Note: I broke my camera last weekend so all of this post’s photos are from our cell phones. Hopefully I’ll have my repaired camera back soon!

Gate closed!

We pulled into Longmire at 9:40am to find the gate locked. They were still plowing the road up to Paradise and we were told at the entrance that the gate should be opening at 10am. We passed the time at Longmire by getting our gear all packed and ready so we could get started right away once up at Paradise. Everyone at Longmire was getting their skis all ready. Some people even already had their ski boots on. We saw one guy who had his left ski boot on but a normal shoe on his right foot so he could still drive his car.

Rainier seen from Longmire

At 10:30 the gate opened and the parking lot was jammed with cars trying to jockey for position. Still, the 12 mile drive from Longmire to Paradise went quickly enough. The road was a little icy but the park service did a great job of salting and sanding so our Explorer only had to activate four wheel drive once or twice. Our excitement level increased with every opening that gave us a view of Mount Rainier unobstructed by any clouds. Snow could be seen blowing in the wind off of the ridges in the Tatoosh range which was a precursor to what conditions we were going to find during our tour.

Skiers assemble!

Once at Paradise we unloaded our ski gear with everyone else in the lot. The parking lot was super icy so we had to be careful to not fall on our butts in our ski boots. Luckily, we were able to skin right from the lot which was a welcome change of pace from last weekend’s multi-mile hike at Heliotrope Ridge.

A small glimpse of all the skiers, snowboarders, snowshoes, and hikers at Paradise

After checking our avalanche beacons, we got in line and followed everyone up the well set skin track through the meadows. The snow was really wind affected. Lower sections of the trail were 1-2 feet deep powder while the ridges were icy and packed down. There were also a lot of rocks visible which made us nervous about taking gouges to our ski bases on the way out.

Despite the crowds we made good time

From the very start we were in awe of the views of Mount Rainier. Soon enough we were able to look behind us and have amazing views of Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood and the rest of the South Cascades.

Beautiful views!

I was nervous about the climb up to Panorama Point. When I came to Paradise last winter we decided against going up after watching several unprepared hikers slide uncontrollably back down the steep slope. Paul and I stood at the base of the slope discussing our strategy. We both agreed we’d give it a shot and if we were uncomfortable we’d turn back. The first skiers had set a nice switchbacking skin track but it was quickly disintegrating as other’s slid sideways on the icy sections. I put on my ski crampons and had great traction heading straight up. Paul threw his skis onto his backpack and kicked steps into the ice and quickly passed me. About 2/3 of the way up I decided to follow in Paul’s footsteps and carry my board since I was getting nervous with the angle. It was definitely an interesting experience being up on that slope surrounded by other skiers and trusting that none of them were going to fall and take me out.

Congregation of skiers going up to Panorama Point

Setting out for the day we didn’t have any definite plans. I threw out the idea of heading all the way up to Camp Muir at 10,188 feet so we were traveling in that general direction. We were stoked to have made it to Panorama Point but were a little unsure of what to do next. Some of the skiers who were heading up past Panorama Point were quickly turning back and a large contingent were dropping into a nearby bowl. We were afraid that everyone else knew something that we didn’t and decided to not head towards Camp Muir and to enjoy the slopes below us. Camp Muir will just have to wait for another trip! I read later that the slopes above us were really icy so I’m glad we made the decision we did.

Paul excited to be atop Panorama Point

We could either hike up this or start skiing. We chose skiing.

Tons of people transitioning

We transitioned on top of Panorama Point and skied the bowl below us. We found about 6″ of powder atop a firm base which made for some really fun turns. Today was Paul’s first day out for the season so this run was good for him to get his ski head back on. We both felt a lot more confident about the day after this run since we knew there was some good snow out there despite the icy sections we had found on the ridges. Temps were variable too. On top of Panorama Point we were getting pretty cold and hammered with wind. But sheltered in the bowl we were a lot more comfortable.

Paul’s first run of the season!

Eager for more we followed a skin track up to ski a neighboring bowl. To try and get a longer run we found ourselves scrambling up a rocky section, but ran out of places to go and had to make an awkward transition and drop in attempting to avoid the rocks.

Second run of the day

Here’s a video from that awkward, rocky drop in:

It was getting close to our designated turn around time so we set to the task of figuring out how get back to the parking lot. This is when we realized our dumb mistake of the day. Since we’d been playing it by ear we never made a plan for where we were going. Neither of us were familiar with the terrain we were in. Nervous about getting out, we spent some time looking over the map and deciphering the various ski tracks around us.

Now how do we get out of here?

We were both getting a little scared after looking down a few drainages that were too steep for us and were seriously lacking snow coverage. Somehow other people were able to ski down them before us. Luckily on the map we were able to find a much mellower slope nearby. We were soon on our way towards it and came across a group of snowboarders who were having the same discussion as us about trying to figure out how to get down. We finally figured out exactly which route to follow and had a fun run dropping down to the creek along with the other boarders.

We entered the creek basin from the top right corner of the photo. In the summer the Skyline Ridge trail goes along this same general path.

From there it was a quick traverse across the creek basin. Soon I was actually recognizing my surroundings. We had brought my parents here with Jack when he was about a month old to see Myrtle Falls. Suddenly we were coming across a small wooden bridge 10-15 feet above the creek which was pretty spooky to snowboard across since the snow was even with the handrails. I totally wiped out due to fear but luckily managed to not plunge into the water below.

Back at the car we couldn’t stop smiling and talking about how awesome and perfect the day was. I can’t wait until the next time I get to snowboard here. On a clear day there’s nothing quite like it. Next time I’ll be sure to have a much better plan for the day along with back up plans in case conditions aren’t right. Luckily everything worked out for us today and it even added a little bit of extra fun having to figure out where to go on the fly. But it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun had we gotten lost or in terrain that was above our skill level.

Check out plenty more photos over on our Facebook page

With Maura and Jack in Minnesota and 6-9″ of fresh snow in the forecast I decided it was a good time for my first splitboard tour of the season. I’d had my eye on Heliotrope Ridge after seeing a couple of trip reports from early November on Turns All Year.

I left work a little early to pick up my friend Dave at a park-and-ride with a plan to meet our friends Kelly and Cary at the Skagit River Brewery in Mt Vernon. Traffic was pretty terrible until we got past Everett but it wasn’t nearly as bad as our trip to Phelps Basin a few weeks back. After some delicious burgers and beers we headed towards Glacier Creek Road about a mile east of Glacier that would take us to the Heliotrope Ridge trailhead. We were unsure of how far up the road we’d get. The forecast made it seem like everything above 3000 feet would be covered in snow.

Driving up the winding Glacier Creek Road was a little chaotic in the darkness and heavy rain. The road is a mixture of asphalt and gravel where the asphalt has washed away. It also switches between single and double wide lanes constantly. But in the overall scheme of forest roads it’s in really good condition comparatively.

Dave tucked in for the night

We arrived at the trailhead at about 9pm. There’s room for about 30 cars in the long pullout on the side of the road but we were the only cars there at the time. There’s also a nice two stall latrine (don’t forget to bring your own toilet paper!) Since we were stuck in the middle of a heavy downpour we called it a night and crawled into the backs of our cars. I was pretty impressed by Kelly and Cary’s ability to somehow sleep in the back of their tiny VW. Although, things were pretty tight in the Explorer with two grown men and Latigo. But there was still more room than there would’ve been in a backpacking tent.

Our worry about not being able to make it all the way to the trailhead was completely unfounded. Not a single fleck of white snow could be seen. As I drifted off to sleep I started to dread the possibility of hiking the first couple of miles in the morning until we would hit snow in heavy rain.

At 4am I woke up to the sound of people talking loudly and car doors slamming. Peering out from our frosted windows I could see that the whole world had turned white. The rain had turned to snow throughout the night and left us a couple of inches of snow! It continued to fall heavily throughout the morning. The people who had woken us up headed up the trail to get first tracks. I fell back asleep because my sleeping bag was warm and everything outside was so cold!

Quick note – if you sleep in your car, crack a window! Not only does it help reduce condensation but it’ll also save you from waking up in the middle of the night struggling to breath. Last year on a backpacking trip to Snowy Lakes Maura and I learned this lesson the hard way when we awoke gasping for breath and couldn’t figure out what was going on.

Latigo was super excited to be in the snow!

We wound up sleeping in pretty late and by the time we were finished with our breakfast all of the other skiers were parking. Car after car pulled in filling the spaces of the lot and making the area feel more like a ski resort than a remote trailhead. I wasn’t even bummed that we wouldn’t be the first ones out even though we arrived the night before. I was happy that I didn’t have to wake up super early on a Saturday to make the drive!

Dave looking down the trail at all of the other skiers hiking up

Eventually our group was all ready and after checking each other’s avalanche beacons we followed the conga line of skiers out onto the trail. The Heliotrope Ridge trail starts simple enough with a beautiful bridge over Grouse Creek. You soon enter Mount Baker Wilderness and begin the windy path to the ridge. You cross a number of creek crossings on the way. The guidebook warns that sometimes these crossings can be precarious and icy but we had no issues with any of them this day. There are a few wide switchbacks on the way, too. Dave and I hiked the entire way with our snowboard boots on so we wouldn’t have to carry them. My splitboard is pretty old and really heavy so I take advantage of whatever I can do to reduce the weight on my back!

