The lower trail is in good shape, only one or two muddy spots. The trail is clear until you enter the woods after the clear cut, we were only able to make it to Grand Prospect due to the deep snow. Traffic on the trail was moderate - 30 people seen. One caution - some people hiking with their dogs didn't bother to clean up after them, watch your step!

We decided to kick-off our 2008 hiking season on this beautiful, sunny Saturday by hiking up to the Rattlesnake ledge. I was worried about snow but was very glad to find a nearly dry trail all the way up to the ledge. A few wet, muddy spots here and there but that's about it. As always, a great quick hike with quite a few hikers out to enjoy the hike. It was just weird coming down the mountain and not being on skis. The lake appeared to have a really low water level.

Looking at Mt. Si from the ledge, it appeared that Si is clear almost up to the 2.5 or 3.0 milepost. There is snow up at the top, maybe up to a third of the way down.

SNOW COVERED TRAIL .25 MILES IN , SLUSH & slip,all the way, boot trax advised!

beyond 1st ledge, snow gets deeper 2' or so, no snoshow trac. just pothole/posthole stuff about to 1/2 mile up the ridge from 1st ledge.

AGAIN A GREAT WINTER HIKE WITH A LONG TRAIL DESTINATION FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT. ABOUT 9.6 RT TO THE EAST SUMMIT. RIGHT NOW I GUESS YOU SHOULD START EARLY AS THE SNOW IS ROUGH GOING PAST RATTLESNAKE LEDGE.

ON THIS DAY I WENT ABOUT 3/4 MILE PAST THE LEDGE & TURNED BACK DUE TO SNOW ON TRAIL/TIME OUT & MASSIVE SNOW BOMBS OVERHEAD.

ANYWAY GREAT TIME ON THE TRAIL ONCE AGAIN..ERIC

The trail is clear and dry all the way to the first ledge. Between the second and third ledge are some mud holes but the brush was evidently well cleared last year because it was easy going all the way to the third ledge where the snow started. Between the third ledge and the snag clearing, the snow is not very deep and the trail is easy to follow. At the clearing, I put on gaiters and trax. Here the regular trail to East Peak and the radio tower disappears under deep snow. So I followed the old roadway around to the south side of the mountain where I donned the snowshoes. The snow is crusty like frosted granola in the morning, but after the sun hit it, it turned to mushy cornflakes. The road continues around south and down, so I turned right on another road which aimed north. When it got to the ridgeline, I broke trail up to the backside of a ""Cedar Creek Watershed - Keep Out"" sign which should have been where the regular trail came up, but I saw no sign of it.

It was a sunny warm day, good exercise, lots of people in the afternoon.