Trip Reports

Showing all trip reports for the hike "Denny Creek"

Showing 299 trip reports


No image submitted	Denny Creek — May 09, 2013 — sounders Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mud/Rockslide, Water on trail, Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text With the past week in the mid to upper 70's, we thought it would be great to get away and go hiking ... With the past week in the mid to upper 70's, we thought it would be great to get away and go hiking for the day. The last thing we expected was to see snow. The road to the trail head is still not cleared so you have to park right before the snow starts and walk about .5 miles. DEFINITELY bring some sort of waterproof shoe or boot...the whole trail is covered in a ice/packed snow except for a few parts. Watch your step because some of the snow is soft and can give away leaving your foot falling deep to the base of the mounds. Be careful if you bring children! Just as you're getting to the end of the trail, it becomes a little hard to navigate; you cant really see any set trail. But follow the tracks of others, or the river upstream and you're fine. Overall it's still an amazing, not matter the conditions!

No image submitted	Denny Creek — May 05, 2013 — GEMS Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Snow on trail, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text SNOW! You still can't drive up to the trail head and there is more than a foot of snow on the road.... SNOW! You still can't drive up to the trail head and there is more than a foot of snow on the road. It is slippery and COLD, even with 80's in the towns below it - dress warm and with good shoes.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — May 04, 2013 — mewatson Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text A ton of SNOW on the trail. We couldn't even drive up to the trail head due to snow and fallen trees... A ton of SNOW on the trail. We couldn't even drive up to the trail head due to snow and fallen trees. Hiked about a 1/2 mile to the trail head through snow and cotinued to hike the trail on top of copact snow and ice. Went with a dog, 7 year old and 13 year old. Definitely wasn't prepared with tennis shoes, shorts and t-shirts. Definitely very cool and crisp. But, if we could do it being completely unprepare, anyone can do it with the proper shoes and appropriate clothing. I only caution that it is pretty slippery and a bit chilly. GOREGOUS hike, running water, and crazy to think on a 70 - 80 degree day we could be hiking in snow. A very fun experience if you are up to.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Mar 31, 2013 — Worldtraveler Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Lots of snow and made it very difficult to walk. The snow here is very deep. ... Lots of snow and made it very difficult to walk. The snow here is very deep.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Franklin Falls — Feb 09, 2013 — slowButSteady Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text This was our third attempt to snowshoe Denny Creek this winter. This time we were smarter and parke... This was our third attempt to snowshoe Denny Creek this winter. This time we were smarter and parked where the plowing stopped (previously 2 trips we dug out other vehicles that got high-centered on the snow past the campground). Just a skiff of new snow, so the trails were pretty packed down. Started out on the Denny Creek trail but, much to our disappointment, we had to turn back at the first creek crossing because the bridge was impassable. Snow buildup on the bridge was well above the hand rails, mounded and undercut. We turned back and took the trail to Franklin Falls instead. Very well trod and, since it was now after 11 a.m., it was pretty busy. Creek and falls were beautiful though with snow caps and impressive icicles. Considered taking the Wagon Wheel Trail back, but it was not tracked at all and our dog immediately post-holed so we stuck to the falls trail coming back also.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jan 26, 2013 — Mirek Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text This is an incredible hike. Easy for beginners with plenty of photo ops along the way. The bridges... This is an incredible hike. Easy for beginners with plenty of photo ops along the way. The bridges are narrow, but just pay attention to be careful to not cross your snowshoes and you will be just fine. The falls at the end are worth it, but this hike is mostly level and not a very long hike at all.

	Denny Creek — Dec 25, 2012 — DC Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text We had tried this hike a couple weeks ago. We had stopped just short of the waterfalls, so I though... We had tried this hike a couple weeks ago. We had stopped just short of the waterfalls, so I thought we would try again. I was driving the 4 Runner (without traction tires) a little recklessly to the trailhead, knowing that I had a shovel to dig out if we got stuck. We got stuck trying to park the car off the road near the trailhead. Then I realized I had forgot the shovel. It took about 20 minutes to free the thing loose. You will need a very snow capable vehicle if you plan on making all the way back to the trailhead. We hit the trail and were breaking fresh powder in no time. The bridge over the creek was a bit sketchy. The path was narrow and it would be easy to get your snowshoes crossed up, leading to you reaching for the snow covered hand rails, which, due to the snowpack, are only knee high in places. We only made it to the creek basin crossing this time. If you decide to go past this point, you will drop into the basin through chest high snow, and cross the creek over a beaver dam/snow bridge. If crossing through the basin doesn't slow you down, the treeless meadow just below the waterfalls certainly will. The snow was really coming down on our way out. It was a very white Christmas all the way down to North Bend.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Franklin Falls — Dec 22, 2012 — kyle Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text road to trailhead inaccessible. ran into increasingly wet deep snow at bridge and encountered truck... road to trailhead inaccessible. ran into increasingly wet deep snow at bridge and encountered truck who turned us back saying he had turned back due to deep snow and was happy he was able to make it out.

	Denny Creek — Dec 15, 2012 — Jeb Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Water on trail, Snow on trail, Avalanche danger Expand report text Hide report text Low Mountain has been on my radar for some time now, having failed two summit bids due to soft snow ... Low Mountain has been on my radar for some time now, having failed two summit bids due to soft snow and lack of proper gear. So needles to say, I was stoked to see a recent trip report by a few NWHikers with snowshoes. Thanks to Gimpilator, EastKing, and Jacob Smith for packing down a nice trench for me! The road is covered in snow from the junction at Asahel Curtis, and I was lucky to make it within a 1/4 mile of the trail head (which was covered in 1-2' of powder) with balding passenger tires. Leaving the car just before 8 o'clock, I made good time up to the first crossing of Denny Creek which had just enough solid snow to make a safe crossing. The first talus field caused me a few post-holes but by the second open section the trench began to fill in with powder, providing a little more staying power. As forecast, snow began to fall around 9:30 and the wind began to pick up as I approached the pass. Beyond Hemlock Pass the trench was only sporadically visible under several inches of new snowfall and drift. There were a few short sections where the ridge became very narrow with significant exposure on either side providing some route-finding challenges between trees and away from corniced edges. Before I had descended half of the North ridge, my own trench was almost indistinguishable under heavy snowfall and wind drift. As is my usual luck, the fog began to lift and the snowfall slowed within 20 minutes of leaving the summit. Between the pass and the falls I encountered a pair of skiers skinning their way up and a group of over a dozen snowshoers on their way to Melakwa Lake.

	Kaleetan Peak, Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Nov 26, 2012 — Walksalot Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Snow on trail, Avalanche danger Expand report text Hide report text After getting pelted with rain all the way to the summit of Teneriffe two days earlier, I figured th... After getting pelted with rain all the way to the summit of Teneriffe two days earlier, I figured there couldn't be too much snow on the trail to Kaleetan Peak. I was wrong. It's the worst kind of early season snow, too: unconsolidated, hiding massive voids below. My solid steps were punctuated by frequent postholing, which wasn't quite frequent enough not to come as a shock each and every time. It was enough to keep me from my target: Kaleetan Peak. The good news for anyone setting out for Denny Creek or Melakwa Lakes: the trail's been stamped in pretty well to the viewpoint of Kaleetan just short of the lakes. The footing is pretty solid. The creek crossings are pretty icy. Where the snowshoe tracks end, so does the decent footing. Bring snowshoes or prepare to flail around, fall over and generally go very very slowly uphill. The ridge run to Kaleetan is particularly bad - nearly every step sunk me hip-deep. I was not too proud to crawl (I had no choice). There's definitely some avvy risk on steep leeward slopes. Not a lot of those here, though.

	Denny Creek — Nov 18, 2012 — chadvivi Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text The snow got about 6"-10" at the smooth natural water slide. We were not able to cross due to snow! ... The snow got about 6"-10" at the smooth natural water slide. We were not able to cross due to snow! Our daughter just is 4 and had no problems hiking to this point even in the snow! Very enjoyable and will do again but definitely earlier in the year.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Nov 10, 2012 — skibunny24 Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Beautiful snowy day hike! Took the husband, dogs, and six year old up to the Snowshoe Falls. A lig... Beautiful snowy day hike! Took the husband, dogs, and six year old up to the Snowshoe Falls. A light dusting of snow kept the little one entertained. The water was still low enough at the creek to allow relatively easy passing for all members of our party. The rocks were slick past the falls, as the snow is becoming compacted and icy. I promise I'll get my camera hooked up to the computer one of these days. We took some great photos! Sorry they are not included!

	Denny Creek — Oct 07, 2012 — Mountain hiker Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Expand report text Hide report text We just had a time for a quick hike, and I definitely wanted to see some fall color. The answer was ... We just had a time for a quick hike, and I definitely wanted to see some fall color. The answer was the Denny Creek trail to Keekwulee Falls. This is a favorite spot of mine, and I think even more beautiful with all the fall colors. We were able to hike quite a ways down the falls this time, as the creek is running very slow compared to other times we have been there. To get to the falls hike past the area where you cross the creek. Continue up about another 1/2 to one mile. You will make your way out of the woods to an open area on the ridge where you start to see all the fall colors. To hike down to the falls, look for a newly fallen tree that had been over the trail, but has been cut to make way for the trail. Right after this point you want to head off down toward the falls.

	Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Oct 06, 2012 — vongoebel Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Fall foliage Expand report text Hide report text Felt like reconnoitering Kaleetan Peak today so I headed for the Denny Creek trailhead. Parking was ... Felt like reconnoitering Kaleetan Peak today so I headed for the Denny Creek trailhead. Parking was kind of a pain as this seemed to be quite the popular destination today, but although there were a lot of folks along the trail, one never really feels crowded. After a long walk and encountering many chipmunks, pikas and even a young grouse I finally arrived at Melakwa Lake. The lake is lovely and set in some fantastic scenery. Consequently it is a little well loved and campers would do well to obey the "day use" or "No camping signs" at sensitive sites so that some of the vegetative beauty may be restored. Great Hike, ample water, few bugs, clear trail. Enjoy!

	Denny Creek — Oct 04, 2012 — Janice Van Cleve Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Beware of: Bridge out Expand report text Hide report text The Denny Creek trail is a complex of tread types. The first mile which passes over a stout bridge ... The Denny Creek trail is a complex of tread types. The first mile which passes over a stout bridge and under I-90 is big, broad, and soft on the feet with dirt and duff. There are good turnpikes and gentle grades. At the famous Denny Creek rock slabs the trail comes to the washed out bridge which was totally obliterated a few seasons ago and never rebuilt. Too bad, because this is a popular trail that gets heavy use. The creek is down to a trickle so it is easy to cross it on the rocks but there are signs up with serious warnings that crossing in spring and summer runoff times would be dangerous. There are two cairns a bit upstream which show where the trail picks up again on the other side. From here to the falls (which are also a trickle at this time of year), the tread is decent. As soon as it leaves the trees, however, the trail crosses a long scree and boulder field which makes for a rocky stumbly path all the way up into the first set of switchbacks. These switchbacks ascend to the upper Denny Creek valley. There the trail gets rooty as it climbs up and over a hump before crossing over the creek again. The crossing here is bridged by an old rotten log that I refused in favor of simply crossing on the stones. Again as the trail leaves the trees it crosses more scree-boulder fields and then up a rocky set of switchbacks to Hemlock Pass. From there it is an easy walk to Melakwa Lake and Upper Melakwa Lake. Both lakes are low on water. There are lots of trails lacing the space between them and many good campsites. There is also a box toilet on a rise hidden in the trees. From Upper Melakwa it is pretty much a talus traverse up to Melakwa Pass, interrupted by a few groves of trees. There is another trail going up to Kaleetan which takes off from the Lower Melakwa spillway up past the toilet. I've done both of these before but not on this run. Foliage colors are starting but will probably be in full color in two weeks. Total gain is 2200 feet in 4.5 miles.