Kelly and Cary crossing one of the wider creek crossings

Quickly we all found ourselves being really hot! We continually removed layers to try and manage our heat. I was dripping sweat and my glasses were fogging up which was pretty annoying. Hopefully in the future I’ll learn to start out colder in anticipation of heating up from the hike.

The forest was beautiful dressed in a fresh layer of white

At 2 miles we found ourselves at a junction in the trail. The left route takes you to the glacial moraine but we headed to the right on the climbers route. Soon we  were above the treeline and finally had enough snow to transition from booting to skinning. Skinning conditions were a lot better than my first tour in November last year at Alpental. I didn’t have any equipment problems and made decent progress on the way up.

Dave on the ridge just above treeline

Cary skinning

Soon we found ourselves in front of a steeper section of terrain. Dave fought his way up the slope and discovered for us that there was ice lurking underneath. I took my skis off right away and just booted up to avoid falling backwards and having to awkwardly struggle to stand up again as I so often do when skinning steeper stuff. Once atop the short steep section there was a nice flat area where we all relaxed and snacked for a little bit.

Dave watches a pair of skiers climb up the steep section with more grace than us

A short-lived moment of blue sky!

Beautiful Coleman Glacier

Notice the people in the distance and how small they are! Coleman and Roosevelt Glaciers are visible with Bastile Ridge in the background

We continued our way up a few hundred feet following the gentlest terrain between exposed rocks. The weather was constantly shifting between not being able to see 10 feet in front of you to big open views. Although we never did get to see the summit of Mt Baker through the clouds we did get some awesome views of the nearby glaciers.

Cary and Dave transition their board/skis to downhill mode

Just shy of 6600 feet we decided to transition and head down. My first turns of the season weren’t the smoothest but overall the snow conditions were pretty great! The ride down was much too short and if I was more fit I would’ve asked for a second lap but my legs were dying and we still had to hike back out. We managed to ski/board down to below the treeline without hitting too many rocks. After a quick lunch we started the slog back to the car.

Fashion model Dave

Packing up and heading back to Seattle

Back at the trailhead we found even more snow had accumulated. Luckily the ride out was pretty smooth. There was a 4×4 trying to come up the road that was a little stuck which delayed us a bit. But eventually we made it out without anyone going into the ditch. Heliotrope Ridge is definitely a great place to come and tour when conditions allow and I’m so thankful for the group we pulled together to check it out.

View more pics on our Facebook page

We split the trip into 2 days to avoid having to drive 7 hours in a single day and to make the hike up a bit less strenuous. Plus, we wanted to do a little winter camping and catch the sunrise and sunset while on the mountain. The plan was to meet at the Tukwila park and ride at 2pm and be headed up the winter trail by 6pm. After being good Samaritans and giving a couple’s minivan a jump we were on the road heading south at around 2:45pm. From I-5 we got some great views of the mountain that had me thinking the mountain looked a lot taller than I remembered it looking. As we got nearer to the mountain on the forest roads we were amazed at the views we were graced with. Then a bit later, we were all confused by the fact that we hadn’t seen the mountain for a while. We’d gotten distracted by talk of the large earth dam we had passed and completely missed the turn-off to the sno-park. After overshooting the road by 15 miles we looped back and finally arrived and parked at about 6:30pm.

Some of the other cars also getting geared up.

We expected the parking lot to be pretty full because, when we signed in at the Lone Fir Resort in Cougar to get our permits we noticed the log book had many entries for the day. What we didn’t expect was that most of these people would be starting as late as we were. The parking lot was full of people grilling and lounging in camp chairs. It felt more like a ski resort than a trailhead. We packed up our gear and divvied out community gear. I don’t have much experience winter camping because as a Boy Scout I successfully managed to avoid all of those trips. I had to pick Paul’s brain a lot on what would be best to take to avoid having a super heavy bag. Paul was the director of the winter program at Tomahawk Scout Reservation in Birchwood, WI, so he knows his stuff. All 3 of us had brought our small backpacking tents but we decided to leave them in the car in favor of two tarps. We also brought 2 small backpacking stoves and a water filter. The water filter proved worthless since there wasn’t any running water.

Watson tightening up his straps.

Paul strapping his skis on.

Since there was no snow in sight we strapped our skis and boots to our packs and started hoofing it up the trail as quickly as possible so we could make the most of the remaining sunlight. My pack was crushingly heavy. My splitboard (it’s a snowboard the splits in two so you can ski) is old and heavy and my thick snowboard boots weren’t helping any. We kept a decent pace of about 3mph hiking on the trail as we kept hoping for snow to appear so we could skin. After about 1.25 miles we were able to transition and start skiing. On the way we encountered a few other groups who were making their way off the mountain. They all looked really exhausted but they said it was amazing.

The sunset reflecting off Mount St Helens.

