Heaven on Snow Shoes

We had another weekday escape.  The blue skies, pure air and beauty around us lifted our hearts and cleared our minds.

The original plan was to drive down to Mt. Rainier National Park and snow shoe around there, but Jena suggested we take a look at the Pacific Crest trail, leaving from Snoqualmie Pass, only 40 minutes away.  This saved us about 5 hours of driving and gave us more time out there, brilliant!

Here's Jena with Guye Peak photo-bombing
the view.

This is a pose, but the smile is genuine.  I love snow shoe travel to distraction.  Even when the snow its packed and firm enough not to post hole, having those snow shoes on makes me perfectly silly with delight.

You know it's a pose, because, where's the jacket and the big pack with water bottles, lunch, camera, 10 essentials, guidebook, sunscreen, etc., etc.  I usually carry things that will help me survive a forced overnight.

The crossing log, in spring condition.

The creek, in spring condition

Just below the water fall, gleams of sunlight
 through the canopy light up the creek bed

About the width of my palm, no claw marks, hmmmm, cougar tracks?

One of the great joys of snow shoe travel is tracking and guessing who else is out there.  When the snow is fresh and the day is yet young, you can see a drama unfolded just before you passed by.

The snow pack took us closer to a sapsucker dining area.  This evidence will be about 8 feet off the ground after the thaw.

A last peek at the peak, Guye, and a struggling thin cloud.

What a day!