	Denny Creek — Sep 30, 2012 — Semir87 Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text A sudden, last minute decision convinced my friend and I to go on this lovely hike. This is the perf... A sudden, last minute decision convinced my friend and I to go on this lovely hike. This is the perfect hike for first timers, folks with pets and/or children, maybe some seniors too. It's a very short trail, very scenic, not much of an incline, and it wasn't too crowded. The waterfall at the end of the trail, makes the entire trip worth it. I would highly recommend this trail, and will most likely do it again.

	chair peak lake, Denny Creek, Snow Lake, Gem Lake, malakwa pass — Sep 21, 2012 — tgaero Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny ... We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny Creek TH. Started up the trail around 9:30 in clouds and made it to upper Malakwa Lake around noon for lunch. We got on top of the clouds and entered smoky sunshine just below Malakwa Lake. The route from the lakes up to Malakwa Pass was straightforward up the rocks with the final bit on a track through the trees on the W side of the valley. Not much of a view on account of the smoke. Dropped down the N side on steepish snow to 90% ice covered Chair Peak Lake. From here on to Gem Lake the route finding involved a bit of guesswork, considering the limited detail on our 15' topo map, and the low visibility. We crossed the Chair Peak Lake outlet stream and climbed up a rocky knoll on its W side. From there we dropped part way down a talus slope until we could turn N and head to a ridge on the N side of Roosevelt. Once on the ridge we found an occasionally distinct track heading NE that brought us to Gem Lake. From there it was back on the Snow Lake trail for the descent back into the clouds. Total time including breaks from trailhead to trailhead was just under 9 hours.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Snow Lake, Gem Lake — Sep 21, 2012 — tgaero Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny ... We started the trip by dropping off a bike at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving down to the Denny Creek TH. Started up the trail around 9:30 in clouds and made it to upper Malakwa Lake around noon for lunch. We got on top of the clouds and entered smoky sunshine just below Malakwa Lake. The route from the lakes up to Malakwa Pass was straight forward up the rocks with the final bit on a track through the trees on the W side of the valley. Not much of a view on account of the smoke. Dropped down the N side on steepish snow to 90% ice covered Chair Peak Lake. From here on to Gem Lake the route finding invovled a bit of guesswork, considering the limited detail on our 15' topo map, and the low visibility. We crossed the Chair Peak Lake outlet stream and climbed up a rocky knoll on its W side. From there we dropped part way down a talus slope until we could turn N and head to a ridge on the N side of Roosevelt. Once on the ridge we found an occasionally distinct track heading NE that brought us to Gem Lake. From there it was back on the Snow Lake trail for the descent back into the clouds. Total time including breaks from trailhead to trailhead was just under 9 hours.

	Denny Creek — Sep 16, 2012 — TwoGrunts Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Expand report text Hide report text Very easy to get to the trail head following the clear directions in either the book or here on the ... Very easy to get to the trail head following the clear directions in either the book or here on the site. I'd advise getting there early to get a good parking spot and a jump on the masses that love this trail. This hike on the Denny Creek Trail is a beautiful one. Bugs were minimal, no blow downs and trail is in fine shape. The slabs are beautiful, and while for many this is the destination, the trail heading towards Melakwa Lake is a real treat. Nice diversity along the trail and plenty to look at. Falls, ferns, orange and red leaves and even an adorable PIKA ! Some flowers are still lingering but mostly the area has given way to the beginnings of a lovely autumn. With the changing of the leaves comes a whole new beauty on this trail. I hiked to the lake a few weeks ago ( and it is a gorgeous sight ) but today we had a time conflict and had to turn around about half an hour from the lake. You might think that's a big disappointment, but the scenery had a way of leaving us quite fulfilled by our time spent with Mama Nature. We'll be back. The Cascades are beautiful in the fall ...

	Kaleetan Peak, Denny Creek — Sep 15, 2012 — Jeb Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text The trip reports that I have researched describe two routes from Melakwa lake to Kaleetan peak: one ... The trip reports that I have researched describe two routes from Melakwa lake to Kaleetan peak: one approaches from the south, following a trail up and over point 5700; the other follows the valley beyond upper Upper Melakwa Lake to Melakwa Pass. The faint bootpath here ends about 1200 feet below Kaleetan's east face. I wanted to explore both routes, and decided scrambling up the east face would be safer and easier than going down it. I took the trail on the west side of Melakwa Lake, then crossed over to the east side of Upper Melakwa Lake. Several paths come and go, but stay steady to the north to Melakwa Pass at the saddle between Kaleetan and Chair Peaks. From here I followed the ridge, occasionally dropping down on the south side to avoid thick vegetation, which is eventually released by crumbling rock a the south face becomes the steep east face of Kaleetan Peak. At first i planned on traversing to a sharp SE ridge with trees all the way to the saddle above to avoid exposure, but scrambling up the wide open rock face was way too fun. I rounded over the ridge at about 5800ft and turned North , the steepness ever increasing to the summit. This is by far the most satisfying summit I have achieved so far. The northeast and northwest faces drop of sharply, going nearly vertical for at least 2000 ft. The Mountaineers have deposited a summit log and someone installed a beautiful plaque listing the elevation and pointing toward a few nearby mountains. I spent about 2 hours surveying the hundreds of surrounding peaks, and about a dozen alpine lakes.chair peak lake was 90% covered in snow and ice, the brilliant blue radiating through the few holes and around the edges. Five separate wildfires were blazing between Wenatchee and Mt Rainer. Two of the smoke stacks rose up dividing Mt Tahoma and Rainier. I took my time carefully scrambling down and was glad to have a trail when I reached it. At the south saddle I ran into a group of the Tacoma mountaineers who had approached via the trail from the south. We exchanged route descriptions before heading our separate ways. The trail was a little faster going, although I did lose it once where several bootpaths spread out. After a quick rest and water refill at the lake I hurried back down the trail and made it back to the car just after 4 o'clock making it 9 hours car to car with plenty of time for pictures. I left the dogs behind on this one, but they could easily have made it up to the last 500 ft. if I could have convinced a friend to join me and take time watching them below. I saw 3 groups of 2 on the way up, and about 60 people on the way out. If you make the trip to Melakwa Lake be sure to stop by Snowshoe Falls about 1.5 miles South of the lake.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Sep 03, 2012 — Outback Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text Made the mistake of trying this hike over a holiday weekend, and unfortunately it was super crowded-... Made the mistake of trying this hike over a holiday weekend, and unfortunately it was super crowded- like going to the mall, only with less parking. We ended up being glad the parking near the trail head was full, because hikers trying to leave were experiencing some difficulty backing out with the steady stream of hikers and cars looking for parking. We found parking on the road outside Denny Creek campground. Denny Creek is a fantastic family hike. The trail in is a steady incline, so depending on speed it's a good workout. My kids, ages 7 and 4, were able to handle it. There's a nice bridge crossing the creek early in the hike- keep little hikers from running ahead to it because there is an unguarded drop just to the right as you step on the bridge. Along the way you'll cross under I-90, which is surprisingly a trip highlight. This is the portion of road held near the tree tops by great, cylindrical columns. Continue up, up, up until you reach the natural water slide. The creek here runs long over the smooth, gently inclined rock face. There is plenty of room, which is a good thing, because there was quite a crowd present. You could enjoy the creek with your family for hours, in fact there was a multi-family cookout in progress while we were there.

	Denny Creek — Aug 12, 2012 — Vik891 Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries Beware of: Blowdowns Expand report text Hide report text Great hike close to the city. Get there early! You will find a parking space and avoid the crowds th... Great hike close to the city. Get there early! You will find a parking space and avoid the crowds that flow in to enjoy the waterfall. The hike was enjoyable and continuing on to Melakwa Lake was worth the rocky trail. The lake was stunning! The trail was in great condition. There were a few trees across the trail but they were managable. If you are bringing your four legger(s) bring lots of water for them and you, the upper trail has a fair amount of exposed trail so it got pretty warm. I only say this because there were some unprepared hikers up there feeling it. Enjoy!!

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Aug 09, 2012 — Maddy Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text One of my favorite close to home hikes. No snow. Bugs non-existent in Denny Creek and only mild at... One of my favorite close to home hikes. No snow. Bugs non-existent in Denny Creek and only mild at Melakwa Lake. Not crowded on this pleasant Thursday. 9-10 mi RT.

	Melakwa Pass, Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Aug 04, 2012 — Seth Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns Expand report text Hide report text We had an absolutely amazing time at Melakwa Lake. We got an early start and left Seattle at 7am. ... We had an absolutely amazing time at Melakwa Lake. We got an early start and left Seattle at 7am. We got on the trail at 8:45 after a pit stop for gas and to renew our NW forest pass in North Bend. The temp heated up by the time we got to the lake (took us 2 hrs and 15 mins) and the last mile or so was a pretty decent elevation gain. We jumped in Melakwa when we got there, and it was refreshing, but freezing. We couldn't stay in for more than 15 seconds or so. The ranger up there told us the lake just completely melted about 2 weeks prior. The bugs were not bad AT ALL. No one in our group put on any bug repellent. The lakes named after those pesky mosquitoes, definitely did not live up to it's name :) Thank goodness. A light rain jacket, and rain pants were enough to keep the bugs away. Wildflowers were blooming, and the trail up to the Lakes were in decent condition. There were a few downed logs, but nothing that's too difficult to pass over/around (even with big packs). There was no snow on the trail, and Melakwa lakes were completely melted out with a few very tiny snow patches along a few of the banks. We took an afternoon trip up Melakwa Pass, and got an amazing view of Chair Peak Lake, and Glacier Peak off in the distance. We started by sticking to the snow melt stream on the way up. Once the trees got heavy, we stuck to the snow fields on the right. About 1/2 way up, we found a steep path along the left hand side of the valley. For the final leg, we trekked across the snowfield, then caught a steep, but well established trail in the trees the last few hundred yards. The view from the top definitely took our breath away! We glisaded down the entire way, and made it down in record time :) We were able to snow slide with our boots and stay in control the whole way down without an ice axe. I'd recommend the Melakwa lakes to anyone especially if you leave early. On our way down, we saw over 100 people at the Denny Creek Waterslide and the parking lot was packed down the road to the campground by noon! Get to the trailhead early, and you should have a spot.

	Pratt Lake Basin, Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek, Talapus and Olallie Lakes — Aug 04, 2012 — mtnlou Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes Expand report text Hide report text On the hottest weekend of the year (so far), we dove into the Alpine Lake Wilderness for some solitu... On the hottest weekend of the year (so far), we dove into the Alpine Lake Wilderness for some solitude and refreshing adventure. At least we had an adventure! We started at the Talapus/Olallie TH after placing a car at Denny Creek. We hiked past a quiet Talapus, raging Olallie and dropped down to serene Pratt. After filling water, we continued to Tuscohatchie which would be our camp for the night. I had been there 2 years ago and it seemed to be an unknown lake, somehow kept secret by a slightly rough and sometimes overgrown trail from Pratt. But as the day grew longer, hikers started appearing and by evening, every flat spot was occupied with a tent. There is now a new toilet there and the lake still stayed quiet, despite the number of people there. In the morning, we climbed up toward Melakwa Lake and went up to Upper Melakwa which is a fairly easy trail and it surprised me that I hadn't been there before. There were a significant number of people at Melakwa, but no campers since they have now made it a day-use only lake (from being loved to death, no doubt). I ventured uphill to the toilet which was new and provided a peek-a-boo view of the valley and peaks. Then it was time to descend over rock fields, baking in the hot sun, climbing over a few downed trees and down to water. We knew we were close to Denny Creek because we could hear... not the sound of rushing water... the cries of delighted children. It was a quick re-entry into civilization to see everyone playing at the waterslide creek but soon we joined in the fun, too.

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Melakwa Pass — Jul 14, 2012 — Brad Allen (middleforkgiants) Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Snow on trail, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text The Denny Creek trail is clear until about 3,200'. The creek crossing is straight forward with a de... The Denny Creek trail is clear until about 3,200'. The creek crossing is straight forward with a debris/hiker-built dam/bridge that is reasonably sturdy. At 3,200' there are 3 large blowdowns that you have to crawl over. There are wildflowers at about 3,000', so slow down and take a look. I first hit snow at 3,600' in that mini-pass that's about halfway from the creek crossing to Hemlock Pass. It is patchy at that point but no problems. Just below Hemlock Pass there is more snow and it causes some route-finding problems for a quarter mile or so. Generally, if you don't follow boot prints straight up the hill and, when in doubt, look to your right, you can stay on the trail. The trail is clear from Hemlock Pass to Melakwa lake although it is solid snow from there. Clear boot print along the lake edge and up to Melakwa Pass. It's worth slowing down in this section as well. Some of the nicest old-growth mountain hemlocks around are right next to the trail. I know you are excited to get to the lake, but take a look. I took the connector trail about halfway to Lower Tuscohatchie. There is some brief snow at first but it is reasonably clear after that. Normal mud but trail is in good shape. At Melakwa Lake you could camp on dry ground or snow, your choice. The campsite at the outlet is dry and there are dry spots on the little peninsula across the lake.

	Denny Creek — Jul 08, 2012 — Mike Owen Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text He hiked Denny Creek after doing Franklin Falls, and the two make a great combo that a family can do... He hiked Denny Creek after doing Franklin Falls, and the two make a great combo that a family can do in 2-3 hours. We passed several small patches of snow alongside the trail on our way up, and other than some muddy spots, the trail was in good shape. We had hoped to maybe go down the natural rock slide, but this was clearly going to be impossible, once we saw the volume of water cascading down the falls below the natural slide. We watched nervously as several families cross the raging creek on a makeshift "bridge" composed of downed logs and rocks, and decided against doing so ourselves. At one point, and man walking a dog across the creek upstream from the bridge actually lost his balance, and hold of his dogs collar, as he reached the near side of the creek, and the thirty or so hikers gathered nearby held their breaths as the dog was quickly carried downstream towards the falls. Luckily, with the help of another hiker on shore, the dog was guided ashore, wet but otherwise unscathed. This convinced us that this was a creek not to be trifled with, in its current condition. Indeed, signs at the trailhead had warned of the dangerous conditions, and any one of the small children who were crossing the creek could have had a misstep, and the situation would have turned tragic in an instance. After this little adventure, we turned back and had an uneventful hike back to the trailhead, looking forward to returning in August when the water will have receded and sliding down the natural rock slide would be possible.

	Denny Creek — Jul 01, 2012 — Hiker Dad Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text Needed a quick day hike with the kids and every book recommends this short hike with kids. We left ... Needed a quick day hike with the kids and every book recommends this short hike with kids. We left early to try and beat the crowds and succeeded until around 11am when the crowds started to gather at the slippery slabs. We continued on to the waterfall above the slabs and had a picnic lunch in relative solitude. By the time we returned to the slippery slabs around 12:30 the place looked like a public swimming pool. Sun, warm weather and weekends will always bring the crowds to this destination it appears. Despite this it was well worth it. The kids had a great time and we may try this again during the week and will likely continue up the trail to more isolated destinations.

	Denny Creek — Jun 27, 2012 — sastrugi Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Mud/Rockslide, Mudholes, Washouts, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Denny Creek is a gem outside the Emerald City! The trail starts out in an old-growth wonderland, w... Denny Creek is a gem outside the Emerald City! The trail starts out in an old-growth wonderland, with towering Redcedars and Western Hemlocks. Upon entering the trail we were greeted by the cheerful Pacific Wren and the elusive song of the Varied Thrush. The ground flora is still in spring form with Vanilla Leaf, Western Trillium, Queens Cup, False Solomon's Seal and False Lily of the Valley. The trail is in good condition here, soft with a few muddy areas to note. Past the freeway overpass there are a few patches of snow to cross over. Upon reaching the Denny Creek waterslide in 1.3 miles there is a fairly stable dam of river-wood that allows for crossing. After crossing, the trail wanders through a fine stand of dominant Silver Fir, young and old. (Look closely among the decaying wood alongside the trail and you may find the spongy fungus- Witches Butter!) At the forest edge the trail becomes rocky as it starts to make its way through the avalanche zone. Notice the change in flora here- the first wildflowers of the season pop up under the small, vibrant green canopy of the Sitka Alder and Vine Maple. Like a fine wine, the Western Trillium gets its beauty with age; here you can find them in various shades of purple with hints of fading white. Neighboring the trilliums are Pacific Bleeding Heart, Glacier Lilies, and Pink Mountain Heather to name a few. Take a seat next to the massive Silver Fir, clinging onto the mountainside below you, as you enjoy the awesome power and beauty of Keekwulee Falls across the valley. (Watch your snacks! The Yellow Pine Chipmunks here are cute but bold!) Continue past the falls and you will arrive at a massive fallen Silver Fir laying over the trail. (You can explore this fallen giant to see the lush biodiversity of lichens and mosses of the upper canopy!) This marks the start of the switchbacks, and the Mountain Hemlocks!, that leads to Hemlock Pass. Higher elevation comes with more snow- so at the top of the pass gators might be a nice comfort in order to cross through the snowfields that stand before Melaka Lake.

	Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Jun 23, 2012 — HikingJason Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text So, we got to the Denny Creek trailhead and the sun was peaking through. It was a beautiful day. T... So, we got to the Denny Creek trailhead and the sun was peaking through. It was a beautiful day. The first mile of the hike is very pretty and lush. You go underneath the I-90 freeway which is really cool. There's a big across a creek/waterfall feature. During this first mile of the hike, the trail was pretty much 99% snow-free, maybe just a few tiny patches of snow left over here and there--easy to manuever around. At about 3/4 of a mile or a mile into the hike you reach a creek that used to have a bridge 3 years ago but doesn't anymore. Luckily Mother Nature has created her own bridge--there were several logs kind of dammed in this spot along the creek and we were able to walk across the logs to the other side. From mile 1 to mile 2 the trail remained mostly, 95% clear, of snow. Closer to the 2 mile mark you reach Keekwulee Falls, a HUGE waterfall. Around this area there were 1 or 2 small banks of snow to negotiate, but still not that bad. There are also other waterfalls we saw in this area. The mountains surrounding the area are very pretty as well. Lots of amazing views up here. After the first 2 miles of the hike and passing the waterfall, the trail still remained mostly clear of snow for a while. It wasn't until about 2.5 or 3 miles into the hike that we reached considerable snow. At this point it started to prove difficult finding the trail. We followed close to the river and went through a valley that was probably still covered in a solid foot of snow. At the end of the valley we turned left and went up a steep hill in the snow. This proved to be a BIG MISTAKE. First of all, I think the correct trail would have been to turn right at the end of the valley instead of left (we later saw some backpackers going that way that looked like they really knew what they were doing). Secondly this really steep ascent on the snow started to become really slippery and dangerous so we turned around. It was a good thing we turned around because it all of a sudden started hailing on us. We got caught in a severe thunderstorm going back. On the way back down we saw a couple trees down that weren't down before that looked fresh...we realized that lightning must have just struck these trees. There were flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder every few minutes. So, something to keep in mind a couple blowdowns or downed trees along the trail now--but very easy to get around.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 16, 2012 — enjoynjoy Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Mudholes, Snow on trail, No water source Expand report text Hide report text We got to the Denny Creek trailhead at around 2pm. It was overcast and a little windy with patches o... We got to the Denny Creek trailhead at around 2pm. It was overcast and a little windy with patches of sun. The trail was muddy and had some snow spots, but it was packed and sturdy most of the time. I didn't have any hiking boots and wore my Nikes, but they got VERY muddy! Hiking boots recommended. The bridge wasn't down apparently and everyone turned around after that initial 1/2 mile or so. We were feeling adventurous and decided to hike up into the woods and follow the creek up to see if there were some way to cross, but we were unsuccessful. If it were earlier, warmer and I had water shoes, we would have crossed in a few less raging spots. The water was pretty intense still. There was a considerable amount of people, but everyone was pleasant and seemed to be having a good time despite the rain that started to mist and lightly drizzle. At times it came down in a hard sprinkle, but we were prepared:) After that we went down the Franklin Falls trail to get some sort of payoff. It was beautiful. Only 2 miles round trip, it was well worth it. I would recommend this hike to be taken later in the summer for a better end result. The only thing I would like to state that no one else seemed to is that when you get to the Denny Creek Campground, there's a sign that says you need a NW forestry pass past that point and it give you details on where to get them. Two of the locations are ridiculously far away, Enumclaw being one. Luckily there is one off exit 52. The deal is is that you either need to buy a NW forestry pass for $30 which is good for a year at lots of parks or get a temporary pass which I believe is $5. We got all the way to the campground to find this out and had to turn around and go back on I-5 to exit 52. It's right there next to the summit. On the right hand side there will be a small office that says forestry office or something of that nature. Get your passes there. Parking was decent and it was family and dog friendly. Hope this helps. Have fun!

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Franklin Falls, Melakwa Pass — Jun 05, 2012 — HikingJason Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bridge out, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text So first, we hiked the first mile of the Melakwa Lake Trail. There is still snow in the parking lot... So first, we hiked the first mile of the Melakwa Lake Trail. There is still snow in the parking lot, but not very deep so it will likely be melted in the next week or two. The first mile of the trail wasn't all that bad in terms of snow. There was patches of snow still and short sections with snow but with footprints to walk on...and there were long sections without snow, just a lot of water running across the trail. With the rain coming down today, it appeared the snow is melting away fairly rapidly. At the one mile mark, we reached the waterfall/creek where there's no bridge. This creek can be crossed when water is not running high...but with the rain coming down today and the water running high, we didn't want to chance it. We probably could have made it across okay, but not worth risking. Someone needs to place some rocks across this stream as stepping stones so that everyone can get across the stream more easily. After this we went over to Franklin Falls. Again in terms of snow it was just patches here and there...not too bad and where there was snow, footprints to walk in. The waterfall was really raging today with the rainfall and melting snow. Pretty easy hike. Franklin Falls, very impressive! Asahel Curtis is just a short 1/3-1/2 mile loop nature trail, and we did it at the end to add a tiny bit of mileage on...we saw a small section of waterfall and lots of tree names.

No image submitted	Franklin Falls, Denny Creek — May 26, 2012 — keel Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Bridge out, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Decided to try hiking to Franklin falls today since it was buried in snow two weeks ago. The road d... Decided to try hiking to Franklin falls today since it was buried in snow two weeks ago. The road down from Hyak was closed due to snow but the road up from Exit 45 was open up to the trail head tho there was snow aplenty. The hike is only one mile and was a mix of open but wet trail plus hardpan snow up to three feet deep. There were well over 100 people there today, many hiking in sneakers, flip-flops and carrying babies in backpacks, crazy and risky as that is. The falls was carrying a lot of water while a side canyon looked to be buried in a glacier. The mist from the falls was being carried quite a ways. We also did the Denny Creek trail up about two miles. Snow made finding the trail difficult at times and we found several people who had hiked and gotten lost but managed to find their way back. At two miles, the snowpack was just too deep to continue so we bushwhacked our way alongside the river most of the way back and came across another waterfall just as tall as Franklin falls but with the river cascading thru a narrow channel and boiling and exploding with vigor. Back at the parking lot, we looked at the map and we weren't sure what falls we had seen since the map didn't jibe with our recollection of the path we forged.

	Denny Creek — Apr 10, 2012 — doctordave Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text The road is closed by snow about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. The snow on the road was mostly packe... The road is closed by snow about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. The snow on the road was mostly packed down and we only had occasional post holing. This was also true once we started on the actual trail. However, the bridge crossing Denny Creek just prior to passing under I 90 appeared fairly unsafe to cross. The snow was protruding about 3 feet above the railings for the bridge, and a slip would have potentially caused a 20-25 foot drop into the creek.

	Denny Creek — Oct 15, 2011 — EvilGerman Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Expand report text Hide report text Beautiful fall colors. Some mud.... Beautiful fall colors. Some mud.

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Sep 25, 2011 — General Spook X Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text We started our hike just before 8:00 A.M. It was cool and there were some scattered showers until we... We started our hike just before 8:00 A.M. It was cool and there were some scattered showers until we got higher in elevation, then there was barely any rain at all. There was no one on the trail when we first arrived, but did see some hikers coming back after camping out there for the weekend. When we arrived at Denny Creek it was rainy, but my dog still enjoyed it. We arrived at Melakwa Lake around 10:20 A.M. and we were on a misson coming back out there twenty days after the last time we were up here on Labor Day. We were here this time to find the kid's belongings that had fallen on September 5th because his mom had mentioned to me that a couple of his personal belonging's were still up there. When we arrived at upper Melakwa Lake we made our way around to where him and his friends climbed up. We suddenly experienced gusts of winds for about ten minutes as we made our way up to the area below the peak they attempted to climb. My dog was following us up there. My friends and I recovered everything that was left up there of his belongings and eventually made our way down. On the way back my dog was much slower. I checked his paws when we were below the peak and they looked fine to me. When I got home, I realized that the pads of his paws were ripped up pretty good and he was beat. Climbing the rocks was too much for him and I felt bad about it. It's a decent hike for dogs, but probably not a good idea to take them on the rocks.