At 2.45 miles in and 3600 feet we stopped and made camp. We had hoped to make it to what our guidebook referred to as the treeline camp at 4800 feet but we were running out of daylight. After debating a few different options we finally settled upon a small clearing away from the trail which featured a nearby group of trees with a large snow-free tree well. Sleeping on the dry ground would be a lot warmer than having the snow suck up our body heat. Paul dug out a sweet cooking pit with his avy shovel and started cooking our dinner. Watson crafted an amazing snow sofa out of a nearby tree. I don’t remember what I did during this time – I think I was just taking pictures. Paul made an amazing dinner with rice, beans, kale, zucchini, and sausage. It was nice to have a good warm meal as the sun went away and the temps started to drop. Plus he made a ton of it so we all got 2 or 3 helpings. We sat  tightly packed together on the snow sofa, cushioned by a Thermarest eating our meal and watching the stars come out. The moon came out and was so bright you didn’t need a head lamp. Soon it was getting late and we wanted to wake up at 5am so we crawled into sleeping bags beneath the trees.

Paul cooks, Watson oversees.

Our sleeping area (taken the morning after)

Reggae music confusingly woke me up at 5am. Paul has an interesting taste in alarm sounds. I really wasn’t ready to wake up but I had slept ridiculously well considering it was my first time sleeping under the stars in a really long time. Paul and I stayed really warm all night, but unfortunately Watson was a little cold in his sleeping bag. We were all thankful we were able to sleep on the ground instead of on top of the snow. All of the snow that had been soft last night was as hard as a rock but my water didn’t freeze so the temps were most likely around 32 degrees overnight. I cooked breakfast – dehydrated ham and eggs in a tortilla shell and handed out apples and muffins. We stashed our overnight gear under a tree to lighten our packs and began skiing up to the summit at 6am. Almost immediately we had to remove our skis to cross a dirty patch and boot up a steep part of the trail but then we were able to skin for a while. As we went along we found where most of the other people were camping as we began to pass tent after tent. Some of the occupants were waking up and getting geared up for the big days hike ahead of them. This is also the time where we began to realize that we definitely wouldn’t be alone on the way up as we kept passing people or in some cases being passed.

Paul and Watson ready to summit a volcano!

Watson and Paul skinning.

Mount Hood

As the trail got steep it soon became much more efficient to boot than to skin. I wasn’t super psyched on the prospect of lugging my board on my back again but trying to skin over all of the boot imprints covering the skin track was becoming very difficult. The hike in the night before had left my legs rather tired and I was already starting to fall behind Watson and Paul. Maura and I have been doing a lot of short, easy and flat hikes since she’s 6 months pregnant and I didn’t realize how out of shape I was. Watson offered to take my bindings which shaved off a good amount of weight and Paul took the JetBoil we brought along in case we needed to melt snow for drinking water. I was embarrassed that other people were having to pick up my slack but was thankful that they were so generous. We would carry our skis on our backs for the remainder of the ascent.

The crowds!

Water break

People were pretty spread out across the mountain so it was helpful to consult the map to figure out the best path forward.

Up and up and up!

Mount Adams

The guidebook recommended packing crampons and an ice axe in case of icy conditions. All of us had ice axes which we never ended up using. Wason and I had ski crampons but since we were booting they never were really necessary. I had brought microspikes as a poor mans crampon substitute in case of an emergency and I gave them to Paul since he didn’t have ski crampons. On the way up it would’ve definitely been easier to have crampons – but they weren’t necessary. So many people had hiked up in the slushy warm snow the day before that good bootprints were frozen making for a solid staircase. Unfortunately, a lot of the bootprints were from people on their way down when they were post-holing about a foot deep and going really fast making their steps spread out. I wasted a lot of energy trying to connect these distant foot prints as Watson and Paul took a more sensible switchbacking approach. However, when I tried to go diagonally up the hill I ended up in an icy section that made me nervous and sent me crawling back to the more established bootprints. As we made our way higher in elevation I found myself taking more and more frequent breaks. Soon it was ridiculous and I would take 3 steps and have to stop to wait for my legs to have the strength to do 3 more steps.  Watson and Paul were getting farther and farther ahead and I was beginning to doubt if I could even make it. I told myself to stop being so negative and to just keep going one step at a time and I slowly made my way up. One of the really demotivating aspects of Mount St. Helens is that the terrains is rolling so as you ascend you keep thinking you’re almost there only to find out there is another hump to cross. The last 500 feet were the hardest for me but eventually I joined Watson and Paul at the crater’s rim and was greeted with an amazing 360 view of Washington and Oregon. Peering into the crater of the mountain you could see smoke billowing out of the lava dome.

Smoke coming from the lava dome.

Watson chatting up some other skiers and being careful to stay back from the cornices.

Mount Adams – note the people on the ridge.

Success!

Spirit Lake filled with dead trees from the eruption and Mount Rainier in the background.

