Hiking Snoqualmie

Granite Mountain Lookout

2009-07-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

I've been told by a friend that Granite Mountain is the pinnacle of summits in the Snoqualmie region. I now believe him.

Peaking at 5600 feet, Granite Mountain even has a lookout tower still standing at the top. It offers amazing panoramic views, and one can see Rainier, Adams, Baker, and Glacier Peak from the summit. Not to mention numerous peaks and ridges throughout the Cascades. Simply awesome.

To get there, take I-90 to exit 47, go north, and head left at the first intersection. In a quarter mile you will reach the trailhead for Pratt Lake Trail. Elevation here is 1800 feet. From here it's a four mile, 3800 foot elevation gain hike to the summit. 500 feet up the trail splits to take backpackers to Pratt Lake. Stay right to continue on to the Granite Mountain summit.

The trail starts off in the woods, fairly steep through the first half of the hike. At about 4200 feet the trail levels off and moves into open meadows on the southeast side of the mountain. The trail continues in the open for another mile and a half, meaning it will be a killer on hot, sunny, days. I did this hike in the morning, but even then the sun beating down on you wore you down.

At 4300 feet Mount Rainier peeks over the top of Humpback Mountain, and the trail out in the open leaves phenomenal views of the Snoqualmie Valley and Snoqualmie Pass. Eventually the trail turns back to the northeast, and you'll spot the lookout tower at the summit. At 5000 feet the hiker has a choice - continue on the trail around the backside of the summit and come up the north side, or head straight up for the next 600 feet, .4 miles through a rock scramble. I opted for the trail, and found it to be easy and quick. Lots of snow still on Granite Mountain, but passable without snowshoes. Feel free to take in the views of the North Cascades, Geyser Peak, and Mount Baker.

Finally, at 5400 feet the trail heads back south for a quick but steep summit climb, dropping the hiker off at the base of the tower. It wasn't open today (not sure if it ever is), but I used it as shade to cool down on this 80 degree day. Took me 2.5 hours to hit the summit.

I also opted for the hiking trail back down, which was definitely quicker than rock hopping down. Took just under two hours to hit the parking lot.

Unfortunately my camera wasn't too cooperative today (or the photographer didn't bring his A game), and the pics don't do the vistas justice.

Looking toward the pass from the summit.

Glacier Peak peeking behind Kaleetan Peak.

Mount Teneriffe

2009-07-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

Mount Teneriffe is the tall peak to the northeast of Mount Si, or the "next one" along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River (there are a couple taller peaks just north of Mount Si; I'm not sure what they are). It stands 4800 feet tall, although its generally obstructed by Mount Si if you're west of it and Mailbox Peak if you're east of it.

There's a couple reasons Teneriffe is not as well known, or hiked, as others in the area. There isn't a good official trail for Teneriffe. The official trail takes you through 7 miles of logging roads, and the unofficial trail takes you on a 3 mile steep hike - so steep that they are currently building an alternate route. And there just isn't good parking. A few cars can fit at the trailhead - but during school days parking is not allowed as this is used as a school bus turnaround.

But that doesn't mean Teneriffe isn't worth doing. The peak is flat, giving a phenomenal 360 degree view of Rainier, Rattlesnake, Mount Si, Adams, the Middle Fork, the upper Snoqualmie Valley, Seattle, the Olympics, and even Bellevue and Tacoma. The views are easily equal those of Mount Washington, possibly better.

I took the Kamikaze trail today, and it was a killer. Similar to Mailbox Peak, its steep and doesn't let up until you get to the top. By my estimates it climbs 3000 feet in about 3 miles. So not as steep as Mailbox, but that didn't make it seem less challenging today.

The trailhead is located a mile past the Mount Si trailhead. Take I-90 to exit 32, head north, then left on North Bend Way. In less than half a mile you'll see the turnoff for Mount Si Road on the right. Follow the road for about 3 miles, you'll see the school bus turnaround on your left. Park your car and head up the logging road.

There are two ways to get to the Kamikaze Trail. About 3/4 mile along the logging road you'll see a trail off to your right. From here it's a 3/4 mile gradual incline before the steep part starts. The second way is to continue along the logging road another 1/4 mile, and off to the right you'll see a path heading up, right along a stream. This stream is fed by Kamikaze Falls. This second way is shorter, but steeper. Both join up just south of the Falls.

I took the longer route. The first major stop along the trail is Kamikaze falls at 2300 feet, about 1/4 mile along the steep part of the trail. When you first see Kamikaze Falls, its impressive enough. But, continue up the trail (literally), and it takes you up the falls to a viewpoint that's basically looking straight up at the falls about 300 feet above you. Today the flow was light, but I imagine in spring you would get drenched.

Once you're done taking in the falls, you still have 2500 feet to go in about 1.5 miles. This stretch rivals Mailbox Peak, although certainly not as long as it. At 2900 feet you will reach a ridge that provides nice views of Snoqualmie Valley, but doesn't let up until you get to the top. The last 100 feet is almost a scramble, but so worth it for the views from the top. Teneriffe peaks at 4800 feet, 500 feet higher than Mount Si's haystack or Mount Washington.

Today was a beautiful day, and I was surprised I could see all the way to Tacoma. Also, I spotted both Seattle and Bellevue, surprising as I expected Mount Si to block the view.

I've read many people take the logging road back down. Given that it was 7 miles, I took my chances on the steep descent. It was tiring, but not as dangerous or risky as I expected.

It took me 3 hours to get to the top, and another 2 hours to get down, so a 5 hour hike with 4000 feet of elevation gain and six miles of hiking round trip. I only saw 5 other people today on the trail. Just the way I like it.

Kamikaze Falls. I am shooting almost straight up on this shot.

Snoqualmie Valley / South Fork / I-90. Mailbox Peak is on the left, Mount Washington lies there just "below" Rainier.

Seattle, just above Mount Si

Obligatory Rainier shot, with Mount Washington in the foreground.

Ira Spring Trail, Pratt and Ollalie lake trailhead, and USFS 9030 and 9031

2009-07-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

Just a quick forest road note: USFS 9030 is closed, preventing access to the Ollalie and Pratt Trail (I think that's trail 1039... might be 1038). And, USFS 9031 is in really bad shape. I got my little Audi through a couple areas due to the narrow width of my car, but had to turn back due to lack of clearance once I got close to the Ira Spring Trailhead. Not saying its impassable, but I certainly couldn't get through.

Mailbox Peak

2009-06-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

Just east of Mount Teneriffe and across the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River lies a mountain range that takes you near Snoqualmie Pass. The westernmost peak of this range is Mailbox Peak. It's easy to spot from I-90 as you head east.

Mailbox Peak is known for its steepness. As Harvey Manning quotes Ira Spring in 55 Hikes Around Snoqualmie Pass, "it varies from steep to very steep to awful step." She ain't kidding.

I've been told Mailbox Peak separates real hikers from the wannabees, and I believe it. To get there, take I-90 to exit 34 and go north about a quarter mile to Middle Fork Road. About three miles down the road you will see a gate off to the right with parking to your left. This is the trailhead for Mailbox Peak.

The first stretch is a simple half mile hike up an old road to the actual trail. Signs at the trailhead warn that this is a steep trail, gaining 4000 feet in 2.5 miles. Yep, that's 25% higher than Mount Si, and twice as steep. Ouch.

