[Gil]

Birdbrained -- that's for a couple of reasons. Sean and I had a quick hike up to Snow Lake on Friday afternoon. Got to the trailhead about 2:30 p.m., four other vehicles in the Alpental parking lot. Beautiful day -- clouds didn't roll in until we were nearly to Snow Lake ridge. Snow started quickly; only a few bare patches of trail down low; 2-3 feet on most of the route. Some beautiful waterfalls up there right now (note the people at left below).

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The snow was so steep just under the ridge that we moved over to the rocks on the right to get up.

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A half hour spent on a rock up there, enjoying the view. A couple of visitors, including a steller's jay with the "eyebrows" that I had never seen before.

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Coming down was ... interesting -- Sean's second time on snow of any steepness. Just above the cliffs under the ridge, I was ahead, heard him shout and saw him slipping down the 10 feet of snow that ended at a near-vertical tree band above the sheer drop. He snagged a tree with one hand as he went by and hung there. Me: "Don't MOVE!" Him: "Not MOVING!" I got over to him, took the ski poles off his wrists so he could lever himself back up. Whew. Back up on the trail, his first experience with sewing-machine leg. So going down that steep part (on the snow this time) was very ... tentative. But he made it down. In photo below, if he hadn't snagged that tree during his fall, he would have popped out by the snag at upper right.

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The hike out was uneventful, but I got my comeuppance:

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Stopped at the North Bend Bar and Grill for burgers on the way out -- tasty place. So two birds and one birdbrain: me. In my zeal to get up there, I overlooked my friend's experience level. Bad leadership, something I'll learn from. So back at Sean's house, his aunt listened to the recounting of Sean's near-plunge with amusement. Aunt: "Did you get any pictures of that?" Me: "Oh, man, I should have stopped to do that!" Sean: "That would have been insensitive."

[Coasty]

Nice trip report Gil! Good lesson as well. Glad things worked out. The picture of the stellar jay is great! Jason B

[the Zachster]

Glad that story had a happy ending! Thanks for the update on Snow Lake. And that stellar jay shot is a hoot!