We spent an hour at the top eating lunch, taking pictures and enjoying the view. There were a large number of other people congregating at the top and more and more people were making their way up the final slope. One guy liked to talk about how he had summited the day before and the details of his father turning back after vomiting. Other highlights of our time up there was witnessing 2 kids under 10 years old summit, a sweet ski dog that could shred it with the best of them and 3 soldiers who carried an American flag the entire way up in uniform.

Little guy showing us how it’s done!

Soldiers

We were all waiting for the snow to soften up and form corn (Large-grained, rounded crystals formed from repeated melting and freezing of the snow that’s fun to ski). At 11:30am it was getting quite warm and we began skiing down. The first couple of pitches were still a little too firm and skiing over all of the boot imprints proved rather jarring. At one point I wiped out and bruised my tailbone from sliding on the ice. But we found that the south-westernly slopes were in perfect condition and soon we were whooping and hollering as we carved perfect corn. As we got lower in elevation the snow began to get slushy and our sluff (loose snow kicked off from turning) was beginning to get a lot larger. We passed others on their way up which had us shaking our heads due to the risk of loose-wet avalanches with the warmer temps later in the day. Lower on the mountain we had to navigate a few areas of thicker rocks.

Time to ski!

By 12:30pm we were back at our campsite filling our backpacks up with the gear we had stashed. A lot more of the snow had melted from the trail so we had to take our skis off at a couple of places earlier than expected. Eventually Paul and Watson threw their skis back onto their packs and switched to their normal shoes for the final 1.5 miles. I opted to carry my board in my arms and walk in my snowboard boots. I assumed they would be much faster than me since I was so tired and suggested I walk ahead so they could catch up after strapping their skis to their packs. Unexpectantly, I actually made really good time and averaged 3.4 mph on the way back – not bad for snowboard boots! I came upon a guy and girl who were also hiking out but the girl was walking barefoot because her ski boots were giving her such bad blisters. Since I wasn’t using my hiking shoes I offered them to her to finish the hike out with. Granted I don’t know how comfortable my size 12 shoes ended up being for her! I passed two other women walking barefoot on the way out but I had no more shoes to give. This was a good reminder to me to be sure to always have some approach shoes packed when you can’t skin from the car!

Back on non-frozen ground

Ready for the hike out.

I arrived at the car about 10 minutes before Watson and Paul and I got the grill set up for the brats that Watson had packed. After relaxing in the back of the Explorer and drinking some cold beers and enjoying some food we loaded up and headed out. Again, the parking lot had much more of a ski resort vibe than a trailhead with the cars surrounding us all eating and drinking and chatting. At one point a group of European tourists came over and asked if there were any good hikes nearby. How they even made their way to this particular trailhead I can’t say but we suggested that they could walk a few miles up the trail to get a good view of Mount St. Helens. They had the brightest neon green shoes on but none of us had the heart to tell them the hike would probably ruin their shoes. Watson gave them one of his maps so they wouldn’t get lost – hopefully they made it out okay!

The drive home was pretty uneventful. We made up dumb car games to pass the time stuck in traffic between Olympia and Tacoma. We also enjoyed the amazing views of Mount St Helens and Rainier from I-5. The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for us.

Overall this is definitely a huge achievement for me. At 8,365 feet this is my highest summit in Washington. This was also my first overnight winter camping trip and longest backcountry splitboard tour. It was great to hang out with Paul and Watson for the weekend and to challenge myself to such a strenuous adventure.

Logistics: Mount St. Helens has a slightly confusing permit structure. Climbing permits are required above 4800 feet.  Permits are available online only through the Mount St. Helens Institute April 1st thru October 31st.  Permits are self issue and free of charge Nov. 1st  thru March 31st and available at the Climbing Registers at Marble Mountain Sno-Park. After April and during the summer you have to pick up your permits at the Lone Fir Resort in Cougar, WA. It’s right on the road so it’s difficult to miss. The tricky thing is you have to purchase your permits online during these months at least 24 hours in advance but then you have to physically pick them up at this store. You’re also supposed to sign in and out of the book there so they know if you don’t return and can send out a rescue party.

Also, a sno-park pass is required in the winter until April 1st.

You can find more trip reports and GPX tracks for this tour on our sister site Powderlines.

Your permit is supposed to be visible at all times.

Mount St Helens at EveryTrail

Stevens Pass

At only 3 miles and 1100 feet in elevation gain it is a brief but difficult snowshoe. It never ceases to amaze me how inadequately prepared we are for our first snowshoeing trip of the season. Not in gear or food or water but in muscle strength. Snowshoeing uses leg muscles that hiking just doesn’t use. Espectially when you are faced with the daunting task of blazing the trail.

Latigo blazing some trail of his own!