The first 1000 feet of elevation gain is really not that bad. And you're lulled into a sense of "this is not a problem." And then it gets steeper, and steeper, and steeper. It's a killer.

After 2000 feet of elevation gain (halfway there) is a stretch of about 1000 feet that just isn't forgiving. Awfully steep is an understatement, and I found myself resting every 100 feet or so. From there you will get small increments of leveling off, never more than 50 feet or so. At 3600 feet up you open up to some nice views of Mount Washington and McClellan Butte. At 4200 feet I felt some relief knowing I was nearing the top. The trail emerges from the forest at this point and reveals something of a rock scramble up another 600 feet. And the peak looks farther than that at this point. This last stretch is a killer and took me a half hour to navigate it. I need to get in better shape.

300 feet from the top you can see a mailbox protruding upward from the peak with an American flag sticking up. A pretty cool site. I hit the top at 11am, exactly three hours from my start 4000 feet below. I was the first one up on this day, and I soundly beat the group of six that started out at the same time as me.

The trail is marked by white diamond reflectors the entire way up. I presume that's to help hikers trying this when there is snow, but I found them valuable. I few times I lost the trail. Or more accurately, I found multiple trails. Apparently if its going to be steep, there's no downside to carving your own path.

A lot of people must not finish this hike, as most of the people I passed on the way down asked me if I made it to the top. Speaking of people, I was very surprised the parking lot was full on a Friday (and not the best weather Friday to boot). In the past when I've driven past the trailhead there have been few cars there. Apparently people are moving on from Mount Si and tackling other mountains in the area.

I think I found my training ground for Mount Rainier. Screw Mount Si. :)

Mount Washington

2009-05-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

The third time was a charm today. After two previous attempts were aborted due to lack of daylight and weather, I finally made it to the summit of Mount Washington. Better yet, I was able to traverse two different paths today which will help me on future visits to the area.

The peak of Mount Washington stands 4433 feet high according to my GPS receiver (my Green Trails map doesn't list the elevation on it). The trailhead is located off I-90 exit 38 at 1275 feet, making this a nice 3200 foot climb. The most direct trail is about 4 miles; the longer route will take a full six.

From the trailhead, climb up to the John Wayne Trail and head west about 500 feet. There is an unmarked trailhead on the left to start your ascent. At about two miles and 2800 feet elevation you will reach Susan's Owl Hike Spot. Not sure why it's named this but that will make for a good Google exercise someday.

About a third of a mile past Susan's Owl Hike Spot you will reach a junction. This is where you choose how you want to ascend Mount Washington. Going left will take you to the summit via the Great Wall Traill, which takes you up through logging roads, around the east side of the eastern summit (part of Mount Washington but not considered "the peak"), along the Great Wall, along the Cedar River Watershed, and finally to the final ascent to the Mount Washington summit. I estimate its about 3.5 miles from this point to the summit. Staying right will take a more direct, but steeper, ascent, over a mile and half or so. This is the way I took. This part of the trail is not entirely listed on the trail maps, but you can tell where its taking you if you look at your map closely.

This new trail connects up to an older trail, then, at about 3600 feet elevation, starts you up a steep 800 foot trail to the west summit. Along this route you are treated with continuous views of the eastern summit, Mailbox Peak, Mount Si, and down the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River.

On this particular day, I encountered snow starting at about 3200 feet, and was able to ascend without snowshoes or metal cleats. It made the views more beautiful and the physical workout that much more challenging!

At the top you are treated to views of Mount Rainier, Chester Morse Lake, Bellevue, Mount Si, Mailbox Peak, McClellan Butte, and a wonderful view of the cascades between the South Ridge of the I-90 corridor and Mount Rainier.

To make the descent I chose the Great Wall Trail. On the ascent I saw the Great Wall, and just had to traverse it. Again, it was entirely snow covered, and it certainly was a long descent - took a full three hours to get down this way.

That straight line is the "Great Wall"; the east summit of Mount Washington is on the left. McClellan Butte is in the background.

Beautiful shot of Mount Rainier on this beautiful day.

Chester Morse Lake in the foreground.

Mt Si

2009-02-14T08:31:00.001-08:00

Nothing to add to my previous post on Mt Si, but thought I would add some pictures from my hike last weekend.

West Tiger One from Preston

2009-02-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the coolest thing about Tiger Mountain is the wide variety of trailheads that get you to the four peaks that comprise Tiger Mountain (three West Tiger peaks and the Main Tiger peak or East Tiger). Today I parked at a little used trailhead off I-90 exit 23. Called the "WSDOT" or "SE Preston Way" trailhead on all the trail signs, this trailhead starts you off north and a little east of West Tiger One. From there, it is a 3.8 mile, 2500 foot elevation gain hike to make it to one of the West Tiger One viewpoints (either West Tiger One summit or Hiker's Hut).

The trail from here starts as a pretty boring half mile walk along a power line trail. Watch for the Preston Trail sign, and that will start your ascent into the thick firs of Tiger Mountain. From there you will run across Dwight's Way (trail), the Bootleg Trail, West Tiger Railroad Grade, and Pop Top trail. Signs along the way will keep you on track for West Tiger One, although you can get there from a variety of trails and distances.

I took the straight shot this morning, and ran into snow about 2200 feet. No more than a couple of inches, completely passable, although slippery in spots on the way down.

At the top of West Tiger One you'll want to head to Hiker's Hut Viewpoint, on the west side of West Tiger One. From here you'll be treated to a spectacular view of Mount Rainier, and you can see Seattle on a clear day.

Poo Poo Point Trail

2008-11-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

The southwest corner of Tiger Mountain is heaven for paragliders and hang-gliders. the Squak Mountain / Tiger Mountain valley creates an uplift of warm air currents, and a couple of cliffs off Tiger Mountain have been transformed into launch and landing zones. On a sunny, calm afternoon, you will see a plethora of airborne gliders parading the Issaquah area, all launched from Tiger Mountain.

The launch area is called Poo Poo Point, and I haven't yet figured out how it got its name (that MUST be a fascinating story). The trailhead is located off Issaquah-Hobart road a couple miles south of downtown Issaquah. The trail is obvious, and its a steep, 1600 foot climb in about a mile and a half. Apparently gliders with their gear can make the climb in 45 minutes; I struggled to do it in a little over an hour. And little gear to speak of. Argh.

There are two launch areas at the top. The south launch area opens up to an in-your-face view of Mt. Rainier, and several hundred feet beyond that is the north launch area (the main one), with views of Belleview, Lake Sammamish, and Mount Baker in the distance. Beyond that you can go to West Tiger; I ventured about a half mile further before time constraints forced me back.

This hike is similar in nature to Little Si or Rattlesnake Ledge, although I would argue the views at Rattlesnake Ledge are better. An excellent trail and views for a short exercise session.

Mount Rainier

Mount Baker

Lake Sammamish

Pictures from Rattlesnake Ledge

2008-09-12T23:01:00.001-07:00

Took a quick hike up to the first Rattlesnake Ledge (Take Exit 32 off I-90, go south three miles to the trailhead. Trail is a 2 mile hike, 1100 foot elevation gain) today. Weather was nice enough to snap some pics.

