. I recommended that we trade shoes since mine are lighter and smaller - after all the bigger shoes would help me clear the trail on the way to the lake. She was far happier in the smaller shoes and didn't fall as often.

After leaving the road, the trail starts to climb. It's only about 500 feet of gain but in snow it can be a bit harder. Even with the late start, we weren't in a hurry so took our time - resting when necessary, making snow angels, and admiring how the snow clung to barren tree limbs.

We finally made it to the lake, a little pond at the base of cliffs normally not much to write home about, but with the snow and ice and the waterfall, we were transfixed my the beauty. We barely noticed the flank of the volcano leading up into the clouds behind us. We tromped around the meadow a bit sinking to our knees in the soft snow before heading back to the car.

If you want to go on the snowshoe, follow ski trail 245 from the upper parking lot at the Marble Mountain snopark off of forest road 90. The trail is 5 miles round trip with about a 500 foot elevation gain. Plan plenty of time to explore the meadow around the lake. Sadly we had to cut our exploration short since we did get a late start. Dress in layers and take plenty of extra food & water - you will need extra in the cold.

Vision in Delirium

When my boss called in with the flu at the beginning of the year, I should have gone immediately for my flu shot. But I put it off. I knew it was going around. And I knew it was a nasty one.

So this past week I spent my time either in bed or on the couch. Cancelled my great weekend plans. And daydreamed about all the wonderful places I had been and places to go.

I smiled at the memories of shared adventures with friends, knowing they are the adventure buddies I can count on for future travels.

The weekend prior to my bedridden week, 3 of my buddies & I decided to snowshoe to the Big Four Ice Caves along the Mountain Loop Highway. A popular destination in the summer as it's an easy day hike for families becomes a stunning snowshoe in the winter. The cliff area of the ice caves can be very dangerous - in recent years there have been several accidents and at least one death from avalanches falling even in the later summer months. But it's the avalanches that create the ice caves. And the popularity of area has not diminished even with the dangers.

Our plan was to snowshoe from where the road is closed to just beyond the bridge over the Stillaquamish River. The snow pack for the day was pretty stable, but this area can be highly unpredictable so we decided to stay in the trees and not head up into the plateau at the base of the cliff.

The day was gorgeous. Blue skies and freezing temps. We were bundled up against the cold but wearing sun screen & sunglasses - always a great combination on a winter day. I love seeing the bright white of ice and snow against the blue Washington skies.

The road travels along the river in the trees with glimpses of the mountain peaks around the valley. We stopped often for pictures and to chat and then started again as the cold seeped through our many layers of clothing. And it was COLD! The moisture in the air had frozen along the river and coated everything in a feathery layer of hoar frost. At times it looked fantastical.

After we stopped briefly at the picnic shelter for lunch, we started out for the river through a marsh area. If we thought the hoar frost along the river was fantastical, the hoar frost here was other-worldy. It spread out like fern fronds inches from the snow & branches. It was a vision worth remembering.

The open air and views, the snow and sky, the walk and friends all worthy of reminiscing and thinking forward

Lake 22

Every now and then I have the opportunity to take someone onto a trail and help them gain a new experience and add to their self-confidence. A recent trip to Lake 22 gave me just this opportunity and a somewhat new hiker an experience that left her grinning at the end of the hike.

I warned my hikers on this trip that the last mile or so would be in snow, upwards to 8 feet in some places. But enough people hike this trail even in the snow that I thought it would be quite doable for my hikers. Little did I know, one hiker had no experience in snow. I advised trekking poles and traction devices like Yak-Traks or micro-spikes. I find the poles helpful in keeping my balance and the traction devices in keeping my self confidence. Sometimes I just need a little extra traction to feel comfortable on the snow and advised them for my hikers for this very reason.

As we reached the snow several hike members stopped to put on the traction. I and a few others opted out until we got further along. One hiker, Marie, didn't have traction devices and watched as her team mates prepped for the snow. Once ready, we started off again. The snow was hard-packed and I felt comfortable on it, but I noticed almost immediately Marie was falling behind. I stopped the group and we waited. But Marie continued to fall back and I began to get somewhat concerned. First for Marie, I didn't want her to get discouraged by her slow progress, but I also needed to keep my group moving so as to not get too cold.

I decided to get the rest of the group to the lake, settle them in and give them a few safety ground rules, then went back for Marie & my Tail-End-Charlie. Marie was indeed getting discouraged, but with encouraging words from myself & Jane, bringing up the rear, she plugged on. As we crested the last slope, I stopped Marie & told her to look up so she could see Mt Pilchuck towering through a break in the trees. Her face lit up!

