Mount Washington (Cascades)
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
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A good motto in the Pacific Northwest...waste no sunny days! On this particular day I didn't have any plans, but the sun was out, so headed to the mountains. My spur of the moment plans took me up Mount Washington (elevation 4,416) in search of a workout, snow, and good views. I got plenty of all three.
I had hiked this trail with a few people a month prior, so I knew the snow-covered route well. But I was surprised to see considerably more snow had fallen in the past month since my previous trip. Thanks to a fresh coat of snow I used micro spikes from almost the trailhead and did some thigh deep postholing near the top.
Most of the trail up is forested, but you can catch a few peek-a-boo views here and there. Walking along a snowy path with snow covered tree limbs is just magical though. Near the top and at the summit the views open up and I could see part of the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier on the horizon, and Chester Morse Lake which forms the watershed down to Seattle. I had the summit all to myself and enjoyed a rest break before heading back down. So much beauty and so much fun in the sun (and snow)!
I had hiked this trail with a few people a month prior, so I knew the snow-covered route well. But I was surprised to see considerably more snow had fallen in the past month since my previous trip. Thanks to a fresh coat of snow I used micro spikes from almost the trailhead and did some thigh deep postholing near the top.
Most of the trail up is forested, but you can catch a few peek-a-boo views here and there. Walking along a snowy path with snow covered tree limbs is just magical though. Near the top and at the summit the views open up and I could see part of the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier on the horizon, and Chester Morse Lake which forms the watershed down to Seattle. I had the summit all to myself and enjoyed a rest break before heading back down. So much beauty and so much fun in the sun (and snow)!
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