Chester Morse Lake, between McClellan Butte / Mt Washington and Cedar Falls

Mount Si and Mount Tenerrife

North Bend, Washington

Mount Si

2008-09-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

I've posted about Mount Si before, but today I was actually able to enjoy some views, and I paid more attention to the details of the hike to be able to share them here.

I got to the trailhead early this morning, with a relatively thick fog covering Snoqualmie Valley. At 7:30am I was the fourth car in the parking lot, and I set out to conquer Mount Si in two hours. Starting elevation point for this four mile trail is 700 feet.

Mount Si is one of the busiest trails in the area, perhaps as busy as Tiger Mountain. But while Tiger Mountain offers a variety of trails (including a two mile loop that has no elevation gain), Mount Si has one trail taking it to the peak of the mountain that splits the North and Middle Forks of the Snoqualmie River.

The tail is well-traveled, wide, rocky, and well-maintained. It is pretty much the same steady steepness all the way up (each mile is about 800 feet in elevation) gain, although the first two miles are slightly steeper than the last two miles. There are a couple stops for semi-viewpoints along the way, but the views are best reserved for the top.

Once at the top (3900 feet up, for an elevation gain of 3200 feet) you have a few choices. Most people seem to opt for the first lookout, right at the base of the trail when you arrive at the summit. The trail continues on. About 100 feet past the initial summit you will see a decent sized rock on your left. A short rock scramble is well worth it here, and you will be treated with excellent views of the South Fork mountains (Mailbox Peak, Mount Washington, etc), Mount Rainier, Rattlesnake and Tiger mountains, the Olympics, and the Snoqualmie Valley.

Follow the trail a couple hundred more feet, and you will see a sign pointing to the Snoqualmie Valley viewpoint. This is the best view of the valley. Beyond that you have two more choices - the haystack, or follow the trail to the backside of Mount Si for views of Mount Baker to the north and Mount Teneriffe and Green Mountain to the east. You can even follow this trail to Mount Teneriffe, which I chose not to do today.

I also wussed out on the haystack. The views at the top were amazing, you got to see from Rainier to Baker to the Olympics. All the while Seattle and Snoqualmie Valley were covered with a thick layer of clouds below. Very cool seeing Rattlesnake Mountain and Tiger Mountain peek above the cloud cover.

Back to the haystack, I started up it and got about 40% up before I decided it was a little steep for my liking. I still had my backpack on me, and I just didn't trust myself not snagging on something or having the extra weight knock me off balance. By the time I climbed back down I decided against giving it another try. Perhaps another day.

This is a very busy trailhead, I was passing people and dogs (unleashed no less) constantly. The only negative in my book, as I like to hike for the solitude.

Oh yeah, I made it up in two hours and 5 minutes. Gives me something to shoot for next time.

The view to the east and south.

Rattlesnake Mountain in the foreground, Tiger Mountain behind it.

A shot of Rainier, with the first summit of Mount Si there at the bottom of the picture.

Snoqualmie Valley and Seattle, not visible through the clouds. The Olympics are in the distance on this clear day.

Tiger Mountain: West Tiger 2 Summit

2008-08-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

A month ago the family tackled West Tiger 3. This morning I set out to hit West Tiger 2, which is the middle peak in the triad of peaks comprising West Tiger Mountain. It was a cloudy, drizzly morning, so instead of driving straight for the peak and spectacular views I took my time and did some exploring.

Tiger Mountain is interesting with a myriad of trails. It makes it easy to hike in "loops" where you can finish where you started without retracing your steps. I didn't have a plan going in, but happened to take the optimal way (from a time perspective) to get to West Tiger 2. I started at the High Point trailhead off I-90 Exit 22, and took the Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT) just passed the gate off the West Tiger 3 trail. This is a flat-to-steady climb for a good mile and a half. At that point, after crossing a couple bridges, the trail will split. TMT continues to the left, and the K-3 trail starts and veers off to the right. The sign says its an unmaintained trail, but its in good shape. It takes you a steep 400 feet up to the West Tiger Railroad grade, and in doing so shaves about three miles off the TMT, which meanders down and around the mountain until meeting back up at the West Tiger Railroad Grade. Anyway, back on the trail, the grade heads east and west on a flat trail - head east (left) a half a mile and you will find yourself back on the TMT. Take that about 800 feet up of switchbacks, and you will find yourself close to the summit. Look for a sign for West Tiger 2 about 2500 feet up, and take the trail to the left to the summit.

I really don't know what kind of views are available here, I imagine they are excellent. You also walk right by the antenna tower visible from the freeway. Walk past it and you will see a sign pointing you to West Tiger 3. I assume you can also get to West Tiger One from here but did not notice a sign (actually that's probably what TMT will do). I followed the trail back to West Tiger 3, took that down to the Talus Rocks Trail, and followed that to the Nook Trail. That took me to Tradition Loop and back to the parking lot.

The entire trip was four hours, with 2200 feet of elevation gain, covering about 7 miles (that's a guess as I didn't have good GPS coverage). I really liked the various trail and the options it gives you to explore various areas of Tiger Mountain. I'll be back to see where TMT takes me past West Tiger 2.

Ira Spring Trail - Bandera Mountain

2008-08-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

The Ira Spring Trail is a trail that feeds several destinations along the north ridge of the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River, including Mason Lake, Mount Defiance, Banana Ridge, and Bandera Mountain. Take I-90 to exit 45, head to the north side of the freeway, then follow FS 9030 to the west. Follow the signs to the Ira Spring Trailhead, about 3.8 miles from I-90, elevation 2150 ft.

The trail has a gentle upward slope for the first mile and a half, then pushes more aggressively uphill for another mile through a few switchbacks, each one revealing more and more of Mount Rainier as you make your way up. At 4150 feet up you'll encounter a junction. Head west to make your way to Mason Lake, continue heading up to make your way to Bandera Mountain. The next 500 feet up are a killer, a rock meadow field at a 45 degree angle. Had to take a couple minutes of rest three times in this short stretch, but the promising views from the top kept me motivated!

You'll emerge from the meadow back into forest, and shortly across boulders as you make your way to the first summit. To the north on a clear day you will catch views of Mason Lake, Mount Baker, and the north cascades. At the summit, about 3.25 miles from the trailhead and elevation 5150 feet, the views are spectacular, stretching from Seattle and Bellevue to the west, to Rainier and Mount Adams to the south, to the Cascades to the east. Three views of volcanoes on this day, not too shabby.

The trail continues east a half a mile to the real Bandera Mountain summit, which is about the same elevation but will dip between the two summits. Having enjoyed the views here, and hearing that this is the best viewpoint on Bandera, I took a pass on going to the end of the trail.

Mount Rainier from the first summit.

Mount Adams peeking through the Cascades.

Mount Baker emerging from the clouds

Seattle as viewed from Bandera Mountain

Mount Catherine

2008-08-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of the good weather today and the family headed up to Snoqualmie Pass to check out Mount Catherine, with a 5050 foot summit with panoramic views of the Cascades, including Mount Rainier.

Getting there is a little tricky - take I-90 to exit 54 (Hyak) and head north. You'll cross road 906 into what looks like a chalet community. There will be a sign for the "Twin Lake Trailhead" - spot that and follow the road through the chalet community, past a water treatment facility, and to a logging road that will take you to the trailhead. Three miles from I-90, you'll spot the Twin Lake trailhead on your left. Go two miles past that, and you will find the trailhead for Mount Catherine on your right, at elevation 3700 feet.

