[Hutch]

How did you all approach Green? Via Teneriffe or Bessemer or the more direct but officially forbidden way?

[zimmertr]

The latter - Sitka Spruce/Absolute Last Promontory. Not enough snow to go up the Superhikr route. Well, I guess there was nothing preventing us from doing that, but it didn't sound fun. And this way actually felt pretty "Type 1 Fun" the whole time.

[Nancyann]

Spent Tuesday enjoying a sun-filled afternoon looking for early wildflowers on the Mission Creek network of mountain bike and dirt bike trails. First trillium of the year for me.

Evidence of recent snowmelt

So nice to walk in the sunshine. Left a rainy day behind on the west side!

A few yellow bells higher up.

A sure sign spring is on its way.

An unexpected bonus!

I love tall ponderosa in the late afternoon light.

[Waterman]

Nice to go to the dryside. Did you happen to pick up any ticks?

[Nancyann]

No ticks. I haven’t had problems with them on this network of trails before, maybe they don’t like dirt bikes.

[Now I Fly]

Winter returned to Granite for the day.

Cheers B!

[KascadeFlat]

Not a lot of hiking on this particular trip... A return visit to Steliko. We went two years ago with my oldest. We were back this year with my youngest. I excitedly rigged my pulk harness to my bike trailer to haul all the extra kiddo stuff and then we found out the gate was open. I guess my insanity test will have to wait. Spent Friday/Saturday night. Meandered up Steliko ridge on Saturday. The weather was perfect!

Way more fun than pulling a bike trailer.

Sunset.

The classic view.

Heading up Steliko Ridge.

Looking west towards Ardenvoir.

Heading back. Next year, Tyee!

[Nancyann]

Paid a rare visit to the I 90 corridor in search of an alpine trail with less snow to trudge through than those around Highway 2 which are closer to home. Upper Granite Lake looked appealing, and thanks to our later than alpine start of 1:30, we had the lake to ourselves. Puffy clouds creating interesting shadows and a rising half moon made for a beautiful late afternoon ambiance.

[FiresideChats]

14 Miles in last weekend up the Suiattle and Gamma to about 4,500'. Made it further than I expected without snowshoes. Love that Forest!

[Now I Fly]

Green Mountain Trail (Suiattle)

Roads in great shape.

[kiliki]

We heard the news of Hwy 20 opening so we went for the weekend. Lewis Butte is usually our "opening day of hiking season" hike and we pulled up to the trailhead, saw that it wasn't quite peak bloom up there, so did the Riser Lake Loop for the first time. No flowers yet, and it's maybe not the most exciting hike (it's mostly a former 2 track road, and since you descend from the TH, rather than ascend like you do for Lewis Butte, the views aren't as good as the butte) but the bird activity around the lake especially was wonderful. I'm a novice birder but my Merlin was blowing up (Green winged teal, tree swallow, red winged blackbird, western meadowlark, American coot, spotted towhee, hermit thrush, American goldfinch...). Only saw one other couple on the 4 mile loop. I would guess Lewis Butte will be covered in balsamroot starting this weekend or next week.

[Nancyann]

Monday was a perfect day for heading up the recently opened Mountain Loop Highway to check on conditions at the Perry Creek Falls trail. No one else in the Dickerman/Perry parking lot, but about 50 cars at the Lake 22 lot where we stopped to use the bathroom. Trillium and yellow violets just beginning to bloom on the lower part of the trail. No blowdowns to climb over, but a lot of sections of trail disrupted by rocks and boulders washing down the hill. Definitely needs some TLC. Patchy snow melting out quickly up until right before the falls. We turned around at an avalanche with runout all the way down to the canyon below. Still had a wonderful day enjoying the warm sun, blue skies and waterfalls cascading off Stillaguamish Peak. Big Four was magnificent!

Waterfalls coming off Stilly Peak

Stilly Peak snowfields

Looking back at the way we came.

Snow was melting quickly off the trail.

We turned around here, it was 75 degrees and the snow was too unstable, long runout to the canyon below was a little bit too unappealing.

Sunlight on mossy rocks was lovely!

[Now I Fly]

Rainy Creek with an eye on Preacher. Bit of mud, bit of blowdown, bit of sketch.

Bailed on the steepish climb to the ridge after finding deeper snow, and unstable conditions.

Fun day.

[HitTheTrail]

[KascadeFlat]