We chatted a bit at lunch when she told me that this was the 2nd time she has ever hiked on the snow. I was so proud of her that she didn't give up and offered up my Yak-Traks since I wouldn't be needing them. She gladly accepted them. I then asked another of my hikers who had hiked with me often and is trusted to lead the group out as I brought up the rear behind Marie. We chatted & laughed until we ran out of snow. Her sense of accomplishment when we got back to the cars was priceless to me.

April Snows bring . . . ?

Big Creek Loop, 4/3/10, 4.5 miles, 600 elevation

Our plans were made in February - an unseasonably warm February where we hiked trails normally closed until April or May. Our excitement in getting to destinations early in the season was uncontained as we planned the hikes for this year's Conditioning Hike Series. Even so, Big Creek Loop is hikable in the early season - one of the reasons I enjoy the hike on the SE side of the Olympic Peninsula. The forest is filled with the new green of spring. But not this year. No, this year brought us snow - a lot of it.

Our merry little group started out at the Big Creek campground in a spotty dusting of snow, telling stories and getting to know each other, stopping to identify fox prints in the snow. A slight rain began to fall on us as we started our climb through the trees. It wasn't long before the rain showers turned into snow showers. Soon, it was just plain snowing and accumulating on the trail, ferns & trees.

Knowing I had a few newer hikers on the trip, I asked if anyone was uncomfortable. There waas still time to turn back, but this being a loop everyone opted to continue on. One of the features I love about this trail is that there are several different streams to cross as well as Big Creek. Big Creek is at the apex of the climb then the trail follows the other side of the drainage back down to the campground. By the time we crossed the bridge over Big Creek, we were hiking through 8 inches of snow - almost perfect for snowshoes.

I had hoped for lunch at a little bench tucked in the trees next to the creek. But the snow wasn't relenting so we traveled a little further until I could not postpone lunch any longer - my hikers needed to eat. So we huddled together under Alder swaying with the wind. Adding insult to injury, the wind knocked chunks of snow off the trees with well-aimed precision, splattering on our heads and down our jackets.

Soon we were down to the land of rain showers and a dusting of snow - ready to see what the rest of the season brings us.

Last Snowshoe of the Season

Mt Baker NRA, 3/10/09, 5.5 miles, 1600 elevation

The snows are hanging around in the mountains a little longer this year . Even though, snowshoeing opportunities had been getting smaller. Spring snow is just sloppy and not much fun. But Mt Baker is a winter wonderland into July so a trek through Heather Meadows on the north side of the mountain to Artist's Point would be a perfect destination for us and our friends Heather & Dave. One last snowshoe before the spring thaws melt all the snow.

For several years, Michael & I had been attempting to make it to Artist's Pint by snowshoe, but had been turned around for one reason or another every time. We hoped that we'd be able to make it with Heather & Dave. We had all day and the enjoyment of good friends buoyed us all up the hill to Pan Dome - the height of the sky resorts - for a lunch under the eye of Mt Shucksan.

Our afternoon was spent retracing our steps to the trail junction with Artist's Point. With another climb up to Artist's Point for the beauty of Mt Baker. As a child I always though Mt Baker was a national park just like Mt Rainier, now as an adult, I wonder how this beauty ever got passed over for national park status. I always love looking at this mountain from every side.

We finished off our day at Milano's in Glacier - some of the best Italian around.

Now the snowshoes are hung to dry and the hiking boots are set by the door.

Just another day at the Mountain

Pan Point, 4/26/09, 3 1/2 miles, 1400 elevation

We joined our friend Dave and a group he was leading on a snowshoe trip out at the mountain. I almost didn't head out - I spend so much time on Rainier as it's in my backyard that I get just a little bored with her. But the night before, I convinced myself to go get a day in the snow and fresh air even if it would be the same old boring area at Paradise.

The day started out normally, climbing through the snowfields behind the visitor's center. Fields that in just a few months will be covered in wildflowers, tourists and even bears. Then we got to the bottom of the hill climbing up to Panorama Point. The plan was that anyone who wanted to go up the hill would continue on with Dave - anyone who didn't want to attempt it would make a shorter loop wit Michael & I. Everyone decided to head up the hill, with Michael & I following behind to coach anyone who needed it.

It was a triumph for everyone as several of our trip members were pretty new to snowshoeing. The views were perfect - behind us stood Mt Rainier in all her glory, off to the east stretched the snowy cascades, to our south the Tatoosh Range were gnarled teeth across the valley. After resting at the top and picking up a new member for the group we circled around through the moraine areas below Muir Snowfield.