The trail is a little steep, as its only 1.5 miles long but takes you up 1300 feet in that span. It is well groomed albeit narrow most of the way. There are occasional views on the way up, but the real treat is the final 50 foot scramble to the summit. There you will be treated with a panoramic view of the Cascades, from Mount Rainer to nearby Silver Peak and then down the Snoqualmie Valley (you can see Mount Si in the distance) to across the Cascades to the east, the summit is amazing.

This is arguably the best ratio of view-to-effort in the Snoqualmie-Mt Baker National Forest. This trail is also kid-friendly - in fact my kids loved the final scramble to the top, they felt like "rock climbers."

Looking down on Kecheelus Lake

Great view of Rainer from Mount Catherine summit

Looking south across the Cascades

McClellan Butte

2008-08-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

As you pass exit 38 from the west on I-90, looking up to the right you'll see an rockytop mountain that towers above its siblings. McClellan Butte reaches almost 5200 feet into the air. Take exit 42, go south, then east at the junction a tenth of mile, and you'll quickly and easily find the McClellan Butte trailed. A Pacific Northwest Forest Pass is required.

The parking lot puts you at 1500 feet, so a 3700 foot elevation gain along a 4.5 mile trail awaits you. If you've taken a peek at the top of McClellan Butte from the highway, you can deduce that amazing views await!

The trail starts simple enough - a .4 mile trek up to the Iron Horse Trail, then a .4 mile walk west to the marked trail, then another .4 miles to cross a logging road. Once you get to about 3000 feet (about a mile from the logging road), its starts a steady, steep climb to the south side of the mountain. At the end of this steep hike (4900 feet up, 4 miles from the trailhead), you get your first amazing peek at Mt Rainier, so close it seems that you can reach out and touch it. At this point the trail levels considerably, and you only have a half mile, 200 foot climb to the end of the trail.

The trail end leaves you with views of Mt Rainier, the Olympics, Seattle (downtown is obscured by Rattlesnake Mountain), and Mount Si, as well as along the Snoqualmie Valley (both east and west) and across Snoqualmie Pass. If you want a view of Mount Defiance, Dirty Harry's Balcony and Peak, Mailbox Peak, and Banana Ridge, you'll need to climp another 125 feet up a fairly steep and dangerous rockface for the summit. Dangerous in that a fall will be fatal, but safe in that there are plenty of footholds and the rock is slanted making it fairly easy to scale, just be careful.

The top gives you a 360 degree view with no obstructions - McClellan Butte towers above its siblings. I took an hour and just soaked it all in.

Except for the rock scramble, this is a kid-friendly hike. And so far, my favorite hike and views to date.

Rainier view at the turn

The view east from the top

Mount Si as seen from the end of the trail. I didn't take my camera with me to the peak, as I was a little gunshy with the rock scramble. Next time, I'll be getting a picture of me with Mt Rainier in the background :)

Change and Hall Creek Viewpoints

2008-08-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

Nestled between Mount Washington to the east and McClellan Butte to the west is a ridge that splits the Hall and Change Creeks. If you're driving I-90 and take a look to the south between the two Exit 38s, you will see the ridge I'm referring to. It juts out all the way to the Iron Horse Trail, and meets up with Mount Washington to the south. This past weekend I went exploring this area and was pleasantly surprised at what I found. A short trail (about 1.5 miles) with about 1900 feet of total elevation gain made for some wonderful hiking and better views.

Parking for this area is between the two Exit 38s off I-90. If you are coming from the west, go right off the exit, go past the Twin Falls trailhead, and about a quarter mile down the road you'll see an old road-turned-into-parking (can't miss it). Park there, and at the point where the road crosses Change Creek, you'll find an unmarked trail on the west side.

This trail takes you up to the Iron Horse trail, and you are likely to find plenty of rock climbers here - this is arguably the most popular area west of Snoqualmie Pass for rock climbing. Once you get the Iron Horse trail (about 300 feet of elevation gain), go east across the Change Creek bridge, taking time to enjoy the wonderful views of Change Creek. Also, take a peek to that ridge just east of the bridge, that's where you'll be heading :)

To the east the Iron Horse trail next crosses Hall Creek, and there's a large bridge for that. Just before it, on a smaller bridge, you'll see an unmarked trail right next to the fence. Take it, and it will switchback up about 500 feet to the first viewpoint, an awesome view of Hall Creek below. Continue up the trail, a steep climb for the next half mile or so. At about .8 mile past the first viewpoint, you'll come to an area where you are on a ridge that splits both Change and Hall Creek - you'll know it when you come to it. Remember this spot and continue up the trail another .2 miles. There will be a turnoff and a sign labeled "Hall View" or something similar. Take that trail up a short ways, and you'll be rewarded with an awesome viewpoint of Change and Hall creeks. Arguably one of the best viewpoints (Snoqualmie Valley, Middle Fork, Mailbox Peak, Mount Si) that's not a mountaintop in the valley.

Back at the main trail, it continues on and meets up with an old logging road that will eventually wind around Change Creek and take you to the top of Mount Washington. On this day, I headed back down to the ridge I referred to earlier. Instead of taking the trail down, I wormed my way along the rocks on the ridge for .1 miles and was treated with making it to the ledge that juts out to the Iron Horse Trail, which at this point was about 1200 feet below. Again, awesome views of the valley.

A word of warning, this last trek is not suitable for small children, and I would be wary of the trail above the first viewpoint with small kids. Some steep dropoffs off a narrow trail. Not a family friendly hike.

Rattlesnake Ledge

2008-07-27T22:00:00.001-07:00

Once again I picked a terrible weather day for a hike. Although I did find four geocaches, I was treated to clouds, clouds, and more clouds on each of the three ledges up on Rattlesnake Ledge, the southeast end of Rattlesnake Mountain. And plenty of rain to boot. Only in the Pacific Northwest can I have two layers of clothes on in late July and be underdressed.

This is still one of my favorite hikes. The trail is in excellent shape, it is steep and short (which I prefer), and the first ledge has plenty of space for all no matter how busy it is. Not many people head up to the other ledges, which I like even better (I hike for the solitude).

No pictures today due to the weather. Despite the weather the trail was plenty busy, even for an early morning hike. I can't imagine how busy this trail is these days when the weather cooperates!

Tiger Mountain: West Tiger 3 Summit

2008-07-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

The family decided to use this beautiful, cloudless, mid-70 degree day to take on the West Tiger 3 trail of Tiger Mountain. Tiger Mountain has several access points, the most popular being the High Point Trailhead off Exit 20 of I-90. This provides access to the excellently maintained, level, Tradition Lake loop, a wonderful hiking area for toddlers, little kids, and those that just aren't in the mood for hiking up mountains.

Technically this area is part of the Issaquah Alps and not the Snoqualmie Valley, but its close enough to be covered here :)

The same area provides access to both the Tiger Mountain Trail, a 16 mile hike across the full of Tiger Mountain, and the West Tiger 3 trail, which, as the name implies, takes you to the summit of West Tiger 3 - the westernmost and lowest of the three West Tiger Mountain peaks.

