2007.08.20
This past weekend, Michaleen, Eden, and I decided to do a hike up to Otter Falls (actually the Snoqualmie Lake Trail #1002). It was only about an hour drive to the Taylor River trailhead, and as predicted, it was raining. However, the rain was light so we decided it wasnt going to stop us.
The trail isnt very steep, but it involves a lot of stream crossings and, with all of the rain, some really muddy sections. Eden quickly found a trusty (or so we thought) stick and some higher ground.
At about two miles in, we came to the Marten Creek bridge. The Marten Creek Falls were amazingly pretty. The rocks, the trees, the sound of the rushing water - it was all very picturesque.
The rain was sort of off and on on the hike up. It hinted at raining harder a few times, but for the most part, it was just a constant drizzle. But the trail was so beautiful that the wet weather wasnt dampening anyone's fun.
Along with the numerous stream crossings, we also passed several smaller waterfalls and lots of other cool things, like moss-covered trees that looked like gnarled green monsters. Here were some mushrooms that Eden found, as well as a tall tree that looked neat.
We forged on, crossing a few more streams before arriving at the cairns that marked the trail up to Otter Falls.
The falls were awesome and well worth the hike. I had been here once before (15 years ago), and it was just as pretty as I remembered. We had packed a picnic lunch, so we spread out our blanket and sat down to enjoy the food and the view.
The rain was picking up, as was the wind, so we ended up moving our picnic to a more sheltered spot. By this point, everyone was very wet and getting cold, so we cut our picnic short and headed back. The first two miles or so of the hike back were pretty good, but the rain was definitely starting to come down harder. By the time we got back to the Marten Creek bridge, it was a downpour. The trail turned into a constant stream of mud. I have to give everyone credit though - there was no complaining or sour moods. We put our heads down and made good time, all the while focusing on getting back to the dryness and warmth of the truck. We finally arrived back at the truck, soaked and cold, but in the end, everyone had a good time.
@briandunnington
We had a big windstorm blow a tree down but made the best of it
Upgrading our solar setup for energy independence
A few small upgrades for the boat and an end-of-summer trip to the San Juan islands
Replacing the shore power plug with a SmartPlug and adding a galvanic isolator
Installing a Discovery Bay Power Hauler Crab/Shrimp Pot Puller