Then it was time to head back, but the snow was sloppy and hard. Going downhill would be treacherous, so came a quick lesson in glissading. And we began to slide our way back to the parking lot on our butts. Again a triumph for almost everyone as nobody had glissaded before. I personally had so much fun coming down that I was ever so happy to have changed my mind.

Winter Storm Advisory

4/4/09

The radio warned throughout the day that a winter storm was coming. And it hit Olympia and I as we hiked the rim trail. How bad it would get would only be discovered in the morning.

Wind buffeted our tent all through the night, even though the forecast was that the winds and storm would subside by midnight. To sty warm, I stuffed several hand-warmers into my sleeping bag and curled up with Olympia, covering her with the extra blanket I had brought along. Occasionally during the night I would wake up to snow drifting through the bug mesh - blown under the rainfly by the winds. We would awake to a desert winter wonderland.

The winds had not stopped at midnight, and with all the blowing snow I wasn't certain that the snow had stopped falling. I packed up as fast as I could, but first had to empty my boots of snow that I had left in the vestibule of the tent. Both the tent and rainfly were coated with snow. Six inch drifts formed against the tent and the tires of the car. I had to stomp around in the snow to find Olympia's water dish buried.

Our drive out was eventful. Winds shoved snow into drifts in the road. The bumper of the Subaru played snow plow through the drifts. The wind tried pushing the car around. And even in all this misery, the Moab Marathon was about to begin as I drove past the starting line.

Next year I'm going at the end of April.

1st stop - The Palouse

3/29/09

The forecast called for snow again over the weekend proving that spring was still far away, yet the vibrant colors in the flower stalls in the market prior to my departure rallied my hopes that spring would indeed be right around the corner. Furthering my hopes that spring would be quickly on its way, the drive over the pass to Spokane revealed more land as the snows receded, the ice in the waterfalls replaced by flowing water. Yet this morning we woke to snow falling on the hills of the Palouse - winter was refusing to release its hold on the northwest.

However, I had been looking for this up close look at the Palouse by people who lived in the area, I was not going to let it pass. We did pass planned photo-op after photo-op as the falling snow made distant views non-existent. At breakfast we were joined by a local farmer turned historian, Glen Leitz, who shared with us bits and pieces of the history of the Palouse. I always enjoy listening to oral history and this gentleman had a lot to tell, so much in fact that we had to leave before he even finished his stories.

We continued on our journey as the snows started slacking off so we were able to stop at more places - museums, barns, mills, churches and cemeteries. All unique in their photographic qualities. I began to realize I would need to come back for several days to truly capture this rare and beautiful place. Finally, the clouds started breaking apart in the late afternoon and the sun highlighted the hills in the distance. Just in time too, our final stop near sunset would be Steptoe Butte.

Never seeing Steptoe before, I was extremely excited as I drove up the winding road to the top. Each turn revealed more of the scenery - rolling hills touched with snow stretching in every direction. I decided to leave before sunset - eager to be on my way and hoping to be someplace really cool for sunset. I was in a gully at the best color, but a not too disappointed because I knew my trip had started off great - even if spring was reticent in its appearance.

An Unexpected Starlit Trip

Reflection Lakes, 3/22/09, 8 miles

It was supposed to be an easy afternoon snowshoeing. We were supposed to be back home by dinner. It was supposed to be an enjoyable scouting trip on a well known trail. But things don't always turn out how they're supposed to, especially in the outdoors.

Michael & I have been to Reflection Lakes several times during the winter and know the route well, so when our friends Heather & Dave asked if we would scout out the trail with them we happily agreed. A bad day snowshoeing is far better than a good day doing yard-work. Because of prior commitments, we didn't leave the windswept parking lot at Paradise until 2:30. But we weren't too concerned as we knew the afternoon was longer than the trail. Silly us.

We made it to the snow covered lake with plenty of time to spare by going up and over Mazama Ridge. Then after a stroll around the lake we decided to head back to the cars by way of the road. Even though there is a steep avalanche slope along the road, Michael & I have never had any trouble navigating past the slope. We also wanted to show Dave & Heather an alternative direction to take their group later.

Part way along the road, Heather realized she didn't have her camera any longer and must have dropped it back near the lake. Dave, our leader, gallantly went back to find it for her and said he would meet us not back where we could wait for him but at the cars thus splitting our group for the rest of the day. As we were all comfortable with each others skills, Michael & I didn't think we'd have problems doing just that. Once we saw the avalanche slope and it's steepness, we knew we'd never be able to traverse to the other side. We immediately turned around and started back he way we had come, hoping maybe we could catch up with Dave.