West Tiger 3 seems like an old trail, hard-packed, mostly dirt with some embedded rocks for good measure. The trail runs for three miles with an elevation gain of 1900 feet, and drops the hiker into a nice clearing with clear views of Mount Si and the northern Snoqualmie Valley, Mount Rainier, Seattle, Lake Washington, and the Olympics. On this day the haze prevented good views of Seattle and the Olympics, but we did catch the many hang-gliders and para-gliders making their way off Tiger Mountain.

The dirt and fresh rock that's been sprinkled on the trail actually make this a little more difficult than the average groomed trail. Our kids had trouble slipping on the way down, to the point where we slowed it down considerably and ended up carrying our three year old.

The trail was plenty busy today, and we did this hike in the afternoon. Took us 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to the top, and 90 minutes to make it back down. The steepness of the trail sure made it seem longer.

No good views of anything along the way; however, Tiger Mountain does have a pretty extensive trail system, so you can take multiple ways exploring the area and multiple ways to get to the West Tiger 3 summit.

Mount Rainer from West Tiger 3 Summit

Mount Si from West Tiger 3 Summit

Asahel Curtis Nature Trail and Picnic Area

2008-07-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Take Exit 47 off I-90 and follow the signs to the Asahel Curtis Picnic Area. Despite the proximity to I-90, the area is nestled next to the Snoqualmie River and sits under lush Evergreens. The picnic area makes an excellent respite from civilization, and there is a nice, short nature trail that starts at the picnic area, wanders through several streams, runs along the Snoqualmie River, and bypasses several large, interesting trees. It even runs back under I-90.

My kids love this area and eagerly take on the trail, which goes out about a third of a mile before ending at the Asahel Curtis Nature Area.

Mount Si

2008-07-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, le creme de le creme of where the Snoqualmie Valley splits the Cascade Mountains - Mount Si. Unfortunately, I chose a cloudy day to climb this.

Take Exit 32 off I-90, go north, and hang a left on North Bend Way. About a half a mile you will run into Mount Si Blvd - hang a right and you are on your way. In a couple miles you will spot the trailhead, probably the biggest one in Snoqualmie Valley. On any given day you will encounter countless hikers, if you can find parking at all.

From the trailhead you will have a four mile, 3000 foot elevation gain to the top side of Mount Si. Not a lot of views on the way up - the views are left to those that make the peak. Not that I got to see any on the day I went (the 4th of July), hence no pictures.

The trail is well groomed, always a steady elevation gain, and finishes rather quickly (just four miles long). At the top, there are plenty of rocks for exploring and obtaining unique and great views of Rainier, Seattle, the Olympics, and the Snoqualmie Valley. Those more adventurous can climb "the haystack" - that pointy thing-a-ma-jig that you see from below that makes Mount Si distinguishable from other Cascade Mountains. It's another 250 feet up that, with no trail. Warning signs greet you. I chose not to give it a try, instead I am going to wait until there are views worthy of the ascent. Surely an incentive to come back!

The trail is kid friendly if the kids have the endurance - no crazy rock climbs, stream crossings, etc.

Middle Fork Snoqualmie River

2008-06-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

East of North Bend the Snoqualmie River has three forks, aptly named the North, Middle, and South Forks. I-90 follows the South Fork to Snoqualmie Pass, and the trails/mountains off it are fairly popular. Just north of exit 34, you can pick up Middle Fork Road, which will take you along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. Take this pothole ridden, dirt road 11.5 miles, and you will arrive at the trailhead with ample parking and a restroom to boot.

The trail starts off with a large wooden suspension bridge that crosses the river, giving terrific views upstream and downstream Cross the bridge and head upstream (left) for a 12 mile, low elevation gain, groomed trail that will take you through the woods with excellent views of the mountains and the river. This is an excellent trail for kids. In fact, given the length, the location, and the fact there is some elevation gain (but not a lot) this might be our new favorite exercise spot for the family. Lots of old growth, lots of vegetation, and lots of tiny water crossings.

About 2.5 miles in was a nice water crossing (about 12 feet wide) where we stopped for lunch and used as our turnaround. One day my wife and I will be back to hike the entire length.

I am not clear whether mountain bikers are allowed on this trail or not. I saw lots of bike tire tracks in the mud, but did not see any bikers today.

A great essay on Mount Si

2008-05-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing read from a friend of mine. You'll enjoy it.

Sledding at Hyak Sno-Park

2008-01-21T20:34:00.000-08:00

This wasn't a hike, but the family spent the day at the Hyak Sno-Park, which is located right at the Hyak trailhead off the Iron Horse John Wayne Trail. Take I-90 to Snoqualmie Pass, get off at Exit 54, and follow the directions to the Hyak Trailhead.

Today we enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day free of clouds and precipitation. Since it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day, kids were not in school and it seems like all of Eastern and Central Washington congregated in Snoqualmie Pass.

Nested at the bottom of the East Summit at Snoqualmie, the Hyak Sno-Park has a couple small sledding hills, plus some ad hoc hills suitable for younger (under 5) kids. Not a large area by any means, but loads of fun for the kids. Many people bring their tailgate gear and have a nice picnic or bar-b-que. Very smart idea.

Parking is $10, and in the end it is quite a bargain compared to the $75 we would have forked over at the Tubing Center at the Summit at Snoqualmie.

Some pics of the surroundings:

Snoqualmie Point Park

2007-10-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

This isn't a hike, except that it's very close to the Rattlesnake Mountain Trailhead. But the new Snoqualmie Point Park provides an amazing lookout over the Snoqualmie Valley.

I first came to this location a couple years ago when I heard of the "Old Snoqualmie Winery." At that time it was a cool viewpoint of the Snoqualmie Valley located right off I-90 Exit 27. My understanding was that a large winery existed here at one time but burned down in 1999 and other than clearing out the old buildings, nothing had been done with the land since. Last year when we came up we noticed a ton of construction activity. Today, we took a look and much has been completed although it doesn't look like the park is officially open yet. It has parking, lots of stone landscaping, and a pavilion with amazing views of Mount Si, Teneriffe, Rattlesnake Mountain, Mount Washington, and Snoqualmie Valley. We even caught a great glimpse of Mount Baker today.

I took some pics, but they just don't do the viewpoint justice.

Cedar Butte

2007-06-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Located between Mount Washington and Rattlesnake Mountain is a small, 900 foot elevation gain mountain called Cedar Butte. Take I-90 Exit 32 to Rattlesnake Lake and park at the Cedar Falls trailhead. A .8 mile walk along the Iron Horse / John Wayne Trail will take you to Boxley Creek; a couple hundred feet beyond that is a marked trail for Cedar Butte.

The trail is groomed, but overgrown to the point where it feels like you're bushwacking in spots. Eventually it opens up in a burned out forest to complete the short, 1.25 mile hike to the summit. From there, you're treated to a nice view of Mailbox Peak and the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valley. Someone has even gone through the trouble of providing benches and seats carved out of woodstumps. Also on the way up you can sneak peeks to Rattlesnake Lake and Ledge, which suprised us how far we had walked from the trailhead!

Mt. Washington - Owl Hike Spot

2007-06-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

Our family set out with our neighbors a couple weekends ago to take on part of Mount Washington - a two mile hike to the Mount Washington Owl Hike Spot (with our kids in tow we weren't prepared to take on Mount Washington itself). This was our first hike up Mount Washington.

