[Grizzy]

Well I went up Rattlesnake the back way today, started at the old Sno-winery at exit 27 off I-90. It was very windy up there today! I even brought one of our three dogs, this one is a Cocker, we call him "Eaglefood"....no not really, he is actually called "Charlie", or "Chuckles" depending on my mood. I have always wanted to go up this back way and it was great to finally do it. I did the whole trip one day last summer, but that was East to West (exit 32 to exit 27), so I wanted to try West to East. But! I forgot my camera back in the car.... DOH, I hate that!! The trail is a very steady grade up up and away....(the wind was the away part) It crosses many different clear-cuts as you get higher, which is kind of a drag, except for the INCREDIBLE views that these open spaces give you. Once you get into the trees of second growth the trail is really very nice. I had wonderful long periods of solitude. No one uses this trail very much, while the Rattlesnake Ledge trail is swamped with people and fido's. So I kept going to the "Grand Step" which has some nice benches and a killer view from which to eat your lunch on....Chuckles really liked the subway sandwich that I shared with him, Coldcuts? Yum.... there was about a foot of snow in this area but it was easy to walk on.... So it was a great hike for close in to Puget....I swear I only saw about 12 people the whole time I was up there...compare that to Mount Si Anyway, while back at the car I had to take some pictures (NOW I have the camera ) of the construction that is going on up there! Have any of you seen what is going in at this TH? Wow!

Here is the new parking lot by the TH

This is the new and HUGE Picnic area. Nice views!

Also they are building what looks like a Sadam worthy building for bathrooms (I think)

Check out this stone work!

Oh, and Charlie wanted to say hello too...

So in closing....If you have thought about checking this great trail out...GO NOW before that huge parking lot is full off people! This trail is very well maintained, there were numerous places where the "06 storms had blocked the trail and all of the blow-downs had been cleaned up...very nice! Go!

[Magellan]

Lawd! That is NP worthy rockery.

[Solo Steve]

Great TR, grizz, thanks! Looks like it might be ready for our CHS class this summer, huh?

[Grizzy]

[boot up]

I have done this RMT hike a couple of times starting at Rattlesnake with cars parked at both ends and wondered about starting at the winery end for a change. Are those photos at the trailhead???? When I was last there, you basically parked along the shoulder just outside the gate of the winery land to pick up the trail that just stabbed into the road. The winery didn't even have any official parking. Even with that, there was always adequate parking. Rats, this means with that parking lot and the inevitable feature on Evening Magazine...the crowds won't be far behind. We have never seen more than a handful of people once we crested the ledges at Rattlesnake. They have been doing MAJOR trailwork on the RMT trail system, so it must be getting ready for a grand opening. How far did you go, since I assume you didn't do what would be a 24 mile out and back to the Rattlesnake ledge trail head and back? Thanks for the "reverse direction" trail report!

[Grizzy]

[Sabahsboy]

12 people hiking?! Any one on mountain bikes? Motorized bikes? I rarely see any hikers there, any time of the year. Have encountered bikers many times, but not too many times. Only once did I go to the Ledges (in 1970's). I like the near solitude of the route(s) from Snoqualmie park, just off I-90. Lots of bikers head out on another route where the abandoned Interstate ramp is blocked by Jersey barriers. Any bears out early?

[Grizzy]

[Sabahsboy]

Snuggles can be found anywhere!

[boot up]

I was sick all week and just got on antibiotics, but with saturday's weather, I HAD to get out. I was REALLY dragging going up, but for once the 75 year old coming along in our group wasn't an issue for me. Weather was perfect and we didn't hit significant snow until the first "official" vista before the towers, which is as far I could drag myself hacking and coughing anyway. Well worth it! But as has been said....get it while you can. The parking and picnic area is dwarfing mt Si in scale. Its going to be a packed freeway on that trail once that gets officially opened. Even on the nice day today, we just saw a scattering of people, and more dogs than people. Although there was a bunch of action with Search and Rescue and Sheriff. We asked what all the commotion was about as we hiked by where a pile of cars were parked way up the mountain near a switchback. Turns out a hiker discoverd "human remains" this last week and they were checking for more evidence. They said "Keep an eye out for other remains or evidence and have a nice hike." ....OK THAT was a bit surrealistic.... The rest of the hike was a pleasant 10 miler that felt a lot longer in my state of recovery.

Vista as of 2/17/2007

Mt Si Valley from Vista

lower trails

Rattlesnake Mtn trail, tree alley

[Kathleen]

I know that "have to get out" feeling about today's weather. I think everyone probably felt it. I had a car accident last month where I rear-ended someone on I-5 so I'm still not feeling comfortable enough with big interstate driving otherwise I'd head up the I-90 corridor and explore sometime. It's one of my favorite areas.

[Sabahsboy]

Over the years I have been up on those slopes so many times. Scares me to think my pups or self might have made such a horrific discovery. All too soon, Ribes sanguinem, red flowering current, will dress up some of the clear cuts. It is well worth the visit to see them.

[puzzlr]

Did the hike from Snoqualmie point to the lake a couple weeks ago when it was pouring. No views. But later I found this information about the construction project -- funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. There was also a trail crew assembling as we started hiking, making me feel a little guilty. http://www.mtsgreenway.org/about/snoqualmie-point Here's another blurb: "Rattlesnake Mountain trailhead from Snoqualmie Point is one of the Greenway's most scenic vistas. The 130 acres surrounding Snoqualmie Point with views of the Snoqualmie Valley and up toward Snoqualmie Pass were protected in the year 2000 by the Greenway Trust coaltion. Eight office buildings were planned at this stunning view site. Instead, a City of Snoqualmie view park will be built. A Washington State Department of Natural Resources temporary trailhead currently leads hikers up the mountain. Greenway volunteers have been working to build an 11-mile trail from Snoqualmie Point that heads east to Rattlesnake Lake."

[captain jack]

Spindy and I jogged the Centennial Trail north from Lake Cassidy yesterday to the Highway 9 overpass and back, so I wasnt in the mood for more running, but a nice hike seemed to work into the weather today nicely. After reading about the new parking area in this report, and since Spindy and I have walked Rattlesnake mountain from the lake end to the east towers, but never the western portion, I decided we should check out the trail up to Grand Prospect before the masses descend. The new parking area is nearly finished

Resize of Grand Step 053

Resize of Grand Step 058

It wont be long before the bus tours start showing up here. The improved areas around the parking lot are extensive, including rockwork and other natural landscaping amidst park like grounds with wondeful views in all directions.

room with a view

Spindy liked the circular rotunda

new viewpoint rotunda

and insisted on walking its entire perimeter.

walking in circles

The trail up to Grand Prospect is snow free, debris free, and well signed the whole way. There was four other cars parked outside the gate, surprisingly few considering the nice weather, I'm sure there were many more on the Ledge side today. We reached the viewpoint and benches in 2 hours, then flopped down in the sun with the whole place to ourselves.

lizard girl

I was joking with Spindy about the cloud that wouldnt leave the top of Mount Si the whole time we were up on Rattlesnake, we sat in the sun, the peeps on top of Si today sat across from us in a cloud. We ran into two different parties through hiking from the lake end, but spent all our quality time without company, something you probably wont be able to boast about for much longer at this end of Rattlesnake mountain. I would say that this new area should be open by July 4th, if not sooner.

[Grizzy]

It's OPEN!