[Bryan K]

After stopping at the strip mall located REI store in Issaquah I was off to SR 900 and the Wilderness Creek TH. There was one other car when I got there and 900 was "pretty" quiet.

Sign at trailhead

I started up the Wilderness Creek Trail "E6" and followed along the creek. There were many little trickles of water crossing the trail looking for the creek to travel on. After a short bit the sounds of the road were gone and left me with the sounds of the creek rushing down the mountain.

Wilderness Creek

Wilderness Creek

I left the creek in favor of the Wilderness Cliff Trail "E5"

Sign

and upward to Wilderness Peak. Further up the rains started and were steady for about 20 minutes until the sun started to peak out as I neared the summit. Once up top I noticed a register

Register at the Wilderness Peak summit.

I signed it and took the Wilderness Peak Trail "E4" to Shy Bear Pass. The sunshine was becoming more common and made the forest glisten with the recent rain.

Sun peaking through the clouds

At the pass it was only a short hop to Long View Peak on trail "S4"

Shy Bear Pass

At the peak viewpoint the winds started to increase and I took the opportunity to dry the inside of my rain coat which seems to absorb the rain After 10 minutes I headed to the pass and back down the Wilderness Creek Trail "E6" to the trailhead.

Limbo under the tree

Pathway around big boulders along the Wilderness Creek Trail

Creek crossing on Wilderness Creek Trail

In all about a 2 hour hike and 1200' gain.

[Magellan]

I can't believe you didn't spend hours in that register, eventually locating my name from early this year.

[hysteresis]

aww... that was my first hike last march! man I can't wait for summer...

[Sabahsboy]

Ah, Wilderness! Shy Bear Pass is a favorite place. continue on toward Far Country for some nice woodland walking. Anyone get photos of Coal Creek Falls during this rain event or shortly after? The first hundred yards or so of Wilderness Peak Trail displays the first trilliums of spring, few in number but most welcome.

[fettster]

[Bryan K]

[Sabahsboy]

Most interesting. However, more information could be added, i.e., the locomotive turntable at Monte Cristo and the "road" to Glacier Basin and the mines there; ref. to the RR and Everet and the remnant tunnels of Robe Canyon. Years ago I went to "Red Town" fairly frequently to see in interesting "ruins"; there was not much. The Red Town parking area offers trail routes to various places and loops. One is interesting and short...to the old ball field, now restored to native species with a "trail"...sort of an interpretive trail through the field. There is a nice interpretive sign there, too. There is an old horse watering trough not far before you reach the "field". Resident coyotes are about; bears can be seen or sensed in early summer; I have heard a cougar scream...and was told by several parties that they had seen the creature (this, several years ago). Most awesome is to realize that nearly all of Cougar was urbanized, then abandoned and returned to "nature". The place has ghosts everywhere. I think Cougar is best in winter and early - mid-spring. When winter sun is near setting, it illuminates the alders in a way hard to describe. When walking there, you may see remains of items like cables, electric power poles, etc. Sure wish the county had seen the area around the Park as a green belt - buffer and not allowed the development, some of which seems to creep deep into the parklands. Not long ago you might hear distant city noise, but it never seemed close; that is now different with house construction and new residents making the usual, citified noise.

[boot up]

[Sabahsboy]

Biggest gripe....the joggers with loose Labs and such. Since I hike with my pups on lead (per LAW), the sudden appearance (usually the dog arrives before the runner....ditto hikers with loose pups) of the canine will throw my dogs into turmoil. Aside of that, I marvel at how these folks don't slide and slip and trip and end up with a busted bum or trashed jaw. I ran for many years and even on some trails, but, there is a logical limit and one really ought to be careful. Never the less, I have never come across a jogger flat out down in wretched pain needing rescue. I guess the Nike gods watch over them. In my day, the encounters with cats and sidewalk breaks were near lethal. Left a few bloody marks on sidewalks. Nary one on a trail.