We parked at the Upper Twin Falls trailhead off I-90, and headed up the steep trail to the Iron Horse / John Wayne Trail. Heading west about 500 feet will take you to the unmarked Mount Washington trailhead. This is a very nice trail that meanders steeply upward through a lot of rock formations and trails. Occasionally you will get a glimpse of the Cascades through the trees, but generally there isn't a good lookout until you get to the Owl Hike Spot. The trail itself is a little rough - it is mostly small (about the size of a softball) rocks, which after 4 miles of hiking ends up being hard on the knees and ankles.

After two miles and a 1600 foot elevation gain, you will find yourself at the Owl Hike Spot with an amazing view of North Bend, Rattlesnake Mountain and Ledge, Snoqualmie, and Snoqualmie Ridge. The trail continues on to the top of Mount Washington (another four miles), but we didn't give that a try that day.

Books will label this as a challenge to kids, but they tackled it with a couple rests on the way up. There was also an amazing cave that rock climbers use for advance rock climbing. The kids (even my two year old, much to my surprise and worry) were able to scramble up it and have fun in the cave.

Hiking Little Si

2007-05-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Our first hike of the year was Little Si today. We tried to do this about a month ago, and were turned back simply because of lack of parking! This morning we fared a little better, finding parking down the road from the main parking lot.

It was a nice day today for a hike - a little hazy, some clouds, and a little chilly when the breeze hit, but for Seattle weather I'll take it.

Little Si is a 5 mile round trip, 1500 foot elevation gain hike that takes you to the top of Little Si, Mount Si's little brother to the south. There is a large dose of rocks on the trail. When you're not climbing rocks directly the trail is about 50/50 rock and dirt. Makes it fun for the kids who imagine themselves rock climbing.

Serious rock climbers will veer off the trail about a mile in, and scale the northeast wall of Little Si. Hikers continue around to the west side of Little Si and make their way up.

Those that make it to the top are treating to wonderful views of Mount Si as well as expansive views of Snoqualmie Valley, especially Rattlesnake Mountain, Cedar Butte, and Mount Washington.

This is a family friendly hike. Our six year old has done this twice now, without a problem, and our two year old scrambled most of the way up the initial trail up and walked halfway down before peetering out.

Tolt McDonald Park

2007-03-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I posted something. Not that I haven't been enjoying the Snoqualmie Valley and Cascades, but I just haven't done much "new" in a while. I changed that today by taking my mountain bike to the Tolt McDonald Park in Southwestern Carnation (formerly Tolt). Carnation is on the north side of the valley, a small town east of Redmond. Actually, given its proximity to Redmond and the lack of space to build homes here on the east side, I'm surprised Carnation is still a small town.

Anyway, I've heard that Told McDonald had the best mountain biking in the area. I'm not an expert, so I can't compare, but I had a blast this afternoon. Long, winding, bouncing, switchbacking trails made for some white knuckles and a fun afternoon, despite the cold and the rain.

You can access the park off 203 - turn west at the signs for the park, just south of downtown Carnation. Take the road all the way to the end, park, and take your bike across the bridge. Head up the hill, and you'll find a few trails in the area. I didn't take them all, obviously, and a few of them were obstructed with downed trees.

The trails are suitable for hiking as well, and I will bring the family back someday. There are also a number of caches in the area. I found the one that was on the trail I was taking. :)

I highly recommend this park. I didn't see anyone out today, but I assume that was due to the weather and it being a weekday.

Rattlesnake Mountain Trail

2006-10-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Rattlesnake Mountain is part of the Issaquah Alps of the Western Cascades. It sits between SR-18 on the west and Rattlesnake Lake on the east, spanning about 7 miles. It reaches a peak of 3250 feet.

In recent years, the trail system on Rattlesnake Mountain has been revamped. There is now a groomed trail, without logging roads, that runs from Snoqualmie Point on the west side of the mountain all the way to Rattlesnake Lake. The trail is 11 miles long, with an elevation gain of about 2200 feet from either end.

My wife and I undertook this hike yesterday, our most aggressive to date. For the first time on our hikes we left the kids behind, as this is too aggressive for young kids (we did see a teenager running up Rattlesnake Ledge TWICE... wow, to be young and in shape again).

The trail wanders through different terrain; first on grass and trees, then through thick forest, then opens up to an area that's been logged, then through thick, shoulder-high brush, back through an open area, then through tall evergreens, then through brush again, then through a nice dirt path, and finally through rocks. It is quite varied and the change of scenery every mile or so is refreshing.

We started this trip from Snoqualmie Point (which in and of itself is fun, with a great view of Snoqualmie Valley, hence the name). At about two miles you get to the first great viewpoint. Another three miles will get you to "Grand Prospect", which lies directly north of North Bend (it's the peak you see as you drive north to the I-90 interchange). The next two miles will take you up and down between Grand Prospect and East Peak. The East Peak has some great views as well, peeking behind Mount Teneriffe. The East Peak is the highest point on this trail, at 3250 feet. From there, it's downhill. A mile and a half from the peak you will get to the first of three "Rattlesnake Ledges." The other two are a quarter mile away each. The last two miles is a long walk down from Rattlesnake Ledge to Rattlesnake Lake. This last stretch is the most popular stretch - most people hike/run this stretch only. On this day (a beautiful Sunday) we only met two people that were hiking the entire trail.

The views are simply magnificent. We chose a perfect day, and could see deep into the Cascades in every direction.

Whew... just 11 miles to go!

The twin peaks view... Mount Si (left), Mount Teneriffe, and North Bend from Grand Prospect.

Snoqualmie Valley due north... you can can barely see Mount Teneriffe on the left... from a side trail off east peak (some say this is the best view from Rattlesnake Mountain).

The lowest RattleSnake Ledge as seen from the "second ledge." (Look for the people at the bottom of the picture)

The Preston-Snoqualmie Trail

2006-10-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

No pictures of this, but I biked along the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail from the trailhead in Preston down to the "other side" of Snoqualmie Falls. About a 5 mile long trail is all, but very nice, and it's paved between Lake Alice and Snoqualmie Falls. Perfect for biking or even a walk.

I enjoyed the view of Snoqualmie Falls from the end of the trail. Nice view, and benches to relax and enjoy.

The trail runs right under Snoqualmie Ridge (it's maybe a quarter mile from my house, but would take a good couple mile hike to get to it) to the north, and opens to the Snoqualmie Valley to the south. This time of year was beautiful with the leaves turning color. Even with the rain, the views were impressive.

I've actually walked this before with the family, and both times I've been on it it's been fairly busy. A popular trail for dogs.

If you're going to walk, I suggest parking at the Lake Alice Road trailhead near Fall City and head east to the Falls.

Another Snoqualmie Valley Trail hike

2006-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

This was a short hike with my two sons (ages 1.5 and 5) simply enjoying the trail between the Snoqualmie trailhead and the Tokul Creek bridge. On a fall day, with the leaves turning color but still on trees, this was simply an awesome walk. We wandered on some nicely groomed side trails today, and didn't realize there were as many side trails that lead to side trails that lead to side trails. Many a choice, and even though the trailhead to the bridge only measures a half a mile, we spent three hours exploring the side trails. The boys had a lot of fun, and every junction turned into a five minute debate on where to go.