There was a skier and a snowshoer ahead of us, ski tracks had been made by previous users but there was, as yet, no trail for snowshoers. The snowshoer ahead of us was blazing the way for us. Due to the incline of the trail and the difficulty of trail blazing we soon caught up with the duo and Bobby volunteered to blaze trail for awhile, thereby giving her a break from the tedious and difficult task. Bobby has never been very good at setting an appropriate pace for the task placed in front of him and today proved no different. He pushed himself extremely hard, attempting to maintain an unattainable blazing pace. Sweat dripped from his brow, fog engulfed his glasses, and his lungs were soon struggling to keep up with the rest of his body. He began taking incredibly frequent breaks and they were getting longer and longer in duration. The other couple was immediately behind us. After only two switchbacks the other snowshoer offered to take over the task of trailblazing. Bobby gratefully let them pass. We took a long break, letting Bobby fully catch his breath and rest for a moment before continuing on. We kept a good distance from the other group and it was soon past lunchtime.

We had gotten a late start that morning and hadn’t begun to snowshoe until past 11:00. We were both pretty shaky and required sustenance sooner rather then later in order to continue along such a steep and snow-covered trail.  We flattened out a circle of snow just off the trail at a pretty incredible viewpoint, sat and supped on turkey and cheese sandwiches.

Making a circle of flattened snow for us to sit in during our lunch break

One of the great things about winter hiking is that we aren’t worried about food spoiling due to heat so we have tastier sandwiches then our staple of PB&J. We didn’t break for long because of how cold we were getting and we soon set off again following the trail of the snowshoer ahead of us.

We continued to follow the trail of the duo ahead of us until we came to a viewpoint next to a cellular tower of some sort. We got out our GPS app, GAIA, to check on our location. To our dismay we had gone pretty far off trail. We had seen some ski tracks through the trees at one point along the trail and we now realized that that was the trail we should’ve been following. The two ahead of us had continued up another switchback and we decided to follow their trail in the hopes it would eventually lead us to our final destination of Skyline Lake. We began checking our GPS with greater frequency and soon realized that the trail we were on would surely lead us higher up and possibly to the ridge line. Our goal for the day was much less lofty and we discussed what we should do. We considered going back the way we had come and take the side trail through the trees that we had seen the ski tracks on. Or, we could use our map and GPS and cut through the trees from where we were to make our way to the lake faster. We opted for blazing our own trail through the trees and were glad we did.  In no time at all we found the lake!

We made it to the lake!

Skyline Lake

Bobby and Latigo at the Lake

The views here weren’t that incredible due to the low cloud cover that had been slowly moving in all day and we decided not to linger. There were two backcountry skiers there, removing their skins, and preparing for their descent. We passed them and followed previous skiers trails through the trees and back to the trail we had originally come up.

Overall this snowshoe was difficult, probably because it was our first of the season and we were pretty out of shape! But it’s a lot of elevation gain in a short spurt. It ended up taking us several hours to go the three miles. Without the aide of snowshoes you wouldn’t get far on this trail.  There is no way we could have successfully walked along this trail. Even with snowshoes on, I sank to my waist in the snow at one point.

Skyline Lake at EveryTrail

Even though I did a ton of research on the route and had our GPS out, we still ended up going way off trail. The hike starts on an old forest road that is being converted into some sort of cabin/resort housing complex.

Roads branch out all over the place. I had read a very detailed description of the hike but we still managed to make a wrong turn when we followed other people’s tracks instead of reading the map and landmarks carefully. As we trekked up some steep trails I kept checking my phone and wondered why our GPS was so off. Eventually we came to a clearing where the tracks started to loop back on themselves and wander aimlessly in the woods. A few minutes later we saw two guys walk out of the brush … they looked to be trying to find the trail themselves. I checked the map again now realizing it was actually showing us exactly where we were and determined if we went down a nearby road we could get back on track – even if it meant backtracking a bit.

We spent an extra hour wandering around and we were all concerned that we wouldn’t be able to make the summit and get back before dark. So after we found some really nice views we decided to call it a day and hike back.

Maura and Latigo

Jason and Stacey

Jason and Stacey at the days highpoint

Bobby, Maura and Latigo at the highpoint

Enjoying the spectacular view!

We probably had about a mile to go to the summit with about 600 feet of elevation gain remaing. This was definitely the most grueling snowshoe we’ve done but it was well worth the views. The full trip is 7 miles with 2600 feet of elevation gain. Hopefully we’ll go back one day and reach the summit!

the 2600 feet of elevation gain proved to be somewhat difficult

This arduous hike even tired Latigo out!

For the featured product I’ve chosen my new Shango knife my parents got me for my birthday. It’s super light weight and is easy to stash in my pack. It came in handy when we needed to cut a bit of rope to lash our snowshoes onto my backpack for the initial approach.

