[Monroe hikers]

We had 17 miles of a lovely winter breakout, mostly without snow, frozen slush and snow mainly on a couple of about 4 high railroad trestle bridges. We started at Snoqualmie Falls from Tokul Road, where an unmarked park turnout was not easy to see. We went northwest under crisp, chalky skies and strong winds! We kept moving! Took short breaks. Never delayered. Enjoying the trees, mossed, ivyed, even ferned, and leafless, we eventually could see areas we recognized below of SR 202 from valley views. We were fascinated by a dense area around the trail of horsetail. This trail section had milepost numbers and we turned back at milepost 9, just south of Carnation, less than 3 hours out. We passed over Griffin Creek Restoration area, and near Camp Don Bosco. We ate lunch on this segment's only bench and were amused by very different looking cows in the pasture below. The return was harder -- took a couple pain meds still 5 miles out from return. Because this entire trail is an old railroad grade, the elevation ascent/descent is very gradual, and to me was almost imperceptible. But we were going up all the way back. A pearl globe sun helped me orient direction so I had a far better idea where we actually were as we returned than I had going out. Those last numbing miles made me into a milepost hugger, and our leader's gorgeous truck became the most glorious in the World, with soft seats and cookie bags awaiting us. Driving back we remembered the deeply colorful and extended sunrise we enjoyed nearly the whole drive down SR203. Wonderful winter pastorale.

Sno Valley trail bridge

Cow through trees

On the trail - vertical