[Elvis]

Based on great info provided by JimK's Nordic Pass report, I targeted this same trail for my March adventure.

With the posting activity about this trail, I was sure someone would have set new tracks in the new snow before we arrived.  Unfortunately for us, that was not the case.  Looking back, I'll remember this as the 'Break Trail, not Wind' trip.  I'll spare the details until I can attend a NWH Social.

Kudos and Congratulations to those of you who took the time and effort to place the blue route diamonds along the way - without them we would have turned back early on.  Trail breaking=Ok, Route Finding=No Thanks.

We had a very pleasant trek through untouched snow.  Absolutely beautiful.

Eventually we crossed over a ski run/cat-track route and merged onto a pretty heavily travelled route.  Once reaching this part of the trail our speed increased significantly (as did the slope) while we followed the creek upwards to Hyak Lake.  It seems everyone else on this part of the trail started from the Silver Fir chairlift area... had we done the same we probably would have made it much further along our intended route.

This was a fun route and we all agreed that even with the slow speed and the increased exertion required by breaking trail through the new snow it was that part of the trip which we all enjoyed the most.

The weather was mostly sunny, although we did have some brief snowfall while enjoying lunch at Hyak Lake.  Nice people on the trail and the initial creek crossing was a bit hair-raising, but it just made the trip all that much more memorable.

>>Edit:  adding some pics from flickr to replace the other ones.

End Edit<<

After the snowshoe event was complete, we scooted over to Easton for some caffeine from a favorite no-name espresso shack, then all the way to Ballard to visit the Locks (that's been on my To-Do list for 20+ years!) and finally some tasty Thai at Ayutthaya on E. Pike.

I had been contemplating a return to Gold Creek that evening for some night-time photography... but with the clouds that rolled in and a tummy full of Thai... I went home instead. 

Next Episode:  April 15th or 16th.  Contemplating a Mtn Loop Highway Adventure... and I don't mind company.

~E

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Sedro-Woolley:  Where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas."  ~John Dryden
My Trip List

[Backpacker Joe]

HEY, you don't look like Elvis!  Neither dose she.

WE'VE BEEN MISLEAD!

             
             
             
             
             
             
             

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"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

- Abraham Lincoln

"Backpacker Joe...There are some people even bears won't eat!"

-Dave Workman

[Slugman]

But he DOES look like Jeff Bridges! 



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You must have really hated that moose - Dudley Moore, Arthur

Where's the rest of that moose? More "Arthur"

[mpg]

Cool creek crossing shot! 

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Hark how the sailor's cry
Joyously echoes nigh
Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia!!

[dicey]

Pacific Northwest winter 2005/06 

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I'm not always sure I like being older but being less stupid has advantages.

[Elvis]

You'll be saddened to know that I was the photographer... not the subject.

I did think twice about posting that picture and then decided to take a walk on the wildside by posting it.  Yeah - that's my life - livin' on the edge. 


My real appearance will be kept top secret until I can make it to a social.   

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Sedro-Woolley:  Where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas."  ~John Dryden
My Trip List

[ree]

Jeff Bridges: