Green Lake

3/26/09 Carbon River to Ranger Falls
I had a second interview today and I needed to clear my head before, so I headed out on the only sunny day predicted for weeks. Weather was decent, the mountain was out, and that is always a great start to the day. Roads to Carbon River station were clear until about a mile in and then traces of snow & ice on road. I started out about 8:30, road was slick in spots, slow going for first hour, then with more snow it got easier. Once I hit the first jumbled mess of trees down I lost the trail for about 20 mins. I tried to go around some downed trees to the right and it ended up not being the way so I back tracked where I started and stared at this huge pile of jumbled trees and saw a blue piece of tape and was like what, where, which way…the tape didn’t respond…. Finally after another 5 mins of looking all around high and low I saw some yellow caution tape on the other side of the creek so I climbed on another down tree to where it was and that was the trail again…I hate it when that happens and I’m alone, it helps to have more eyes. I’ve been on this trail 3-4 times but never in snow and everything looks different.
Birds were singing, sun was shinning through the rain forest. I love this area, not a sole in sight. I followed the fox tracks for a long time. I got to the trailhead for Green Lake and headed up, thought I would put on snow shoes very soon. After I climed over another big tree, I put on my snow shoes and just then heard a noise that scared me, it was 2 Marines coming over the log. They were nice enough. Asked me what time I started and they had to brag they started way later than me and caught up to me.. I said I’m slow…
The snow was wet in places, then crusty, then none existent…and then the ice bombs were horrible! It wasn’t snow bombs it was hard ice pellets crashing down every 2 minutes, I’ve never moved so fast to get off a trail. I raced up to Ranger Falls and back down as quick as I could. I didn’t bother with Green Lake, I’ve seen it before and I was drenched. Thank goodness I had extra hat and jacket to peel off the wet layers and get warm. Much quicker going back to the car too. Today was my 18th hike of the year. Stats 9 miles 5 hours elevation not sure.