Once we got back to the lake though we knew we wouldn't catch up with him and stopped for a snack. However, Dave had taken off with the pack and Heather's extra food and water and equipment. Michael & I shared what we had, dug out our headlamps, sandwiched her between us and made our way back over Mazama Ridge. Then we had the decision of returning to Paradise by the trail or by the avalanche sloped road. Michael's legs were beginning to cramp - probably from the cold and dehydration - so we chose what we believed to be the gentler slope.

The day was fading fast and soon the wisdom of our choice was in question - avalanche after avalanche had obscured the path. I knew I needed to keep us going for turning around and heading the other way would take too long and put undue strain upon Michael. I kept trudging, following the intermittent ski tracks through the darkening twilight. The wind continued to blow obscuring those same tracks. I began to feel the pressure of getting us out safely through cold, avalanche slopes, and darkness.

Finally we followed the curve of the road over the creek at the head of Paradise Valley to find ruts in the snow. All of us breathed a communal sigh of relief. A light beacon shone through the wind swept snows guiding us home. Stars glistened in the velvety night sky as we crested the hill to the parking lot. Dave had gotten there hours before us asking for help when he realized we were far later than we should be. It was the rangers who gave our beacon.

Looking back, we were nervous but at least we were prepared - even the rangers remarked about that. But it was a good experience to have under my belt. And the stars were marvelous.

The Snows Fall

Blewett Pass, 3/8/09, 4 miles, 500 elevation

After a cold but fun weekend in Winthrop, Michael & I with our friends Dave & Heather, decided to stop at Blewett Pass for a quick snowshoe up the hill to see what we can see. We parked along the highway at the snowpark because the parking lot hadn't been plowed for a while, but that wouldn't deter us hardy snowshoeing folks.

Dave & Heather were testing out their new MSR snowshoes by traversing hills and climbing steep slopes. They were quite happy with the performance of these lighter weight snowshoes - they don't slip nearly as much as the larger Tubbs and Atlas snowshoes do. That's the main reason I love them, that and they are so light-weight.

The snow started falling almost immediately, a light pellety snow. We made our way past the creek and started climbing, hoping to reach the lookout 2 miles beyond. As we started our climb the snowflakes became larger and started falling more heavily, covering everything from trees to our hats. We began to blend in with our surroundings.

We never made it to the lookout, stopping about a 1/2 mile from the top to head back to the cars. A good thing really, if we had stayed out any longer than that our cars may have been just mounds along the highway. As it was, our footprints in the parking were completely covered.

Strolls along 410

Greenwater

Michael & I recently went looking for some close activities to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. However, both times our plans had to be altered.

We first hoped to take the dogs on a nice hike through the Federation Forest. Olympia's legs are getting worse and we figured the level walk wouldn't tax her mobility too much. Snow and a closed gate greeted us upon our arrival. What to do? The solution was easy enough.

Parking at the end of a forest road, we meandered along through the woods, clear-cuts and re-plantings above highway 410. We did run into snow, but we had the road to ourselves except for one little critter (I think it was a fox) dashing through the trees above us. The dogs were able to run free and chase each other and generally tucker themselves out. We managed 3 miles round trip with only slight limping from Olympia. Still breaks my heart that she can't join us on all our adventures.

Our next trip was to be a snowshoe with friends along the Skookum Flats trail. Let me tell you, the snow is not all it's cracked up to be right now. If you want to get some good snowshoeing in, my recommendation would be to head high up into the mountains. The snow was hard and crusty and littered with tree debris from all the recent storms. Not fun at all to navigate through.
Instead, we returned to Greenwater to ask around about a good place to head. The best answer was to head out into the forest and fields behind the community center where we could freely tromp with the dogs and possibly even see elk. No elk but we meandered through the trees and along the roads for 3 hours before deciding to head back into town for some well deserved lunch.

So even though our original plans didn't work out, we still got to enjoy life along highway 410.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Mt Rainier, 1/25/09, 3 miles, 500 elevation

There are few things better in this world than sharing an outdoor adventure with your friends. We were able to do this recently on Mt Rainier at Paradise. In the summer, the meadows above Paradise become a calliope of color as wildflowers fill the scenery. When winter comes, snows blanket the meadows in a thick carpet of white. Trails become irrelevant as seems time when you're wandering through the snow.

I was practicing my leadership skills as I explained to our group the route we'd take through the meadows and trees and then started off up the hill. Flurries obscured most of our views throughout the day, but added an air of mystery and fun. We roamed up the hill and down another direction, followed the winter nature trail and fox prints as the snows became heavier.