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Sep 17, 2011 — Weluv2hike. Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Ripe berries Expand report text Hide report text Rained the on and off, mostly sprinkles. The lake is so blue and the trail is nice and groomed. Park... Rained the on and off, mostly sprinkles. The lake is so blue and the trail is nice and groomed. Parking lot full when we got there. Had a great hike today. At the lake and on the trail it was like a dog park. Have never seen that many dogs on a trail.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Sep 17, 2011 — Zachary Oliver Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Ripe berries Expand report text Hide report text My friends Kelsey and Livya joined me today on a hike to Snowshoe Falls. This one is located near Sn... My friends Kelsey and Livya joined me today on a hike to Snowshoe Falls. This one is located near Snoqualmie Pass, just off of the Denny Creek trail. The hike to the waterfall is simple and straight forward; however, the unmarked turnoff to the falls can be easy to miss (we actually didn't find it until the return trip). The parking lot was jammed but we lucked out and found a spot to parallel park right near the trailhead. The rain was on and off throughout the day and the trail was muddy in areas but the cool weather was a welcome respite from last weekend's heat. Keekwulee Falls was running pretty low but was still nice to look at from the hillside. As far as trail conditions (which is the primary purpose of this report), it is in prime shape with no obstructions. The mosquitoes were evident but were few and far between.

	Denny Creek, Kaleetan Peak, Melakwa Lake — Sep 05, 2011 — D0K70R Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text Did this wonderful hike today with my brother and best friend and his brother. I am an avid hiker an... Did this wonderful hike today with my brother and best friend and his brother. I am an avid hiker and Melakwa Lake was recommended to my by a good friend. Just joined this site today and I thought I'd share this with you... The destination was beautiful. Although, we got to our destination (Upper Melakwa Lake) and climbed a really steep ridge that looked down at both Melakwa Lakes. Then all of a sudden two helicopters flew in. One was the King County Sheriff. For about 8 minutes they were looking for somebody. The helicopter flew over to us and my best friend and I motioned for them to look behind them. There was a large crowd of about 9 people across from the ridge that we were standing on (600 yards away). King County Sheriff flew over there and dropped a rescue worker to assess the situation. They lifted a body back into the helicopter. Apparently what had happened was a 20-year-old man and his buddy were climbing a steep ridge when one of them turned around to take a picture of the view behind him and ended up falling 40 feet. He did not survive. CPR was performed for about 50 minutes but the man had suffered massive head trauma and his brain had swelled. You know, it's moments like that that reminds you safety should always be #1 priority. People go into hikes not thinking that, 'hey maybe I may die today.' It's crazy. Be safe.

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Sep 05, 2011 — General Spook X Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text I was told of this hike by my brother. It was Labor Day and we knew it would be busy, so we decided ... I was told of this hike by my brother. It was Labor Day and we knew it would be busy, so we decided to get an early start. We arrived at the trailhead (Denny Creek Trail) just before 8:00 A.M. and started at 8:00 A.M. It was my brother, me, my best friend and his brother. I wish I would have known that dogs were allowed on the trail before hand because I would have brought my boy Chanse! Conditions were shady and chilly at first. We first arrived at the lower Denny Creek and explored that area for a bit, then we were on our way to the Melakwa Lakes. The trail was well maintained and the sun started coming out. It was eventually HOT and we all got sunburned. When we reached the first lake around 10:15 A.M. we took a short break for pictures and then proceeded to upper Melakwa Lake. Both lakes were a blue-green color. The mosquitoes were atrocious, but we later discovered that the word Melakwa comes from a Chinook term for "mosquito" (go figure). It was then that we saw approximently 9 people at the bottom of a peak near Kaleetan Peak, just past the lake. It was hard to see what they were doing up there, so I figured they were taking a break. We decided to climb the peak across from where they were called Chair Peak. When we were half way up and level with the people on the other side, we took our definite break. About an hour had passed by the time we arrived at the lakes, then suddenly two helicopters were coming in our direction! I then knew that something was wrong with the people across the way. One was a Sherrif chopper and the other was Kiro! The Sheriff helicopter (called Gaurdian One) approached us first and we signaled it to the people across the way. It then did a loop and came back to us once again. We, again, signaled them in the direction of where the other hikers were and they made their way to their area. What had happened was a 21-year-old fell trying to climb the peak. The kid ended up losing his life up there from the accident. So sad and unfortunate. I attended his Memorial a week later in an attempt to know him as a person and he sounded like an extraordinary one. He definitely made an impact on the lifes around him.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Sep 05, 2011 — amccain Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Ripe berries Expand report text Hide report text We hiked to the Denny Creek slides on a sunny Labor Day and were not alone. We got to the trailhead... We hiked to the Denny Creek slides on a sunny Labor Day and were not alone. We got to the trailhead about 10:30am after a 1/4 mile hike from our car. I was about to turn back when I saw the crowd at the trailhead, but we were with friends. I can't say that I didn't expect the crowd. The hike through the woods was on a nice and wide trail that was easy enough for the 3-yr old legs that belonged to my son. I didn't notice any significant climb, but then again I was walking at the pace of a 3-yr old. We had no issues with the trail and even found an undisturbed huckleberry bush to enjoy! The bridge over the creek is pretty cool and the waterslide area is a neat area to climb and explore. We joined the throngs spreading towels on the exposed rocks and ate lunch while the kids dipped their feet in the pools. A few were even brave enough to sit in the creek and have the water whip around them. I can't even say that the bugs were bad. I think it was that there were so many targets for the bugs to go after that they could spread out and I didn't feel like the whole swarm was focused on just me. This is a neat destination, just don't expect to be alone.

	Denny Creek — Aug 19, 2011 — sweetgreen Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text Why pay to go to expensive water parks when you can have a natural one at Denny Creek? Take your kid... Why pay to go to expensive water parks when you can have a natural one at Denny Creek? Take your kids for a dip at this trail to enjoy the last of the nice summer weather! The road is gentle enough for children and along the way, your children will love to cross a bridge and see the roaring water below, and under a highway where you can hear the roaring trucks and cars above your head! There were nice huckleberry bushes, but there were no huckleberries on them. Watch out for bugs though, they can be a nuisance! Make sure to bring bug spray to avoid being bitten. My advice: Don't go on weekends, that's when lots of people will hike and play at Denny Creek! Choose some other day! Soon enough, you will arrive at Denny Creek! There are small streams where you can soak your toes, or pools where you can take a dip. The water is VERY cold, so make sure you go on a nice sunny day. We saw lots of little ones push rocks into the streams and the water shot a few inches into the air. Hike a bit further, and you will find bigger pools and streams. If you want to take a picture of the roaring falls at the very top, you'll have to cross a log over a raging stream, soak your toes to get to a muddy hill, and leap safely near the falls! NEVER let your little kids out of sight, for they might slip or fall (there are lots of slippery places at Denny Creek where your children could get hurt). Once you come back from Denny Creek, you could hike at Franklin Falls as well. You could put two hikes into one fabulous hiking trip, when you soaked your toes at Denny Creek and you could feel the mist on your face at Franklin Falls.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Franklin Falls — Aug 19, 2011 — theidealhiker Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Ripe berries Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text This Friday was a beautiful day for a hike! Even though I left late, at around 10:30, there was no t... This Friday was a beautiful day for a hike! Even though I left late, at around 10:30, there was no traffic, and got there about an hour later. There was plenty of parking and sunny! We decided to hike to Denny Creek first ; along the way there was plenty of shade for the tired to rest! The hike was relatively easily, but more than half the time I had to swat flies or mosquitoes to get out of my way. There is some incline on the way to Denny Creek but otherwise this trail is a good one for little ones ; there is a part of the trail where you can hear and see the interstate above you. It's exhilarating to stand below the big highway. Once we got there, it was a surprise to see that there weren't that much people there! I ate lunch in shade but couldn't stay standing or sitting still ; there were SO many flies! Every second or so one tried to bite me, and a few succeeded. I have a few bug bites appearing from yesterday. (And let me tell you, I don't appreciate that!) If you go up the creek there is a waterfall and I saw one person could climb up. Another tried to do the same but she slipped and hit her jaw, that's a warning for those who might do the same. At one point there was a swarm of little kids surrounding that same waterfall and the leader was not really watching them ; two of them slipped and fell down onto another part of the creek. Make SURE to hold onto your little ones ; Denny Creek is VERY slippery and CAN be dangerous. Please make sure you're safe! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once we finished walking back to the entrance of the trail, we had to walk to the Franklin Falls trailhead which is pretty easy to find; there are signs, I don't think anybody will get lost at this place. I heard that this hike was "easy," but I don't think so. There are some steep inclines along the trail and is hard for small children as well as older adults. They have steps, which help along the way, but there was also this revolting smell (I don't know what kind of smell!) that kept on coming when we kept hiking, and the smell was absolutely disgusting! When we got to Franklin Falls, you have to step down to get to the falls, and there is about 200 or 300 feet of that. This decline of the trail is dangerous as rocks are jagging out to the right and there's nothing to aid you if you fall to the left. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE! I almost slipped once. The falls are beautiful, but getting here was not very fun at all! I don't think I'll come back to this trail again! Both of the trails are snow-free and easily accessible ; wonderful hiking everyone! -The Ideal Hiker

	Denny Creek — Aug 06, 2011 — Sandypaws Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Expand report text Hide report text It was a bit overcast, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the kids or dogs on this hike. The ... It was a bit overcast, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the kids or dogs on this hike. The trail is in great condition. The only challenge we had was with the pile of logs that serve as the bridge across the creek and the end of the trail. It is pretty easy to get a foot or paw caught between the branches. The water is shallow and easy to cross if you don't mind getting your feet wet. There are many wildflowers blooming and the bugs were not pesky at all. For a Saturday, it was a busy hike, but not too crowded. We easily found a prime spot to settle in for lunch.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Aug 03, 2011 — tlitchfo Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Expand report text Hide report text Great day to hike - trail in beautiful shape. We only hiked up to the slide area. As previous repo... Great day to hike - trail in beautiful shape. We only hiked up to the slide area. As previous reports state, there is a makeshift log crossing, but water level was very manageable - we did not have to get wet at all. We did venture up a side "boot" trail towards Keekwulee Falls - probably another .25 miles or so and found a nice secluded sunny area to hang for an hour or so.

	Denny Creek, Franklin Falls, Wagon Road — Jul 23, 2011 — Solo Steve Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bridge out Expand report text Hide report text Our Mountaineers group of 11 thought we might have a tough time finding parking at 9:00 a.m., but we... Our Mountaineers group of 11 thought we might have a tough time finding parking at 9:00 a.m., but we beat the rush of late(r) risers. If you're like me and you haven't been to the Denny Creek Trailhead in a while, you'll be pleased to see a spiffy new privy to complement the old one and help cut down on the wait time. Permit completed, we set out for the "slippery slab" or "waterslide rocks" or "bathing rocks" where the old bridge across Denny Creek washed out a few years back. There are some logs and stones to help with the crossing, but consider bringing poles or having someone spot you with a helping hand. We soaked in some sun and returned, then did the Franklin Falls and Wagon Road Trails, joining an incredible number of families and (leashed) dogs on this sunny day.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jul 23, 2011 — pclements Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes Expand report text Hide report text Enjoyed this hike. Be sure to wear shoes that can get muddy. Trail was muddy most of the way and a... Enjoyed this hike. Be sure to wear shoes that can get muddy. Trail was muddy most of the way and also had deeper pockets of mud in some spots. Slides were slippery in spots and lots of rushing water still. Not the safest. There wasn't a simple way to cross as the water covered the majority of the slide and was coming fast. Somebody made a make-shift bridge out of logs to cross but was still a little bit dangerous. Sun was out which made it a beautiful place to sit and eat lunch, watch everybody try to play in the water.

	Denny Creek — Jul 13, 2011 — kripp Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Expand report text Hide report text Trail was in good condition but a bit wet and muddy, some snow up closer to Snowshoe waterfall. The... Trail was in good condition but a bit wet and muddy, some snow up closer to Snowshoe waterfall. The issue was the "log bridge" at the slide rock. When we returned from the falls, the forest service crew we'd seen earlier had completely removed the bridge! We had no way to get back. They stood in the river in their thigh waders, and said there wasn't a good way to get back across without getting wet. Although we were more concerned with safety than comfort, they didn't seem to be concerned with us at all. They never offered to help us back across! It was a hairy crossing further up river and a dangerous scramble back up the hill. I can't imagine why they didn't mention the removal of the logs to us when we'd seen them. Ranger report from July 11th on the reader board didn't mention this upcoming work in the trail report, just snow after the log bridge going up the falls. I understand we take responsibility for crossing but forest srv crew should have told us what they were doing and been helpful, as it easily could have become a dangerous situation.

	Denny Creek, Keekwulee Falls — Jul 13, 2011 — Wolfegang Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Overgrown, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text A few drizzles, but a quiet day for the hike. The trail was a bit muddy along different parts, but ... A few drizzles, but a quiet day for the hike. The trail was a bit muddy along different parts, but the old growth was beautiful, and there were load of wildflowers blooming. A forest crew moved past us and we caught up w/them removing a huge log from across the trail. Passed them, and got to the creek. Big issue - the bridge is washed out @ 1.3 miles in where the granite waterslides are. The reader board indicated a 'crossing' which we discovered was a combinated of bolders/logs, but it was manageable. Moved up the path to Keekwulee Falls and it was awesome, lots of water coming over and had lunch there. The path seems a lot less used here, a bit overgrown, mostly likely due to the missing bridge - one small snow field, but the falls are worth it! Upon our descent, we found the same forest crew. They had removed the 'crossing' saying they were trying to prevent pooling. We asked where was the best place to get across, and an older man replied, "There really is no good place." We ended up having to find a place where the current wasn't as strong, but needless to say ended up very wet, and had to scale the hillside & find the trail. It was a beautiful hike - I'd do it again - but make sure the bridge is replaced, otherwise it's a long drive for a 1.3 mile hike. Also, wish the forest crew would have been more helpful as we had some kids in our party. We know the risks, but they knew we were ahead of them.

	Denny Creek — Jul 10, 2011 — KPZomB Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text We wanted an easy hike for the dogs and thought this one sounded nice. The trail started out nice an... We wanted an easy hike for the dogs and thought this one sounded nice. The trail started out nice and dry with only a little mud. We got to the river and saw that the snow caused it to be slightly high. The only way to cross was to either go through the cold water or over a bridge of logs that looked "sort of" sturdy. My White German Shepherd went through the river without a problem. I had to carry my Miniature Australian Shepherd. We nearly fell in. (>_<) On the other side we chose to go to the right up the rocky area to admire the river. The dogs were having fun. At this point we saw a trail up above the left side and climbed up it and up toward the higher falls. There is another nice little area to rest up this way but the climb is tricky and very muddy. VERY VERY muddy. My white dog was black up to her chest. We decided not to head up the trail directly ahead of the water crossing area towards Melawka Lake because more people were showing up and we wanted a little more space for the dogs. Afterwards we decided to return and head to another spot to let the dogs romp a bit. The trip down was ok but again... I had to carry my smaller dog across the river.

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Jul 09, 2011 — hike4life Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries Beware of: Mud/Rockslide, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text This is such an awesome hike! You get the walk through the forest and then lovely alpine meadows. Lo... This is such an awesome hike! You get the walk through the forest and then lovely alpine meadows. Lot's of flowers blooming and the berries should be ripe soon. There is patchy snow starting after you pass all of the falls. My friend and I had hopes of making it to Melakwa Lake, but there is nothing but snow about a mile from the lake. We followed the trail markers once the trail was covered; however, these marked the wrong trail and led to the ridge. We decided to head down to the bottom and assess the situation from there. The snow field was pretty slick and steep, so we decided we would just head back at that point after climbing all the way down.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 21, 2011 — Splandie Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Hiked up to the Slick rock. (When did the bridge get washed out?)No blowdowns. Snow on the trail beg... Hiked up to the Slick rock. (When did the bridge get washed out?)No blowdowns. Snow on the trail begining about halfway to the Slickrock. Then it was half snow/half trail. People were hiking it in flip flops, so not really an issue.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 20, 2011 — Montana Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Hiked all the way to Snowshoe Falls. The bridge is washed out across the creek just before the first... Hiked all the way to Snowshoe Falls. The bridge is washed out across the creek just before the first falls. There was a log across the creek and we crossed on it. The snow got deeper and deeper up the other side toward Snowshoe Falls but after crossing the rock slide/snowfield we were able to stand above Snowshoe Falls. It was a great hike. No one past the creek crossing.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 05, 2011 — SoulOne Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Mudholes, Washouts, Water on trail, Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text It was a beautiful day for a hike with the young ones, but Denny Creek Trail was not the best choice... It was a beautiful day for a hike with the young ones, but Denny Creek Trail was not the best choice this time of year apparently. The road to the trail head is still covered with snow, and the trail as well. At the moment, this is an intermediate level hike and not ideal for children as the snow covered trail has many areas where you can fall one to two feet deep into the snow covered trail. We had actually lost the main trail a few times on the way to K falls due to the snow. As we got to the top where we were supposed to cross the river over to the picnic area, we found the log crossing over the river was washed out. Several missing logs made the crossing not possible for young ones and those without water proofing, so we ended up heading back down. Nonetheless, if you want a challenging more advanced hike, this is the time to do it as this trail is generally very family friendly and easy going. FYI: The park restrooms right now are in super poor condition. Bring some TP with you too as you should every time you go hiking. At the moment, there is nothing worthy of mention for this trail or scenery other than the bride crossing over Denny Creek .2mi in.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — May 21, 2011 — kaeldra Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text Trail almost completely covered with snow - a few patches where it has melted out. It was pretty wel... Trail almost completely covered with snow - a few patches where it has melted out. It was pretty well compacted near the beginning, but got a lot fluffier near the end. We hiked just to the sliding rocks. Three party members wore sneakers and got wet feet. Although there are no blazes, the trail was pretty obvious due to footprints from other hikers. I would hold off for another three weeks at least, maybe a month - the snow was pretty deep in some spots. A few trillium were starting to peek their heads out just before the freeway. We parked just after the campground, but had to cross some snow to get there - bring a car that has decent clearance.

	Denny Creek — Feb 20, 2011 — Tareyton Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail, Avalanche danger Expand report text Hide report text Couldn't make it to the lake because I lost the trail. Road to the Denny Creek TH is plowed about 1... Couldn't make it to the lake because I lost the trail. Road to the Denny Creek TH is plowed about 1 mile short of the trailhead. If you have a high clearance vehicle you could drive on it. If you don't it is an easy 20 minute walk to the TH. The trail is in fantastic shape if you have the right gear. It is hard compacted ice. If you have crampons you are good to go. You don't sink in at all. If you don't have crampons or some sort of spiked shoe attachments I wouldn't atempt to hike on the trail. I also carried snowshoes but didn't use them. The trail is well worn to the fist set of falls (starts with a K). After that I lost the trail to crusty snow. If you have a gps log or knew the trail you could easily make it to Lake Melakwa. For the hard charger the snow is so crusty that you could climb the backside of Denny mountain (with crampons). I started doing this and made it to 4K feet then turned around because the weather started to change. It was pretty easy going . I just turned to my right (river was on my left) and hiked straight up. I wish I knew this trail better because it would have been awesome to see the lake. I passed the TH to Franklin falls and that trail also looked like it was well worn and very easy to hike with crampons.

	Denny Creek — Jan 15, 2011 — onehikeaweek Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text The entire Cascades area was forecast to be cloudy in the AM with a chance of rain in the afternoon.... The entire Cascades area was forecast to be cloudy in the AM with a chance of rain in the afternoon. After last weekend down in Mount Hood, I was looking for something quick and easy for the day. The trailhead was inaccessible by car due to heavy snow, so we needed to hike a mile or so to get there. I had hoped to go all the way to Melakwa Lake but changed my mind when we go to the creek crossing. There wasn’t an easy spot for the dogs to cross so I made it our turn-around point. We ran into one other snowshoer on the way up and he too turned around at the crossing, saying it’s too dangerous to cross. Flickr: http://bit.ly/denny-creek-trail

	Denny Creek — Oct 05, 2010 — jack4hike // jaSko Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes Expand report text Hide report text Destination:Melakwa Lk. Distance:9M.Roundtrip El.Gain:2600 feet. October day looks like summer ... Destination:Melakwa Lk. Distance:9M.Roundtrip El.Gain:2600 feet. October day looks like summer day except on higher elevation(little more cold) first few miles,not quick gain elevation.then step terrene.the trail is in nice condition.This is my second hike here in past 10 days.last time weather was fogy and decided back during better weather. Two tent on lake basin,I am jealous on quiet and piece what someone enjoying. Only 7-8 poeple on the trail. NOTE: I lost my Samsung(prepaid)phone on the trail..I put somewhere on rock. Phone is deactivated and I have new, please email if you have this phone:\ jackjasko@gmail.com Thank you and stay safe on yours hike.

	Kaleetan Peak, Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Oct 02, 2010 — timezra Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text As I was driving past North Bend through the dreary 7am drizzle, the thought that the weather report... As I was driving past North Bend through the dreary 7am drizzle, the thought that the weather report (partially cloudy and 65 degrees) was wrong kept gnawing away at me: "They were wrong. It will be like this the whole way up. You won't even make the summit if the scramble is slick". Soon after starting off from the Denny Creek trailhead toward Melakwa Lake, as I cleared the morning cobwebs from the path, the thought resonated again: "They were wrong", as the clouds dissipated and blue filled the sky and the air warmed. By the time I had reached the top of Kaleetan Peak, I could not help thinking, "I was wrong," as I surveyed the still blanket of clouds along I-90 with the major peaks of the Issaquah Alps exposed and clear, as if the mountains had slept in late on a lazy Saturday with their feet poking from underneath too-warm covers to cool off. The hike to Melakwa Lake is a pleasant 4 1/2 miles, especially beautiful because of the variety of terrain (streams, waterfalls, bridges, boulder fields, dense forest) and the colors of drowsy, deciduous desiccation. The toilet trail directions to Kaleetan in previous reports were mostly spot on with a few minor addenda: when you arrive at the lake, the first toilet sign is on the trail across the log bridge on the left; the second toilet sign is a picture of an outhouse high on a tree, so it is easy to miss; go right at the third toilet sign, and keep heading upwards; at the first boulder field, there are two cairns -- remember this spot in order to head down the trail to the left on your way back because it is very tempting to head down the right-side path along the talus which will make for a difficult time crossing back to the lake because of a ridge spine; the path up the crest mostly switches back to the right of the boulder field. Although unmaintained, the toilet trail is fairly obvious all the way up to the peak. Steep and rocky, but obvious. If you pause and look around when your gut tells you something is amiss, then it should not take long to find an area where someone else has walked before you on the same ascent. Some problems with any unmaintained area are burgeoning social trails that damage delicate subalpine vegetation, so please tread lightly, and remember that if you are not walking on something that looks like intentional trail, you may be headed the wrong way. The scramble from the summit basin looks daunting, but it is surprisingly easy to find a good route. The top itself is precipitous, but spacious enough to accommodate a fair number of people (five more arrived after me). The visibility today was amazing: there were more Alpine Lakes than I could count; Mounts Baker, Adams, Rainier, Glacier and the dozing Issaquah Alps were all perfectly clear; even The Brothers and the Olympics were in view. There is a metal plate that points out the primary surrounding summits bolted into one of the summit rocks. The trail registry is in a metal Mountaineers container with a pen and a replenished stock of paper near the ledge farthest right. The black flies were swarming but nothing was biting. After over 12 miles, amazing views from a 6259' summit and 10 hours because of detours both intentional and not, I descended to my car below the marine cloud layer with aching feet and tired legs, but the opportunity to enjoy another perfect Autumn day (maybe the last of the year) was worth every slip, every twist and every misstep.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Sep 24, 2010 — TheRN&TheWeim Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text Arrived at the trailhead at 1100 to find only 4 cars there. Denny Creek was thundering. Continued on... Arrived at the trailhead at 1100 to find only 4 cars there. Denny Creek was thundering. Continued on to the Lake. Many waterfalls with the most impressive being Keekwulee Falls. I did this trail over 10 years ago and did not remember the mud, tree roots, or even the rocky terrain. The beginning of the trail was relatively wide and on soft ground (except for the puncheon), then thank you to whoever cleared the overgrowth from both sides of the middle part of the trail, and the last part was very muddy, rocky and slippery from the rain. Chilly at the Lake. Saw about 8 people coming up when I was coming down. It was a nice hike for this cloudy, gray day with threat of more rain. Highly recommend waterproof hiking boots. Maybe hiking poles too. 2.5 hrs up, 2 hrs down.

	Denny Creek — Sep 16, 2010 — jack4hike // jaSko Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text Raini day with poor visibility. Water level now is so low it was easy to cross few bridges.. Hiked t... Raini day with poor visibility. Water level now is so low it was easy to cross few bridges.. Hiked to Melakwa Lake. There is a good path thru the middle of the large grove of trees en route from the Melakwa Lake to the pass. Do not descend down into this w/o poles as the return is quite steep. The entire trip was 5 hours round trip. 10 mille round trip.gain el.2200 feet

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Pratt Lake Basin, Island Lake, Ira Spring Trail - Mason Lake — Aug 28, 2010 — D.Baxter Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries Beware of: Overgrown, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text (Hiked into Melakwa Lake and summited Kaleetan Peak with Sadie's Driver, parted ways and continued o... (Hiked into Melakwa Lake and summited Kaleetan Peak with Sadie's Driver, parted ways and continued on with Dicey for a loop out Mason Lake. Trip report begins as we part ways) Suzanne and Daryl continued back up to Hemlock Pass while Carla and I dropped down towards Tuscohatchie. The two trails paralleled for awhile and we jokingly yelled that we'd lost the trail already. Joking aside, we had actually stepped off the real trail! This was a great omen for the rest of my plan! Some easy brush bashing and we relocated it quickly. The trail is pretty eroded and muddy in some spots but not bad. Someone has also done work here and brushed it out nicely...until they decided to stop. All of a sudden the brush came back. Not bad, but a little overgrown. We made quick work of this section and arrived at Tuscohatchie to find one large campsite of fisherman. We said hi and continued on our way to Pratt Lake. At Pratt we overshot the end of the trail and I led us straight into someone's camp, thinking it was the trail. Backtracking, we found where it ascended to the ridge by Pratt Mountain. No signs whatsoever and at this junction the actual trail is fainter than those leading to camps! But we were on our way now. A slow climb up gradual switchbacks took us to the ridge where we turned right and headed towards Rainbow and Island lakes. I found I was out of water and was looking forward to a stream or any lake. Rainbow didn't look appetizing, and its outlet was barely flowing, so I held out for better. I ended up getting water from the little pond/lake beyond it and up hill. No better than Rainbow but at least it was clear. When I dug out my treatment tablets I found they'd been pulverized into dust. I poured some crushed tablets into my bottle and hoped for the best. We will see how long I have for this world. Not much further and we reached the junction to Mason Lake. A helpful tree offered us four different signs and we picked the route to Mason. At the lake a strange sight: there was nobody here! Where were the campers? The dayhikers? The only time I've been to Mason and found it deserted was in the winter. Kind of creepy. Carla picked up the old trail, which I had never hiked, and we took this down to the new route. It's a nice trip and much more direct than the Ira Spring. Back at the road we had a short walk back to the trailhead and reached my car about 7:10 pm, about 4.5 hours after parting ways with Suzanne. And amazingly Carla's coffee cup was still sitting on the roof of my car! According to Greentrails, about 17.5 miles total. I recorded 7125 ft of gain on my altimeter for the day.

	Pratt Lake Basin, Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Aug 28, 2010 — Scatman Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text All trails in great condition except for one small section on trail 1011. Berries non-existent at t... All trails in great condition except for one small section on trail 1011. Berries non-existent at this time and not much water at either of the falls coming down from Melakwa Lakes. Check out my full report here, http://www.adventuresofscatman.com/[…]/ Scatman Get out there!

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Pratt Lake Basin — Aug 08, 2010 — shaderunner Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Clogged drainage, Overgrown Expand report text Hide report text We parked at the Pratt Lake Trailhead, ran to the Denny Creek Trailhead then headed up to Melakwa. F... We parked at the Pratt Lake Trailhead, ran to the Denny Creek Trailhead then headed up to Melakwa. From Melakwa we went down 1011 to Pratt Lake via Lower Tuscohatchie Lake. The trail from Melakwa to Lower Tuscohatchie could use some eventual TLC, there were a couple big trees down and, on this misty day, several areas that need drainage work. Lots of trail work is going on in the general area though, a long stretch, lots of hard work, from Lower Tuscohatchie to Pratt Lake. We greeted a trail crew a bit beyond Pratt Lake- thank you! The brushy spots after Pratt Lake are very brushy indeed, we got nice and wet before drying out on the last climb up the saddle. With all the lakes this really is a nice hike even on a cloudy, misty day and there weren't many people out there on usually busy trails.

	Denny Creek — Aug 04, 2010 — Susan Elderkin Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text Hike-a-Thon Hike #1 - a scouting hike of the Denny Creek Waterslide. With guests arriving this weeke... Hike-a-Thon Hike #1 - a scouting hike of the Denny Creek Waterslide. With guests arriving this weekend, I wanted to determine three things: 1) Whether we could keep all the children (1, 4, 8 & 10years old) happy during the hike in (i.e. a minimum of whining). Answer: probably. 2) Whether there was any water in the waterslide. Answer: some, but not an impressive amount. 3) Whether it would be safe for a toddler. Answer: with close supervision. I arrived at the waterslide area shortly before 11am on this sunny Wednesday. There was no one there! After having a snack, I decided to head up toward Melakwa Lake. I knew I didn't have time to make it all of the way to the lake, but I wanted to see the waterfalls. I missed Keekwulee Falls entirely, but enjoyed a quick viewing of Snowshoe Falls. Quick because of ravenous biting flies. I continued up the many switchbacks hoping the views would open up, but unfortunately, they hadn't by the time I had to turn around about 3 miles in. Upon my return to the waterslide at 12:30, the population had exploded. There were probably 40 people, including hordes of children of all ages, in and around the big slick rock. But still everyone could spread out and have a little bit of rock and water for themselves. That all changed as I started my 20 minute descent to the parking lot. I passed at least 60 people (and eight dogs) along the way - which would have brought the Denny Creek population to an unmanageable 100 people. The parties were big - ten folks representing 3 generations of family; a mom, 2 black labs and 6 teenaged boys, two families with 4 toddlers and preschoolers. And this was a Wednesday. I can't imagine what Saturday would bring. And I don't think I want to. Besides, the weather forecast is dismal. We may go berry picking instead.

	Kaleetan Peak, Denny Creek — Aug 02, 2010 — Norm Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text The sun was subdued (forest fire smoke out of B.C.) but the bugs were not. Mostly a bother from abo... The sun was subdued (forest fire smoke out of B.C.) but the bugs were not. Mostly a bother from above the lake, and relentless. It took Ralph and I about 9 hours to cover the 12 miles roundtrip following the trail along the ridge to the 6259' summit. Spectacular views in all directions and many wildflowers showing their colors. The register book is missing but there is a piece of paper in the brass canister to sign in on. If going up take more paper or a register book. Only one tree over the trail and one patch of snow the whole route. Recommend helmets only for larger groups on the short, rocky gulley to the summit. http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Jul 11, 2010 — muffinprincess Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Just hiked up the Denny Creek trail and on to Melakwa Lake, then out via the same route. Gorgeous we... Just hiked up the Denny Creek trail and on to Melakwa Lake, then out via the same route. Gorgeous weather, many new friends and their kids and puppy dogs were out and about. One half in shape 29 year old daughter and out of shape pre-retirement Dad, and we did just fine. There were a few small children on the Melakwa trail, and they looked pretty fine too. The waterslide was in very kid-friendly shape, lots of places where you could get wet without traveling too far. Many, many, many families taking advantage over the course of the day. Trail was in fairly good shape, though on the last slog up to the pass ahead of Melakwa there are a couple of things to be aware of: there is snow still on the trail in a couple of places, causing some dampness in my boots, and one ginormous log over the trail, requiring a little detour below the trail to get around it. If this hot weather holds, the snow on the trail will be gone in another week. Probably not so surprisingly, creeks were higher later in the afternoon than the morning, but was still able to find my way to a few dry stones. The trail above the falls and on to Melakwa was quite wet in places, even without the snow, and we had a good bit of fun walking over the part of the trail that was also a creek. Ran into a ranger and three volunteers on their way down - he checked for my pass, but gave us an encouraging "almost there." No bridge issues on the Melakwa trail. There is still a fair bit of snow at the edges of Lake Melakwa, but that didn't stop anyone from walking around, and least to the left hand side as you enter the day use area. Very limited flowers blooming, but pretty where they were.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Kaleetan Lake, Pratt Lake Basin, Melakwa Lake — Jul 09, 2010 — Uli Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Bridge out, Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text Did loop: (parked at) Pratt Lake trailhead, (ran road to) Denny Creek trail, Melakwa Lake, Lower Tus... Did loop: (parked at) Pratt Lake trailhead, (ran road to) Denny Creek trail, Melakwa Lake, Lower Tuscohatchie Lake, out-n-back to Kaleetan Lake, Pratt Lake, Pratt Lake trailhead. Main issues: 1) Some snow remains on last few switchbacks to Hemlock Pass, but not a problem (footing / finding the trail) 2) Kaleetan Lake trail, bridge is out: After about 3/4 of a mile you need to cross a major creek (outflow from Melakwa Lake). Your choices are: A) very slippery log above some rapids. B) jump about 4 feet onto a mossy boulder and hope you don't slip. C) wade through knee-deep, fast flowing water. I chose C, and it worked out fine.... Overall, trails are in good shape! I would not recommend the Kaleetan trail if you have IT band issues... If you run, do the loop clock-wise (like I did). Running down Denny Creek trail is not very fun. Whole thing took me 5:50h - 4:00h actual running time. Oh, yeah, and no wilderness permits in the box at the (Denny Creek) trailhead, and no TP in the restroom. Bet they come and check that every car has the trail park pass displayed, though. Last time I saw a ranger in the backcountry was 1998 in the Goat Rock Wilderness.... these days all they do is issue tickets.

No image submitted	Bryant Peak, Denny Creek — Jun 30, 2010 — mOuNtAiNeEr51 Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Overgrown, Water on trail, Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text I did this as an evening (After Hours) scramble with the Mountaineers. We left the TH at about 5:30... I did this as an evening (After Hours) scramble with the Mountaineers. We left the TH at about 5:30 or so, I think. Park at the Franklin Falls TH because the road to Denny Cr. TH is closed. The trail is great all the way to below Hemlock Pass. Pretty waterfalls and wildflowers are blooming. You will pass through patches of pretty glacier lilies. At Hemlock pass, this is where the scramble begins. To do the rest, you must have good routefinding and scrambling skills! It is easy to get off route or hurt! Hike up to a flat upper area then look for the cascading creek gully on your right. Follow the gully up on the left and come to a rockfield. Go over the rocks and up onto a small snowfield. Go up the snow and come to more rocks. Then go over those rocks and onto a even bigger snowfield. Go up the snow to the summit block. Scramble up the rocks on the left side of the summit. Excellent views, especially at sunset, when the sun sets behind Kaleetan Peak. We got to the summit around 8:45 and it was about 9:15 by the time we got off the summit. We hiked back with headlamps under the stars and got back to the TH around 12:50am.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 20, 2010 — Red Flash Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out Expand report text Hide report text Cloudy, wet, wonderful hike fording the Creek at Denny slides (1.3 m) and finally calling it quits w... Cloudy, wet, wonderful hike fording the Creek at Denny slides (1.3 m) and finally calling it quits when posthole frequency grew tiresome on wrong side of the creek near Hemlock Pass. Another hiker suggested the log bridge was covered with snow and we missed the turn, following boot prints another mile or so. There it was on the return, clear of snow, intact on supports and only 200 or so yds north of clearing the last of the 16 switchbacks. Waterfalls and cascades in full bloom with flowers starting to show. Most lovely were some tiny huckleberries shaded by leaves glistening with tiny rain drops. Only one blowdown and easily navigated. Mud was tolerable with gaiters. Tougher part was the last half-mile to the trailhead with grown-up potholes. Lots of sons and daughters with their Dads--that magic mix of cool June air and warm hearts.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jun 03, 2010 — leavit2me Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Water on trail, Snow on trail, Avalanche danger Expand report text Hide report text I have talked to several ranger stations around the area trying to get a feel for the snow level. M... I have talked to several ranger stations around the area trying to get a feel for the snow level. Most had no information and weren't much help. Interestingly, they all said "you should check wta.org". :) Donate and support WTA!!! I have always avoided this hike because it is usually crowded. However, by going during the week, I only saw two cars in the parking lot. After about a mile, the river drowns out the interstate. The trail was in excellent condition with a few places where water was running down the trail from snow melt. However, it was never an issue. Once I got to slide rock, I had to cross the river on a log. It was about 2 feet wide, rounded and slippery. It would be a little un-nerving with a full backpack. I don’t think crossing the river will be a problem during the summer. You can see the pyramid of stones across the river where the trail picks up again. Once I got across the river, the trail was single track and still in great shape. I was able to get up to Keekwulee Falls with no problem and it is a great place for lunch. Then I ran into snow at 3500 feet and it was about 1 foot deep. There is a big tree down across the trail. You are tempted to go left and you will see footprints that go that way. But, you need to go right and cross the tree towards the creek. You can walk on the snow with normal boots and hiking poles but you may posthole a couple of times. I got 3 miles in which is about 3600 feet where the snow was about 4 feet deep. Always curious, I pulled out my ATT phone and I had signal for those of you that are safety conscious. I turned around at the site of an avalanche. I did see a couple of footprints that went further but, take you 10 essentials because you are going to be out there by yourself. The trail has great views and spectacular waterfalls. Definitely put this on your list.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — May 30, 2010 — bpeterson Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Blowdowns, Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Surprisingly not crowded for a Memorial Day weekend, but the weather could have been better. Due to ... Surprisingly not crowded for a Memorial Day weekend, but the weather could have been better. Due to all the recent rains, there are a lot of really muddy spots and standing water on the trail. It also gets slippery after crossing the creek since everything is melting and water is running everywhere. We made it part of the way to the lake, but had to cross some downed trees. It is all snow after the second waterfall. We turned back since we didn't know where the trail was and weren't prepared to hike in snow. The waterfalls are beautiful this time of year and there are lots of wildflowers blooming though so it's well worth it.

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — May 09, 2010 — El Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text We started at the Denny Creek trailhead and were shooting for Melakwa Lake, but at some point, we ve... We started at the Denny Creek trailhead and were shooting for Melakwa Lake, but at some point, we veered from the path and followed snowshoe tracks instead. I think we went the "back" way to the lake, as we got there all the same, but approached it from another side than we normally do. Not sure if we followed an actual trail or if snowshoers had just made a trail. There is still a lot of snow here, and it is quite soft. Definitely advise snowshoes. We didn't have them, and it was do-able, but by the time we were coming down at 4:00, it was super soft and slushy. Weather was perfect and very sunny. The first parking lot (before the bridge) was full, but the second one (closer to trailhead) was almost empty.

	Denny Creek, Mount Teneriffe Road Trail — Jan 30, 2010 — KarenP Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Snow on trail, Avalanche danger, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text The day started out cloudy and rainy so we decided to go where there would be views close to the tra... The day started out cloudy and rainy so we decided to go where there would be views close to the trail. Denny Creek Trail to Melakwa Lake was our destination. Luckily someone hacked an opening in the snow pile that had been blocking the Denny Creek Road when we tried this trail a couple weeks ago. We parked by the campgrounds where there were a couple other vehicles and headed up the icy road to the trailhead. At first the trail was partially clear with ice and snow patches. Very soon, icy snow covered the trail. The Slide Falls were beautiful and so different than in the summer. We continued on. Alas, when Keekwulee Falls came into view, we decided the avalanche danger was too great to allow us to continue as planned to the lake. There was about 6 inches of wet snow piled on an icy layer underneath. Wet snow was continuing to fall. Reluctantly we turned around. On our return to the Slide Falls we encountered the only other party we saw on this trail—a group of adults and children playing in the snow on the rocks. We returned to the campground and ate our lunch by the river. Since it was still early we decided another hike was necessary to meet our hiking needs. Off we went to Kamikaze Falls. (Kamikaze is found by taking a side trip off of the Tenerife Road Trail.) We were horrified to find the construction of the new trail is seriously damaging the old trail. The new trail is a boring, rocky, wound in the forest. The old trail has mystery, challenge and beauty. Progress in this case is disheartening indeed. Kamikaze Falls was an exquisite cascade of water. It made up for the pain we felt at the sight of the disfigurement of one of our favorite trails. The trail to the summit of Tenerife beckoned, but we did not have enough daylight left to continue on that steep challenging trail. Another day….. For photos: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

	Denny Creek — Jan 17, 2010 — Tooter Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text First trip of the new year. Road to trail is blocked by a large pile of snow about 3/4 of a mile fro... First trip of the new year. Road to trail is blocked by a large pile of snow about 3/4 of a mile from the trailhead. The road past the snow pile is hard packed and its best to stay out of the ruts because they get pretty ciy and slippery at times. There is a sign at the trailhead that warns of a bridge out and trail damage. The trail is hard packed snow the whole way and its a pretty easy hike to the slide area. The bridge is gone once you get to the waterslide, but there are large boulders that made walking accross very easy. We stopped here and explored up the creek bed to look at some ice formations and the falls just above the waterslides. We did not follow the trail up the path to Keekwulee or snowshoe Falls, but there were snowshoe tracks heading in that way and I would think that is the best way to access the upper parts of the trail as the snow was getting deeper and less beaten once we got to the waterslide.

	Denny Creek, Kaleetan Peak — Oct 10, 2009 — KarenP Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Fall foliage Expand report text Hide report text We wanted to go to the top of Kaleetan Peak but started out too late for that. But getting up to Po... We wanted to go to the top of Kaleetan Peak but started out too late for that. But getting up to Point 5700 was a thrill in itself. Point 5700 is the highest prominence on the way to Kaleetan. (Sorry if you think I misled you by including Kaleetan in the title of this trip report, but Point 5700 was not one of the options. You will see this point between Melakwa Lake and Kaleetan Peak if you look at any map.) The fall colors were spectacular. Even though Denny Creek did not have much water flow, Keekwulee Falls was lovely and Melakwa Lake was more beautiful than ever with the autumn colors rimming the shore. After crossing the log bridge at the Pratt River outlet from Melakwa Lake, we turned left at the first toilet sign. We followed that trail to the second toilet sign. Immediately before the second toilet sign we turned right and gained 1200 vertical feet in about a mile up to Point 5700. The trail braids through rocks and trees and heather and reveals views of the lakes below and the mountains all around. Mere words can not describe the view from Point 5700. The mountain peaks and lakes go on forever. It was fun to identify all the peaks we have already been to the top of and those we plan to go up soon. See photos: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/

	Denny Creek, Kaleetan Peak — Sep 24, 2009 — foxterrierguy Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Ripe berries Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text A perfect fall day to be in the mountains, cloudy below, sunny and warm up high. The trail to Kalee... A perfect fall day to be in the mountains, cloudy below, sunny and warm up high. The trail to Kaleetan starts from Melakawa Lake, you are supposed to go up the trail to the WC but the sign is only a remnant right now. Just follow the trail up the hill to your left as you approach the lake, behind the rock face. It goes up steeply (past an intact WC sign) and up up up to Point 5700. From there you drop down a few hundred steep feet before crossing a talus field and then straight up to the summit. This hike takes me a long time (5 hours in, 4 out), but I'm kind of slow and there's a lot to look at. At 12 miles and 4000+ vertical, much of it really steep, much of it really chunky rocks, it's hard to go fast up or down. I suggest an early start this time of year. Bring bug juice and there is no water above Melakawa Lake. One of the prettiest peaks and best vantage points in the Snoqualmie Pass area in a non technical scramble.

No image submitted	Talapus Lake, Olallie Lake, Pratt Lake, Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Aug 29, 2009 — Sho and co Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming, Ripe berries Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text Went on a leasurely one-way walk from Talapus trailhead to Denny Creek trailhead, 8-year-old pace. ... Went on a leasurely one-way walk from Talapus trailhead to Denny Creek trailhead, 8-year-old pace. Talapus area is mobbed as usual. The junction with the cutoff trail to Pratt Trail (1039.1) is no longer marked --- look for it on the other side of a small creek where some other signs are hanging. Not sure if there is an attempt to close it, or just a missing sign... The trail itself is in great shape. Pratt Lake felt like a campground --- we stayed somewhat in the woods, but all accesses to water were filled, and with nice toasty campfires, no less. Bugs not bad. The trail to Lower Tuscohatchie is in great shape, recently brushed (thanks!), with superb valley views. Quite a few people there too, but not too bad. From Tuscohatchie to Melakwa, the forested trail is very pleasant as it climbs to the lake. Melakwa Lake is beautiful, of course. Blueberries, huckleberries, a salmonberry or two. The trail continues around the left side to a small peninsula, and from there to Upper Melakwa, smaller but very pretty. We stayed at the upper lake and had it all to ourselves. Plenty of bugs. There are more private campsites on the bluff overlooking the upper lake (scramble up before reaching the peninsula). The "trail" to the Melakwa pass continues on the right side of Upper Melakwa, just along the shore. We didn't go to the pass. Denny Creek trail is rocky, steep, and hot. Could use some brushing. Full of people even on a Monday. All in all --- the lakes are amazings, the trails are in great shape for the most part.

	Denny Creek — Aug 14, 2009 — Coe Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bridge out Expand report text Hide report text Did this hike on Thursday (14 Aug 2009), it was a foggy/cloudy day so the views were fairly poor -- ... Did this hike on Thursday (14 Aug 2009), it was a foggy/cloudy day so the views were fairly poor -- but still an enjoyable hike. The dirt road to the trailhead (after Road 58) has a couple big potholes, but nothing too bad. There is nothing left of the bridge crossing Denny Creek at Slide Rock. The trail across the creek is marked with some bright tape, just look a little upstream for it. We saw some wildflowers still in bloom including wild asters, spireas, indian paintbrush, fireweed, and native columbine. Most of these are better the closer you get to Hemlock Pass. We encountered no bugs on the hike, but it was pretty foggy and drippy. The trail is in good condition, a bit sloppy after Hemlock Pass to the lake -- but nothing too bad. A fellow hiker pointed out that the best way to cross Pratt River at the lake is to keep going on the trail to the lake, then crossing over the log to left. Melakwa Lake was pretty fogged-in when we arrived at 12noon, but the clouds started to lift as ate some lunch. A very enjoyable cool hike on a rainy day -- even if we didnt have the best views. More photos on my blog, www.weekendhike.com

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Jul 31, 2009 — RDHCook Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Blowdowns, Bridge out, Bugs Expand report text Hide report text We hike Denny Creek every year with the kids, but this time it was a real disappointment. There w... We hike Denny Creek every year with the kids, but this time it was a real disappointment. There were lot and lots of black fly on the trail up to the creek. People on the way down said it wasn’t so bad at the river. So we pressed on, but at the river the flies were worse. :( We just turned around and came home again. Also the river has totally destroyed the bridge and surrounding area. It isn’t so picturesque as before.

	Denny Creek, Snow Lake, Melakwa Lake, Chair Peak Lake, Melakwa Pass — Jul 19, 2009 — Mountain Boy Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Bugs Expand report text Hide report text I dropped my bike off at the Snow Lake TH and drove down to the Denny Creek TH and got on the trail ... I dropped my bike off at the Snow Lake TH and drove down to the Denny Creek TH and got on the trail at about 8:30. I saw several Saturday night campers treking out on my way up to Melakwa Lake. Got to the lake at 10:30 to snap a few pics and eat a snack. Only a few people at the lake. I headed up on the west side of Melakwa Lake and the east side of Upper Melakwa Lake and then I boulder hopped my way straight up the stream. I crossed a snowfield and then hit a steep boulder field. I started to question my sanity and when a fast (& light packing) moving woman shot past me. She was crazier than me traveling from Pratt Lake after biking down from dropping her car at Snow Lake TH. She said the morning ride was chilly and that my idea of ending with the bike ride was better. She was encouraging to see but was soon out of sight. When I got to Melakwa Pass, she was just getting out of sight at the bottom of the Chair Peak cirque. The views from the pass were great and I took another short break there. Chair Peak Lake was 97% frozen and the snow field reached all the way up to the pass. I saw that the crazy woman must have slid down the slope so I thought why not? I found out. I got going so fast and out of control that I flew right over a little crack in the snow. Finally, I dug my heals in as the snowfield leveled off. I understand why they say it is impossible to self-arrest with hiking poles. Note: an ice axe would've come in handy if you know how to use it. I continued to follow the foot prints around the east side of the lake. The foot prints lead too far downstream of the lake outlet for a comfortable crossing over what must have been a snowbridge over the stream that leads to Snow Lake (I wasn't sure if the water I heard was from the falls downstream or underneath my feet). I started to descend to quickly and came to a dead end - dead if I had kept going over the cliff. I quickly realized that I must gain some elevation and traverse Mt. Roosevelt in a NW'erly direction. That was confirmed when I arrived at the next snowfield were I saw more footprints. It was a combination of snow & talus slopes that I descended to the trees and brush. In retrospect, I made a pretty good line over to the north side of Snow Lake were I knew that I'd pick up the trail somewhere between Snow and Gem Lakes along that ridge. This did involve some holding on to bushes at times for balance and skirting of a couple ponds. I wonder if rather than trying to keep a steady elevation it would've been better to gain some elevation and try to hit Gem Lake more directly. As expected the Snow Lake trail was packed with people and just like last year when I was coming out (from Gem Lake) there were EMTs heading up the trail to rescue someone got hurt. I took another short break along Snow Lake and got down to the TH shortly after 5pm. The bike ride down to Denny Creek TH was fast and a great way of shaving 1000 ft of elevation descent off the hike. I figured about 10.5 miles & ~3,500 elevation gain (2,500 loss). Overall, this traverse is not for everyone but it does take you to some wonderfully beautiful areas that are hard to beat.

