Urban Outcast Music #42 - Things Happen by Dawes
Winter hiking (without a gun and a target) is a new experience for me and just partway through the first trail I was kicking myself for making it into middle age before discovering the obvious - the mountains are still beautiful and the crowds are gone.
Hike #1 - Granite Lakes, 8.8 miles, 2,270' gain
A hike through state forest lands to reach two alpine lakes at the edge of the Snoqualmie National Forest. Started out in the normal mossy, ferny mistiness and discovered that the snowline you see below didn't get serious until about 3,000'. Just one hiker in front of us made for a very peaceful walk up an old logging truck grade.
Hike #2 - Rattlesnake Mountain, 11.7 miles, 2,520' gain
Another hike through state forest lands but this time to reach the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain. Savor the views along the way because the summit is not the highlight and sits on the edge of recent clear cuts. This was one of the most civilized I-90 hikes, following the gentle rise of the mountain's shoulder. Just one runner in front of us made for another quiet hike. The highlight on this trail was seeing a selective logging strategy that left a lot of old trees, now dead and seeing heavy use from the birds and critters.