Finally we made our way back to the visitor center and some semblance of warmth to laugh about and share our adventures. We didn't wait long before heading back down the mountain because we knew that blackberry pie awaited us at the Copper Creek Inn.

A New Year, and Snow!

Longmire, Mt Rainier

Nothing beats a fresh coating of powder for the 1st winter outing. Skiers in the Rockies understand the beauty of powder. Here on the wet side of the cascades, powder is a gift we rarely receive. So imagine our surprise as my sister and I made our first few steps around Longmire Meadow. The snow had drifted into nice large piles of powdery snow - perfect for a pair of juvenile middle-ages women to start making snow angels and finding any excuse to "trip" and fall into it.

So much fun! After a loop around the meadow, we decided to head over to the Nisqually River through the forest. We had to play around down in the fresh unbroken snow along the river banks. I broke trail first and sank up to my knees. Then Kristi broke trail; I had to laugh at how much snow her snowshoes were kicking up onto her back - she looked like an abominable snow-woman heading up the river.

Not ready to quit yet, we then crossed over the river on the bridge to make a loop through the old campground. Never knew why the park stopped using this campground, but we played and laughed and stood silent amongst the trees before returning for some much needed hot chocolate.

Snow season has begun.

Sure Sign of Winter

Phelps Creek Trail, 11/16/08, 7 miles, 1000 elevation

Brrrr! We went east today. East of the mountains to the Chiwawa River near Lake Wenatchee. Neither of us had done much hiking here and since it wasn't a brilliant day on the west-side of the mountains, we figured it would be a perfect day to explore over there. Let me tell you though, we hit snow before we even got to the trail-head.

Snowshoes had been left behind since our elevation last week had been higher with no snow - who'd have believed we'd run into snow here? We decided to see how far we could get without snowshoes. I really had hoped we could get all the way to Spider Meadow but no such luck.

It was a pleasant hike and we got as far as Leroy Creek before needing to turn around. We were hiking in six inches of snow and the bridge over the creek had been pulled out. If we crossed in our regular hiking boots we might have a problem keeping my feet warm. Michael thought he might have a problem staying warm too. And we knew Zillah would be shivering all over the place. So we decided to head back to the car after a quick lunch under a large tree dripping melting snow onto our heads.

I had really wanted to see the valley and snow-covered meadows, but there's always next year.

On the Edge of Seasons

Beverly Creek/Tooth Saddle, 10/5/08, 9 miles, 2800 elevation

I was on the hunt for Larches, the oddity of the coniferous tree family. Their needles turn golden in the fall and are shed by winter and the trees seem to glisten on east slope hillsides shining brightly against the dark greens of the rest of the coniferous forest. I wanted to capture that quintessential image and although that image didn't materialize this trip (or this year) the hike up to Tooth Saddle will remain a highlight of this year's hiking season.

Snows had already fallen by the time our merry little band of Mountaineer hikers left for the Teanaway, but that wouldn't deter us from alpine views and autumn color. The trail along Beverly Creek is an easy saunter slowly gaining altitude through forest and talus fields. Autumn leaves filtered the sunlight to a ruddy glow on the occasion it made an appearance from behind the clouds. We stopped for a short break before climbing to the ridge and joining the County Line trail for a wonderful traverse with views of the Enchantments across the valley.

Along the way to our next climb, pockets of snow still lingered amongst the shrubs and fallen logs. But the sky by now had cleared to shine blue on the mountains surrounding the valley. Here also we found our first larches, some a greenish gold, a few a dazzling gold. Soon we were up in the saddle just below the tooth and watching as dark clouds rolled over the Enchantments bringing with them flurries that fluttered all around us. As soon as the snow brushed us the flurries were gone and we made our final push up to Tooth Saddle.

We were heavily rewarded by sparkling views all around but it was the Enchantments and their crown Mt Stuart that snatched our breathe. Well, maybe it was also the bitter wind blowing through the saddle. Our larch hunt may not have been very fruitful, our quest for views bountifully rewarding.

In the Clouds, Naturally

Eunice Lake, 8/10/08, 5.5 miles, 500 Elevation

My first official trip as hike leader for the naturalist class. Luckily it was a short hike and I had a co-leader.

My small band of naturalist students met me at Lake Mowich where, in the midst of August, snow was still piled up next to the road and snow banks still lined the shoreline. But our way through the woods was snow free if a little cold. Being naturalists, we stopped often along the way to examine this plant or discuss that one. However, with the winter still clinging to Mt Rainier the plants weren't as plentiful as I had hoped.

We came back into the snow and entered low-lying clouds at the lake, but that wasn't going to deter us from a casual lunch. And for my first official trip, it went rather well.