As for Tokul Creek, we took the time to enjoy the views today (last time I was on my bike and didn't really take time to appreciate where we were). We walked to the center, dead above the creek below, and checked out the view from both sides of the bridge. Unbelievable. The creek runs through a gorgeous assortment of rocks and trees about 150 feet below the bridge, and the way the bridge is constructed you literally can look straight down (they have a gap between the walkway and fence). Definitely not for those afraid of heights, but I'm not sure I've seen a better view in the valley. Time of year had an impact for sure.

I highly recommend this trail between Snoqualmie and Fall City. Just amazing how it winds through the hills. Oh yeah, a warning... the Snoqualmie Valley Gun Club is below the trail in the valley, so hearing LOUD gunfire is normal :)

Favorite Summer Hikes in Snoqualmie

2006-09-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, now that fall is here (at least weather-wise), time to recap the best family summer hikes in the Snoqualmie area.

Number 5: RattleSnake Ledge

Take a 1200+ elevation gain, two mile hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge for amazing views of the Snoqualmie Valley. Then enjoy a refreshing dip in Rattlesnake Lake. Great combination, and the large lake leaves plenty of space for

Number 4: Franklin Falls

This is a nice 1.1 mile hike from the trailhead, bringing you to the base of Franklin Falls where you can enjoy the mist from the falls or even pass under the falls.

Number 3: Snoqualmie Falls

Here you hike down to the base of the falls, an elevation change of 650 ft or so.

Number 2: Twin Falls

I like this hike because it starts off right along the Snoqualmie River, to the point where kids, and adults, can play in the river and refill water bottles. It then proceeds through a well groomed trail to the Twin Falls area with great views.

Number 1: Denny Creek Slippery Slab

This is a no-brainer - easily the best place in the summer for a hike. Our kids now ask for it by name!

Jak's Restaurant in Issaquah

2006-09-16T07:55:00.000-07:00

What is a post about a restaurant doing in a hiking blog? Good question. With the popularity of this blog I've decided to expand into reviews of other things in the Snoqualmie Valley.

For example, for the last year or so Amy and I have been on a quest for a good steak place, something that is commonplace in Chicago (to the extent that we never did hit all the good steak joints). Ruth's Chris was the best we could find, and frankly as a "great" steak place Ruth's Chris doesn't impress me. Good stuff, but overpriced.

One of our friends recommended Jak's in Issaquah, but warned us of the notorious long waits. A couple months ago on our anniversary (it fell on a Thursday), Amy and I decided to give it a try. Wow, were we so not disappointed.

Funny, it took us three trips around the bring to actually find the place. It is as close to as a hole in the wall as you can get. I'd be surprised if there were 15 tables there (a few of them 2 seaters), and you can maybe fit 8 people at the bar. No wonder there are long waits.

But the steak was amazing. As good as the Chicago chop houses for sure. And the sides, which is how Chicago chop houses differentiate themselves, were outstanding as well. The potato pancakes are their specialty.

Service was outstanding as well. When we were told it would be a half hour wait, Amy and I headed down the block to a watering hole. 10 minutes later, the waitress was asking us if we were the Reagan party - Jak's had called and told us our table was ready. Pretty obvious that watering hole does a lot of business with Jak's waiting list.

Can't wait to get back. I've tried the Metropolitan Grill in downtown Seattle, and Jak's beats it hands down.

Rattlesnake Ledge

2006-09-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

Rattlesnake Ledge overlooks Rattlesnake Lake, North Bend, and the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River. It is essentially the west end of Rattlesnake Mountain.

You can hike to the ledge from Rattlesnake Lake (Exit 32 off I-90). The trail is about 1.5 miles long, with an elevation gain of about 1200 feet. The trail is well groomed, and is kid-friendly. On this Labor Day afternoon it was quite busy as well!

Rattlesnake Ledge itself is quite expansive, with plenty of room to accomodate numerous hikers. It provides a great view of North Bend and Rattlesnake Lake, as well as a great eastward view of the Snoqualmie Valley and Cascade Mountains.

North Bend as seen from Rattlesnake Ledge.

Rattlesnake Lake as seen from Rattlesnake Ledge.

Spencer loved the huge rocks on the hike up!

Denny Creek Slippery Slab, Redux

2006-09-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

Spent Saturday late morning and early afternoon at the Denny Creek Slippery Slab, located just west of Snoqualmie Pass at I-90 exit 47. Spencer (our 5 year old) is asking for this hike by name now, so we obliged.

Water level was down a little, but not so much so that the water slide couldn't be enjoyed. And it was surpringly cold when we got there. We left Snoqualmie Ridge at 10am and 80 degrees, and when we arrived in Snoqualmie Pass it was 62 degrees. It is September, and the weather is clearly changing. It did warm up during the day, but I don't think it ever hit 70 degrees there.

Since it was our second trip I took Garrett and we headed upstream and explored further. Denny Creek, at the "Slippery Slab," is easily traversable. While Garrett (20 months) struggled with the water slide, he loved taking on the waterbed and climbing through the creek. The little rocks were obstacles to be conquered, and he had a blast.

No pictures this time, as we left our camera in the car.

Snoqualmie Valley Trail

2006-07-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, not a good hiking trail in the traditional sense, the Snoqualmie Valley Trail runs along the Snoqualmie Valley from the Pass to "past Carnation" (I'm not sure where it ends). It's a converted rail-to-trail, that serves as a great trail for biking and horses. And based on the amount of horse scat littering the trail its clear this trail gets a lot of horse traffic.

I've traversed this from a number of access points between Carnation and North Bend, and each has its own character and charm. I really like between Fall City and Snoqualmie. It runs along a ridgeline and crosses some deep crevases. To the South, great views of Snoqualmie Ridge and the Cascades. It's flat with no elevation gains (so far as I can tell), making it kid-friendly for hiking and biking.

No pictures, just a recommendation for those that are into biking and horseback riding. Not as picturesque as the Iron Horse / John Wayne trail, but not as crowded, either.

Mount Margaret

2006-07-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, we didn't hike Mt. Margaret today. But, after our fun at Denny Creek, we drove up into the pass and found a road that gave us access to some spectacular views of Mount Rainier. I'm going to post the raw images now, but I am going to try and clean them up later and repost.

Mount Margaret is on the east side of I-90 just east of Snoqualmie Pass. Due to its elevation (we were probably 5000 ft up), it provides a magnificent view of Mount Rainer over top of the Cascades (normally the Cascades block any view of Mount Rainier from almost anywhere in Snoqualmie Valley and Pass.

Pictures are below. Those are the Cascades in the foreground!

Denny Creek Slippery Slab

2006-07-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a blast! The Denny Creek Slippery Slab is a natural water slide - a sheer rock formation covering a tenth of a mile or so with water flowing through it that creates an amazing water slide for kids (apparently adults too). At this time of year, the water is so shallow it doesn't pose a danger, and the rock is surprisingly comfortable - I damn near fell asleep after lunch.

Listed in both 55 Hikes Around Snoqualmie and Best Hikes for Kids in Western Washington, the water slide is located about 1.25 miles from the trailhead, which is just past the Denny Creek Campground off I-90 exit 47. It's listed as a 500 foot elevation gain, but frankly it feels steeper than that. Although it doesn't feel like a full mile and a quarter... more like just under a mile.