The beginning portion of the trail is referred to as the “railroad grade” for good reason. It is a wide and flat portion of the trail that proved to be a good warmup for what lay ahead.

This first section is rather unremarkable in beauty but was pleasant enough. We reached the junction of the spur trail just as the trail began to get more interesting and a little more difficult, 1.7 miles into the hike, and opted to take the slight detour to look upon the waterfall.

It was remarkably beautiful and proved the perfect opportunity for a quick rest and lunch. Just before reaching the falls, Latigo was incredibly pleased when he retrieved a shiny new tennis ball from the woods. He carried it proudly to Bridal Veil Falls only to set it down while he rested as we supped on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to have the shiny new toy roll down the slope he had chosen to perch himself upon and watch as the ball entered the fast moving current of the water just below the falls. He watched sadly and anxiously as the ball was swept away and out of sight. We could see that he was seriously considering jumping in after the ball so we clipped on his leash and kept him close, he’s not as replaceable as a tennis ball! While the spur trail did add on additional mileage for our trek the falls were beautiful and definitely worth the extra effort!

During the summer months this trail is crowded but due to the time of year mixed with the low hanging clouds and the occasional rain/snow/sleet showers we only rarely encountered other groups along the trail. This was in stark contrast to the last snowshoe trek we endeavored upon a few weeks ago where we were constantly surrounded by large groups. Opting for a slightly more challenging trek in the winter can provide you with the seclusion you seek.

The trail was challenging not just because of the steep inclines we often faced and the countless switchbacks, but also due to the rapidly changing ground cover. I would say that a quarter of the trail was covered with either solid ground or mud, half of the trail was covered in a slushy/muddy snow, and the other quarter was covered in fresh, deep powder. I had strapped my snowshoes to my pack using some rope we had in the car while Bobby had opted to leave his snowshoes behind and hope that his traction devices would suffice. Bobby was the wiser one. The snowshoes may have been helpful in the powder on the steeper slopes we faced near the apex of the trek in order to provide me with additional traction but the trail was so narrow that I opted to forego them and simply follow in the solid footsteps Bobby was creating for me. So, alas, I had strapped the bulky and weighty snowshoes haphazardly to my pack and trekked with them for over eight miles and never once used them! Bobby’s traction devices, a Christmas gift from his parents, proved to be the perfect alternative, offering him additional traction without the bulkiness of a snowshoe.

The snow was incredibly deep near the apex of the hike but thanks to those brave hikers before us the trail was well trodden and we rarely post-holed.

Reaching Lake Serene after some nervous moments along steeper, snowier slopes made the long and exhilarating hike worth it! The usually crowded and popular destination was deserted. We had passed over the mountain we were climbing and finally found ourselves in the quiet. Sadly, the majority of the hike is along a mountain not far from the freeway below so the sound of traffic and trains was a constant companion. There, at Lake Serene, we sat at the end of the trail eating orange slices and chocolate (our favorite midway point treat!) and took in the glory and beauty that surrounded us. The lake was mostly covered by snow and ice but the few patches that remained still water gave us a glimpse of the incredibly clear water that comprises the lake. Mount Index rose behind the lake like an incredibly overprotective big brother. The snow-covered crags that comprise Mount Index resulted in the creation of a sight both imposing and beautiful. As we sat we listened to the cracks and rumblings of the numerous avalanches on Mount Index. Some were so loud it sounded like thunder or fireworks being set off. We were at an incredibly safe distance and often couldn’t see the avalanches but could only hear them. We would see small snow falls as the end of the avalanches would reach cliff edges and a white powder would sprinkle down.

It had been a long time, possibly too long, since we had set out on a physically challenging hike and this one proved to be not only exhausting but was also picturesque, rejuvenating, and, to use John Muir’s favorite word, glorious.

We got a late start and headed off along 90 with the Denny Creek trail in mind. It is a four mile long trail with only 700 feet in elevation gain.It seemed like a good fit for our stiff legs. According to the Washington Trails Association, “Denny Creek may be the most family-friendly trail in the region.”

As frequently happens, we never got to the trail we had planned on. The road we were to take hadn’t been plowed all the way to the trail head so we joined several other vehicles and parked alongside the road and began our trek down the middle of a road. A few larger 4Wheel Drive vehicles did venture down the road, we also saw smaller vehicles stuck and assisted in pushing them out. While we realized our Explorer could’ve probably made the journey we opted to walk.

On the road to the trail

We found a small trail off on the side of the road that was well trodden and decided to venture off! It led to a snow-covered and closed campground. It was the Forest Service Denny Creek Campground. According to the Forest Service, “this is one of the oldest Forest Service campgrounds in the forest. The trail wound through the campground and eventually led us to the parking lot that had been our original destination. Once there we discovered there were several trail options to chose from. We could hike to the Wagon Road Trail, Franklin Falls Trail, or the Denny Creek Trail (the trail we had originally planned on snowshoeing).

