Month: October 2018

It’s always something, particularly when you get old.

I was planning to hike on Tuesday and Thursday this past week, but a busted toe that is a bit sore flared up after my hike on Tuesday so I took the rest of the week off.

But I hiked this morning and it is feeling OK now so it may be on the mend.

Typical Rattlesnake Mountain experience, although I got there before the gate open and had to park outside the gate.  It was a fun hike, about 8 miles round trip.

My original plan was to attend the grandkids’ soccer games but I found out they did not need logistical help so I figured I would get out on the trail, as the weather forecast for the new few days is wet, wetter, wettest.

But it’s all good and I am looking forward to doing some snowshoeing – won’t be long.

I went way out to I-90 Exit 47 this morning to hike to Annette Lake and I am glad I did.  It was a beautiful day and I was first up the trail so I did not see anyone until I started back down.  Even then I doubt I saw a grand total of a dozen other lucky hikers.

What a beautiful trail, through mostly second growth forest the entire way.  Plenty of peek-a-boo views of Humpback Mountain, which is immediately west of Annette Lake:

There is a nice little waterfall not far from the trail head:

 

And everyone likes the little log bridge:

When you get up to the lake you are standing underneath Silver Peak:

Great hike, about 7.3 miles round trip, another step towards getting into shape.

 

I did one of my favorite conditioning hikes yesterday, Section Line on Tiger Mountain.  I returned by going down the Nook Trail to Bus Trail to Wetlands Trail and, on a foggy day, noticed how low Round Lake is.  More like ‘Round Pond’ these days.

I am trying to get back in good hiking shape.  Last week a combination of medical appointments and babysitting gigs cut my hiking time.  I hope this week to be more active.

Another beautiful fall day.  7.5 mile hike from the western (I-90 exit 27) side of Rattlesnake Mountain.

I took the forested trail all the way to Grand Prospect but took the service road shortcut on the way down.  This little section is outside the forest and has a fairly nice northern view.

This is a moderately steep hike – about 2,400 feet of gain – and, once past Stan’s Overlook at the 1.9 mile mark, the forest becomes very nice.  You can see it sprouting up in front of you just past Stan’s:

One note about this hike now, they have created a fairly large set of mountain bike trails.  Here is the sign, right near the Snoqualmie Point trail head:

There is very little conflict between the hiking trails and the biking trails, but the parking lot now overflows (I got there just after it opened this morning and got a primo spot) and there are so many people riding bikes in the lot (even though there is a nice bike trail just outside the lot) that you have to be really careful driving out.

A few of the bikers appeared to be surprised that, while riding a bike through a large lot filled with cars, that there were cars driving around.

Whatever, it was a nice hike, a good workout and all around were the reminders that winter is on the way.

I have had some health challenges recently and have not been hiking.  But doing OK today and the weather is perfect so I headed up Rattlesnake Mountain to the upper ledge (the third of three ledges).

This is not a really steep or challenging hike but I need to start somewhere to get back into shape.

As always, the forest along the way is great:

And Rattlesnake Lake just keeps getting lower:

I figure to be back at it somewhere on Sunday.  Tomorrow I plan to attend both Camden and Finley’s soccer games.  Fun!