The trail is interesting. It's well groomed, well travelled (the parking was packed today, and runs under I-90 which is an interesting twist on nature. It crosses Denny Creek, and runs alongside it most of the way.

Definitely this is Spencer and Garrett's favorite hike so far! We spent a good two and a half hours there and would have spent more if Spencer had his way. Despite all the people, it really didn't feel crowded - plenty of space to spreah out even if there were 100 or so people there.

A great visit on a 90+ degree day in the Pass.

Keechelus Lake

2006-07-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

We had such good luck at our last lake in Snoqualmie Pass, Gold Creek, that we decided to try big Keechelus (don't ask me how to prounouce it) Lake. It's located off the same exit (54 - Hyak) as Gold Creek.

What intrigued me to the lake were the descriptions on various caches that indicate that many of the islands in the lake can be traversed at certain times of the year depending on water level. Sure enough, today the water was down and we were actually able to walk to one of the islands on a cache hunt.

The views of course are amazing, but the lake lacks the tranquility of Gold Creek. Due to the receding water, there is much more "brown" than green. However, the water is shallow and warm, and the kids had a ball for an hour playing in the lake.

The Iron Horse trail runs near the lake, so I assume there are some side trails that run between the two. This is also a popular boating spot, with a couple boat launches on the lake.

If I had a choice, we would go back to Gold Creek instead of Keechelus. More scenic, better trails, and more picnicking options.

Gold Creek

2006-07-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

Gold Creek is "in" Snoqualmie Pass, just east of the Summit. While I-90 was being built it served as a huge gravel pit. In 1983, after the gravel was used up, the state turned it into a nice park nestled between the highest peaks in Snoqualmie Pass.

Gold Creek has two parts: the trail and the pond. We did not take the trail tonight, but we plan to someday. The pond has a paved trail a mile long that loops it, has a creek that runs by it, is surrounded by beautiful views, and has about a dozen picnic tables in a nice, spacious picnic area on the south side of the pond.

Very family friendly, no elevation gains at the pond. Not a hike, but more of a leisurely stroll. Would like to come back near winter time to see how the snow-covered mountains look up close.

Twin Falls Hike

2006-07-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

We set out this morning for a nice family stroll to Twin Falls to play in the Snoqualmie River, to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise, take in a view of the amazing Twin Falls, and get some geocaching in. We accomplished all that on a gorgeous day to boot!

One reason I like the Twin Falls trail is the proximity to the Snoqualmie River. You can literally walk down the river, rest on the rocks, play in the water, refill your canisters with mountain fresh water, even walk to the other side.

The hike is fairly easy, rising and dropping in elevation about 300 feet. The trail is always busy, especially parking at the trailhead south of exit 34 off I-90.

After about 3/4 of a mile, the trail provides a bridge overlooking the twin falls area, which, you guessed it, consists of back-to-back falls that empty into the south fork of the Snoqualmie River. Beyond the falls, the trail goes a couple more miles and hooks up with the infamous John Wayne Trail. We didn't go that far today, but we did go about a half mile past the falls in hunt of a cache. No luck, though.

This is a very family friendly trail, mentioned in Best Hikes with Kids in Western Washington, and seems to be pretty popular with dog owners.

Rattlesnake Ridge

2006-07-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Rattlesnake Ridge, Mountain, Ledge... whatever it's really called, is the large mountain on the south side of I-90 between exits 27 and 32. Rattlesnake Trail is an 11 mile long trail, one way, between the old Snoqualmie Winery off exit 27 and Rattlesnake Lake off exit 32.

We have yet to take on Rattlesnake Mountain - Amy and I are waiting for a time when we can tackle this ourselves. However, we have started from the Winery and trekked up a couple miles to the first great viewpoint (shown in the pictures below). This is a fun hike, taking one through different types of forest (dense to sparse, wet to dry, dirt to rock). There's even a nice stream along the way ripe with water suitable for refilling your water bottle. Not sure of the elevation change, but I venture its 800-1000 feet to the first viewpoint.

When we finally get the opportunity to tackle this end-to-end, I'll post the details and the pics.

Tiger Mountain - Tradition Lake

2006-07-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Tiger Mountain is the ominous mountain just beyond Issaquah as you head east on I-90 from Seattle. Home to a number of hiking trails, it has a nice, level set of trails on the west side of the park that are family friendly. Circling Tradition Lake, these trails give kids plenty to do. There's even a rusted out school bus just off, what else, "Bus Trail." So far, this has been our favorite hiking for the kids.

To get there, take I-90 to exit 20. The entrance to the trailhead is on the south side of the expressway. Turn right into the entrance, and head up to the parking lot next to the trailhead. Tiger Mountain is usually busy on weekends; on more than one occasion the lot has been full.

It occurs to me that while these trails are great for family exercise and interesting the kids... we have no pictures despite several visits! Will have to make sure we get some next time we are there.

Franklin Falls

2006-07-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Franklin Falls is located close to the Summit of Snoqualmie Pass, and is actually situated between the west- and east-bound lanes of I-90. We did not take the 2 mile round trip hike today, instead we chose to park close to the falls, grab a cache and head to the falls.

I can see why this generates so much discussion. Gorgeous falls, and being at the bottom of the falls is always more fun and impressive than being at the top (although hiking to the top is definitely fun). The extra snowfall this past winter has resulted in a significant, noticable increase in water flowing from the Cascades, and Franklin Falls apparently is no different.

The trails are well groomed and run along the river that flows out from the falls. Once you are within a couple hundred feet of the base of the falls, the trail turns into a narrow rock path between a rock wall and the riverbed below. Today, the path was slippery, and due to the shortness of the hike Amy and I both left our hiking boots in the car and just had tennis shoes on. Made us a little nervous and a little extra careful.

When we got to the base, there really was no area to sit down, and the water seemed pretty deep, so we weren't comfortable having the kids wade in there. We didn't stick around long (neither did the family that was hiking just ahead of us). This was our first time here, so I assume that normally there is more area to enjoy due to less water.

We will definitely be back, both to hike the regular trail as well as enjoy the base of the falls.

Little Si

2006-06-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

By far our favorite hike so far is Little Si, located just east of North Bend.

Elevation gain on this hike is about 1500 feet, and the hike is about 5 miles round trip. We did this with our five year old, and it's a trail suitable for kids.

The trail offers a lot of variety: flat trails, rock-covered trails, slight climbs, a stream, even a wall for rock climbers. Top of Little Si was busy the day we were there, but plenty of room for a small snack and rest, as well as taking in views of Snoqualmie Valley, the Cascades, and Mount Si.

I highly recommend this hike. Can be completed in three hours even at a leisurely pace.

Cougar Mountain

2006-06-28T22:57:00.000-07:00

Cougar Mountain is the Westernmost mountain in the Cascades along the I-90 corridor. Nestled between Bellevue and Issaquah, it has been preserved from commerical and residential development.

We haven't done much at Cougar Mountain yet. We did a quick hike around Anti-Aircraft peak, which is a site of a former anti-aircraft battery. It has a great view of Lake Sammamish, the Sammamish Valley, and Mount Baker.

We also parked at the Red Town Trailhead and did a quick hike to the Red Town Dam. The Coal Creek Trail seemed to be a magnet for dogs.

Will post more as we explore Cougar Mountain.