We were already feeling fatigued from our brief walk thus far so we decided to go for the short and easy Franklin Falls Trail.

At only two miles roundtrip and only 400 feet in elevation gain it proved to be the perfect distance for us! Latigo was having an absolute blast on the trail! Being a Minnesota-native Latigo loves the snow! He jumps, frolics, and frequently stops to eat the snow and always has a big dopey grin on his face!

He also has a nasty tendency of getting Bobby discombobulated with an end result of Bobby falling over…

The hike ended at a picturesque waterfall tucked in the cliffs. Sadly, it had a rather alarming proximity to the freeway… In spite of that, it really was beautiful and the snow and ice made it feel like we were in a hidden winter wonderland!

We have found that winter seems like a great opportunity to visit the more family-friendly and more populated trails. We still encounter several groups on our trips but I’m sure that were we to do the same hike in the summer the number of people would be overwhelming in areas like these.

New Snowshoes!

We decided that it would be best to try an easy and shorter trail for this first outing considering I haven’t snowshoed since the winter of 2008 and Bobby has never snowshoed before. We found a great guidebook for finding snowshoeing trails at REI entitled Snowshoe Routes Washington, Second Edition, by Dan A. Nelson. However, I made the mistake of letting Bobby choose the route and didn’t learn until after that the trail originally chosen was actually rated as “Most Difficult” by the guidebook. The trail to Source Lake in Snoqualmie Pass is five miles long with a 1000 foot elevation gain with an estimated time duration of five hours.

Our day did not start off well as we began by accidentally following a group who we thought were on the trail and soon learned that they were actually Search and Rescue training groups who were on no trail at all. Using our maps app we trekked through the woods until finally making our way back to a trail.

It wasn’t the trail we had intended to take but was actually the Summer Trail to Snow Lake. We learned upon returning home that the trail we took was eight miles long with 1600 feet in elevation gain. Due to the extra length and elevation gain it was taking us longer than anticipated to complete the route. We had a late start and with dusk quickly approaching as well as the anticipated winter storm, not to mention the rather large blisters that had taken up residence upon my heels had us turning around a half mile short of the lake. We reached the apex of our hike on a shoulder of a ridge between Chair Peak and Snoqualmie Mountain where we were afforded a spectacular view of Snow Lake below.

A quick break before turning around

Turning around proved wise as the precipitation began as we descended the mountain and returned to the car. All told we went seven miles and reached the highest point on the trail.

We were initially nervous about letting Latigo off-leash due to the steep slopes covered with snow but after Latigo managed to entangle himself twice around Bobby’s legs resulting in Bobby falling over multiple times we decided it would be safer if he went off-leash. He did well, sticking primarily to the trail, and it was clear that we were all better off with him running at his own pace.

A new and unanticipated difficulty in planning our winter outings is the threat of avalanches. Being originally from Minnesota when heading out for the day we never had to worry about them! As winter has begun to settle in above 3000 feet here in the Cascades we thought it was high time we learn a little something about how to identify and avoid problem areas. Living where we do, only two blocks from the REI Flagship store we have a myriad of classes offered with general regularity at our disposal. They were offering an hour and a half course on Avalanche Awareness and we thought it a good place to begin our education.

The speaker was from the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC). The instructor quickly informed the group that the hour and a half was barely enough time to scratch the surface and that a beginners course in avalanche safety takes 24 hours. We learned some of the bare bones basics, hopefully enough to keep us safe from harms way.

We quickly learned that that short hour and a half course wasn’t even close to enough to teach us what we need to know to truly be educated and smart on the trail. We learned, after returning home, that we had taken the wrong trail. We used the summer trail rather than taking the long way around and the result was that we were trekking through numerous and dangerous avalanche chutes. Luckily, it was early in the season and there wasn’t much snow. We did check the avalanche threat level at the NWCA website before heading out for the day and learned that the avalanche warnings were “considerable” above 6000 feet and “low” to “moderate” below that. We did see obvious signs of small avalanches that had occurred and should’ve been smarter and turned around when we did but we pressed on. We were surprised to be joined by multiple groups on the same trail, many of whom weren’t wearing snowshoes or gators! We truly believe that it was too early in the year for any real threat or danger but next time, we will definitely be more cautious and aware of the dangers that surround us.

Our snowshoes performed remarkably well on the journey. We chose these particular snowshoes for several reasons. Bobby wanted to have snowshoes that would allow for use on steeper slopes and had crampons built-in. They also allow for use with snowboard boots and Bobby has grandiose ideas of snowshoeing up a mountain and snowboarding down. My favorite design feature is the 19-degree heel lift that came in very handy on steeper slopes and relieved the strain on my heels where those pesky blisters had developed. We were not disappointed in the least with our chosen purchase!