[tigermn]

Well due to an assortment of reasons this was actually my first hike of 2014. Wanted something close and with enough distance/elevation gain that I could see how really unfit I was becoming. Rattlesnake Ridge traverse seemed to fit the bill. While I have hiked all of the trail I had never hiked across due to the car shuttle requirement more than anything. Hard one to do solo. I met Thom at Snoqualmie Point at 07:30 to do the car shuffle. When I got there I wish we had hiked earlier so we could be on the ledges for this sunrise.

Sunrise from parking outside Snoqualmie Point Parking area.

Sunrise from parking outside Snoqualmie Point Parking area.

Sunrise from parking outside Snoqualmie Point Parking area.

Oh well, the road up to the gate (still locked) was a bit icy. We got Thoms gear and put it in my car and headed for the lake. Surprisingly the small lot outside the fence was full. I had to park along the road. In short order we were walking, looking for higher ground to hopefully get out of the inversion at least some.

Starting down towards trail from Lake side.

Starting down towards trail from Lake side.

The lake was pretty low for this time of year.

Lower than normal lake level.

Ledges above in sight.

Rattlesnake ledges.

There were a lot of people coming down already. I suspect either early runners or sunrise viewers. We got to the first ledge and most of the people were coming down.

Junction to first ledge.

View from first ledge area.

View from first ledge area.

View from first ledge area.

Mt Teneriffe from Rattlesnake Ledge.

Rattlesnake Lake from first ledge.

Views from first ledge.

The second ledge is probably my least favorite so it was on to the third, where you get nice views back to the masses on the first (and 2nd).

Views of 2nd and 1st ledge from 3rd ledge.

Views of 1st ledge from 3rd ledge.

Parking lot below from 3rd ledge.

View from third ledge.

Teneriffe summit from 3rd ledge.

We continued up the trail, still running into occasional people coming down. By far more than I have ever seen in this section.

Trail sign.

Thom at first of very little snow seen.

Maybe 1 mile from East Peak.

Only one view before East Peak that is closing up fast.

Peek a boo view at about 3100 feet by old borrow pit closing up with tree growth.

A little snow on/just below East Peak towers. Amazed at how little. Snowshoes? HA!

Easy but slippery snow not to last beyond this clearing.

Looks like lots but is very little snow.

Approaching east tower.

Did the usual check out the tower.

East mini tower.

Rainier somewhere out there.

East tower.

The bench actually has the best view of the hike.

Si/Teneriffe from bench near East towers.

Si/Teneriffe from bench near East towers.

Views from bench near East towers.

Caught a little Grey Jay action:

Robber jay.

Robber jay.

Robber jay.

We decided to hike the 3 minutes down to Windy Landing for lunch since it promised to be a little more private.

Bird on a sign.

Heading to Windy Landing.

We found the log and sat for lunch. Unfortunately the trees are growing up and it won't be long before the view is even more obstructed.

Windy Landing views getting overgrown.

Windy Landing views getting overgrown.

Windy Landing Pano from lunch spot.

Bird on a stump.

Views from Windy Landing.

Great view of I-90 below from Windy Landing.

Thom was feeding the birds. This one just took flight as I snapped.

This bird literally took off a fraction after I snapped this. You can see the blur.

We spent over an hour and a half just sitting/enjoying the sun and 50 degree temps (no wind).

Windy Landing.

Windy Landing.

Alas we still had a ways back to the original end to pick up Thoms car and shuttle me back to the Lake.

Heading down.

But not before talking the spur road for the Rainier view which is also going to be obstructed soon enough.

Rainer from super secret spur off main trail.

Rainer from super secret spur off main trail.

Rainer from super secret spur off main trail.

Some towers the trail doesn't go by.

Rainer from super secret spur off main trail.

After this side trip about .6 miles back to Grand Prospect for a few pictures and for Thom to play with his new electronics for a few minutes.

Views from Grand Prospect.

Views from Grand Prospect.

Views (fuller mountain) from Grand Prospect.

We then did the mole stroll back down to Stan's Overlook which is also getting obstructed.

Only creek crossing on the hike.

Views from Stan's Overlook.

Views from Stan's Overlook (not for long).

Views from Stan's Overlook.

Views from Stan's Overlook (what is this place?)

Just below Stan's Overlook is a road crossing. If you take it you get some views and it joins back up with the trail a little ways down.

Pano from road spur below Stan's Overlook.

Pano from road spur below Stan's Overlook.

After back on the trail, the stroll through the clearcuts and forests.

Not much further to go.

Tree corridor not too far from parking lot.

Back at the parking lot loaded up and Thom shuttled me back to the lake so I could get my car.

View from parking lot towards Si/Dixie.

All in all a pretty good day all things considered. Having not hiked for a while it was good to get back in and not totally kill myself. A good 11 1/2 to 12 mile jaunt and about 3000 feet of elevation gain/loss. Looking for something hopefully a little more interesting this coming weekend but it's always good to be able to get out!

[Schenk]

So, what was for lunch? hahahaha

[tigermn]

Brain freeze. Could someone move this to the Trip Report forum? I would delete and repost but can't since there is a reply...

[meandering Wa]

I have been your mystery place. it is an old Weyerhaeuser site. I don't know its proper name or what the actual function was. My impression was that it was storage sheds. perhaps for large equipment.. Most of them were either sealed up or open and empty. They are quite large. The other old Weyerhaeuser mill site is now a car rally site, north of town We parked here for the Warrior Dash in North Bend last July.