Issaquah Alps

De Leo Wall, 2/23/08, 6 miles

Simply said, a bright sunny winter day needs to be hiked. I joined with the Mountaineers for a hike in the Issaquah Alps to DeLeo Wall on Cougar Mountain. The sun shone brightly and warmed the air slightly of the deepest of winter chills. Spring proved to be close as we passed shrubs with buds creating a golden green aura in the sunlight.

The Issaquah Alps encircle Issaquah on the southside of town. So close to Seattle and generally snowfree during the winter, they are a wonderful destination for early season hikes. There are 100's of miles of trails in the Alps that contain 3 mountains: Tiger, Squawk, and Cougar.

The trail starts at the Red Town Trailhead and follows through the rolling forest to climb up to a viewpoint overlooking the valley below from Mt Rainier to Seattle. On this day the view was stunning - Mt Rainier shone brightly in the distance and our group pointed out landmarks and details of the valley below.

We had a leisurely lunch in the sun-dappled woods before turning back along the lollipop loop to our cars.

One Beauty of a Day

Mt Rainier, 4 miles, 2/17/08

Cloudless sky, virgin snow, and fog-filled valleys - what could be better? Not much I would think. That was how a recent Sunday greeted us as we snowshoed through the meadows above Paradise. We had no destination in mind, just the exploration of freshly laid snow and to see how far we could go.

It was a fresh clear day after several days of rain in Seattle and snow in the mountains, so the fresh snow beckoned to us as we drove to Mt Rainier. The parking lot near the Jackson Visitor Center was buzzing with activity as people prepared for their day's adventure. Several groups looked to make the summit their adventure's destination while others looked as though a day playing in the snow would not be considered a wasted day. But it didn't take us long before we were enfolded in the muffled world of a winter wonderland.

Snow, frozen on trees glistened against the white hillsides rolling up to the ever present mountain set against the blue sky. Not wanting to destroy the pristine layer of snow, we followed a trail tramped in the snow by those ahead of us to just below the hill leading to Panorama Point. Here we finally broke our own trail to a hill over-looking the valley for a snack break and marveled at the skill of a couple of telemark skiers as they carved their way down the slope.

We soon followed them down the hill then back to the Paradise Inn and the snow play area. Kids were laughing and screaming as they careened down the hill and bounced off the snow banks. It looked like such fun and although the sun was still high in the sky, our day was done.

A little rain must fall

Denny Creek, 6 miles, 2/16/08

I had heard that Franklin Falls below Snoqualmie Pass can be enchanting in the wintertime - with ice covered canyon walls from the spray of the waterfall. This is a sweet little hike during the warmer months that has in the past been an easy stretch of the legs on a sunny afternoon. This would be my 1st trip in the heart of winter when the snows lay deep on the forest floor. My sister tagged along with me hoping for a relaxing day in the trees and snow.

A forest sure can look different between the seasons - dense undergrowth is covered by snow creating a deceptively open environment to explore. But after a while all the trees can look startlingly similar and someone not watching their direction could easily get turned around and lost. Branches that stretch out far above your head will often wetly smack a person in the face as they're weaving through the trunks. And so it went as we left the snow-covered road to tromp to the canyon and waterfall - weave through trees, dodge the snow and rain laden branches.

We paused several times to watch as the creek rushed past us seemingly bouncing off rocks and fallen logs. Icicles formed on the canyon walls as the upper part of the creek cut through the hill. We reached the spot where the trail normally heads down into the canyon to the base of the waterfall, however, we found that at this time of year the way is too steep to safely descend so after a little deliberation, we turned around to find a spot for our snacks and warming hot apple cider.

Even under the canopy of trees, we were not protected against the lightly falling rain and soon resumed our journey back to the car. We met a few other people along the way, but generally enjoyed the solitude a rainy day can give you. The only sounds were the muffled engines from nearby I-90 as skiers raced off the the pass and our sniffling noses.