	Denny Creek — Jun 27, 2009 — Doug K Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Expand report text Hide report text This trail is mostly snow-free except for some patchy sections starting about a mile before Hemlock ... This trail is mostly snow-free except for some patchy sections starting about a mile before Hemlock Pass (then mostly snow-free again down to the lake). Melakwa Lake is mostly frozen except a small section near the outlet. Several parts of the trail were quite muddy, however, and part of the trail which was dry on the ascent turned into a creek in the afternoon. The trailhead parking was full, though the crowds lessened substantially after passing the water slide area around one mile. Though there is no bridge here, it's easy enough to cross on the rocks and twigs. There were many wild flowers in bloom along the middle section of the trail.

	Denny Creek — Jun 22, 2009 — sam iv Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Why go now: Wildflowers blooming Beware of: Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Easy access to water slide area. At the new wood bridge, the handrail at one location has been da... Easy access to water slide area. At the new wood bridge, the handrail at one location has been damaged and is missing, but the bridge is otherwise usable. The trail path becomes a stream at around 2 miles. Snow starts to appear at about 3 miles, eventually becoming 3-4 feet deep. The trail disappears at 3.5 miles, but appears again higher.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Jun 01, 2009 — Rob Cranfill Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Bridge out, Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text The road to the Denny Creek / Melakwa Lake trailhead is completely open - no snow, no downed trees..... The road to the Denny Creek / Melakwa Lake trailhead is completely open - no snow, no downed trees... just potholes. Snow still 0-2(?) feet deep on the trail all the way to the 2nd bridge (the "water slide" area), which is entirely missing (well, we saw one piece of it a bit downstream). Couldn't find a safe, easy way across, so we went looking for crystals.... ;-) - rob

No image submitted	Denny Creek — May 16, 2009 — stephaniesean2004 Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail, Road to trailhead inaccessible Expand report text Hide report text My family and I decided to go on this hike. We have hiked it before in July and decided that since ... My family and I decided to go on this hike. We have hiked it before in July and decided that since it was a nice day out we would go. When we were driving on the access road we noticed there was a little bit of snow off to the side of the road. The road remains clear until you reach about one mile to one and half miles from the main road, then you reach snow. I am not sure how far we were from the parking lot. We were guess at least a half a mile. The people that had snow shoes were parking and going snow shoeing, those that did not did what we did and turned around. We decided to go to twin falls instead.

No image submitted	Franklin Falls, Denny Creek — Jan 03, 2009 — Maisie Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Denny Creek Campground and the Franklin Falls Trail were a perfect place for the two novice snowshoe... Denny Creek Campground and the Franklin Falls Trail were a perfect place for the two novice snowshoers and Maisie the Snow Dog. The Denny Creek Rd was plowed with a hard-packed snow surface to the last house with room to turn around and for cars to park parallel to the roadway. Our front wheel drive station wagon had no problem, although we saw several who were clueless about driving on snow. (Don't decide to put chains on while stopped on the middle of a hill blocking all traffic) Others had broken the trail before us and we enjoyed the winter wonderland of snow tasseled trees, lacy iced branches, and the icy openings above the swift-flowing creek. We did not go all the way to Franklin Falls, but talked to other snowshoers who had. Be cautious of a few steep spots and avoid the creek bed where the snow cover may hide the creek below.

No image submitted	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake — Dec 15, 2008 — shegoat Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Started out from Denny Creek around 11:30 and figured I would go out as far as possible, snow and da... Started out from Denny Creek around 11:30 and figured I would go out as far as possible, snow and daylight dependent. Parking area treaded down with about 4-5 inches of dry powder on top. The trail to the creek was packed snow with a few ice patches. From the creek up to about 3800ft, luckily the trail had 1 or 2 previous trekkers, including a skier, which made my steps easier and my journey quicker. I booted up to 4000 ft at which point snowshoes were needed (and I had left them behind). The snow was about 1 1/2 ft deep. Started postholing a bit and figured it would take another hour to get up over Hemlock Pass and down to the lake. Decided to turn around at the boulder slide area before the switchbacks up to the pass (about 4100ft). Not a puff of wind in this area today. No avvy danger yet. COLD, still and beautiful. Saw 1 other hiker and 1 skier.

No image submitted	Denny Creek — Dec 11, 2008 — sharonmattnadia Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text The trail is in good shape, and we had it all to ourselves. Made it nearly to Hemlock Pass before w... The trail is in good shape, and we had it all to ourselves. Made it nearly to Hemlock Pass before we had to head home. No snow to speak of until about a mile after Snowshoe Falls (approximately three miles from trailhead). Donned our Yaktrax to cross an icy log across Denny Creek, and kept them on. Hiking the switchbacks in snow is actually pretty easy because the snow makes for more even walking than the rocks of the trail. The exposed slopes are also much more pleasant in winter, when they allow for a pleasant dose of Vitamin D, than in the heat of the summer.

	Denny Creek, Talapus Lake — Dec 05, 2008 — WildCelticRose Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text ~ On Friday, Tom and I headed out for a hike since we had a brief break in the weather. It's nor... ~ On Friday, Tom and I headed out for a hike since we had a brief break in the weather. It's normally not possible to hike on terra firma in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in December, but hike on bare dirt we did (only a few muddy spots) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3086680531_9447503743.jpg Sometimes, it seemed as if we were hiking in the spring. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3086267766_116bffed5e.jpg We decided to hike up towards Pratt Lake via the Denny Creek Trail head, but due to me not having my act together (ten hour shifts and a lot of work stress takes it out of a girl); we got a fairly late start so we decided to just head up to Talapus Lake. (darn short days near winter solstice anyway...) I hadn't been on this trial since a year ago last month when a group of us hiked up a snowy Granite Mountain in early November. We passed the turnoff to Granite and continued up the hill having only come across one small bit of wet muddy trail at the very beginning. There was plenty of running water http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3086671661_787edd86ec.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3086674673_cd7ce015f8.jpg The trail was clear, mostly dry and in very good repair. As we moved deeper into the forest and we moved closer to sunset, there was an interesting “darkness” about the place. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3087523174_ac26868286.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3087528800_fab9fdbe03.jpg We took the turnoff to Talapus lake and found one or two spots on the trail where there was some ice. We arrived at Talapus Lake just after the sun ducked down behind the peaks surrounding it. There is ice forming on the lake; and I expect that it will be covered in a thin layer of ice by the end of next week. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/[…]/3087540152_07e8a9d856.jpg Once we got back on the main trail, it was quite warm (for this time of year) even though the sun was almost down and there was no sign of ice or freezing. We made it back to the trail head at about 5:00 PM which was well after dark. It was a nice little day trip. There are a few more pictures here on my Flick' page http://www.flickr.com/[…]/ ~L

	Melakwa Lake, Denny Creek — Nov 30, 2008 — GaliWalker Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Nov 30th, 2008: Melakwa Lakes The onset of Winter, and it felt like Spring. An unseasonably warm,... Nov 30th, 2008: Melakwa Lakes The onset of Winter, and it felt like Spring. An unseasonably warm, sunny day in the Pacific Northwest, meant that hibernation could be delayed for a bit. Melakwa Lakes have been on my to-do list for just such an occasion: a relatively nearby hike of only moderate difficulty. It turned out to be an extremely pretty hike, one in which the act of getting there was just as much fun as the final payoff. A relatively leisurely 8:30am start had me hiking from the Denny Creek trailhead under clear blue skies. As I crossed under I-90 I marveled at how out-of-place it seemed – a thin ribbon, floating high up in the sky. Denny Creek was a rushing, chattering companion, and would provide good company almost all the way to Melakwa Lakes. Soon, I moved out of forest and cut across open avalanche-cleared slopes. At the head of the clearing was beautiful Keekwulee Falls, a worthy destination in its own right. I remained lost in its wonders for a bit, before breaking free of its spell and reentering sparse forest. The trail switch-backed up a steep slope. Peek-a-boo views of Snowshoe Falls were on offer – unfortunately there were just too many trees in the way to get a good look. Open meadows carried me to 4,650ft Hemlock Pass after which I dropped down to Melakwa Lake. Melakwa Lake was quite pretty, made even prettier by a delicate sheet of glassy ice covering most of its surface. I wandered around the main Melakwa Lake for a bit and then continued on to nearby Upper Melakwa Lake: another pretty lake ringed by inviting slopes and peaks. On another day I would have spent more time exploring, but I had to get home by 3:00pm so called it a day here. Additional photos: http://www.flickr.com/[…]/72157610544923633 Cumulative stats: - Distance: 9.5mi - Elevation gain: 2,300ft - Hiking time: 6hrs Trail conditions: - Some snow on the trail but currently not an issue - A few icy patches but not too bad - A log bridge across Denny Creek was icy, so had to employ the butt-scootch method to cross it. - Lots of water flowing across the trail due to recent snow-melt

	Franklin Falls, Denny Creek, Taylor River - Otter Falls & Big Creek Falls — Nov 09, 2008 — D.Baxter Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Mudholes Expand report text Hide report text Confined to the flat stuff with a gimpy, but finally improving, knee I took a cue from Tony and went... Confined to the flat stuff with a gimpy, but finally improving, knee I took a cue from Tony and went off chasing waterfalls. Water was already falling from the sky anyway so why not make a theme of it. First up was Franklin Falls. I only wanted to get a few photos so I took the lazy/cheater trailhead parking near the uppermost switchback in the road. I was at the falls in 10 minutes. It was raining pretty steadily and the falls were roaring, making for a very misty experience. I dont think I managed a single shot without many droplets on my lens. As I was packing my camera away, umbrella balanced over my shoulder, a little gust of wind kicked up and before I could grab it the umbrella skipped away into the raging creek. It floated upside down for a second then sunk like a ship. There was no way I could grab it without risk of falling in. Another few seconds and it was gone, swept away. Hopefully it does a good job keeping some fish dry. I made a side trip up to the gas station at the pass for a new one only to find they dont sell umbrellas. It was mostly a steady drizzle now, not heavy rain, but it meant my SLR would likely stay in the backpack and no macro shots this time. I drove back down the road again to my second destination, Keekwulee falls. I'd planned to stop at Fall-Into-The-Wall Falls too but forgot to write down the directions. I wandered in the drizzle up the trail, crossed the slippery slabs on the slippery bridge, and found my way up to Keekwulee falls which was going at a near spring flow. I took a photo then headed back down to my final stop, Otter Falls. I stopped at the gas station mini mart near the truck town and was again surprised they dont sell umbrellas either. The BBQ smelled really tasty though. I left that for later and drove up the Middle Fork road. The King County section is in pretty bad shape, tons of pot holes and standing water. Glad I didn't wash my Outback after last weeks mud adventure. Happily the Forest Service half is in great shape, almost no potholes! I stopped for a quick photo of the bridge at the Middle Fork trailhead and continued on to the Taylor River. I hadn't hike this one for a few years. Just as rocky and slick as I remembered it. With the camera confined to my backpack I made good time. I paused for some long exposures of Marten Creek since the rain had let up, then continued on to Otter Falls. Someone had helpfully written "cairns" in big block letters on the jumbo cairn that marks the falls trail. There was also a sign for the falls, new since my last visit. Otter Falls was nice as always though Lipsy is a much prettier lake when not surrounded by late fall decay. I took a few photos and headed out to beat sunset. I'd forgotten hot monotonous the walk out on this one is. Even though it only took an hour and a half it seemed to stretch forever. I was happy to be back at the car. As I walked up two guys had just finished changing a flat in their SUV. I changed into dry socks and started the drive out. Slow going and a real adventure trying to spot the deep potholes in the dark. Halfway out I passed another victim with a completely blow out tire. Take it easy out there everyone! Trip photos here: http://www.pbase.com/billcat/otterfalls

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake #1014,Denny Creek #1014 — Sep 07, 2008 — Kerry Sherwin Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text Riding from Seattle towards the Snoqualmie summit and Denny Creek/Melakwa trailhead today I almost t... Riding from Seattle towards the Snoqualmie summit and Denny Creek/Melakwa trailhead today I almost turned back because of low fog/clouds in the North bend area. (I was riding a scooter!) Luckily after a few more miles and gained altitude it cleared up to a perfect day with temps in the 60-70s. Denny creek at the slabs is just a trickle of what it was earlier in the year - but hey all the snow is gone so it's to be expected. The upper and lower Melakwa lakes are both completely ice free. I only found one small patch of snow left near the smaller upper lake (they are adjoining and separated by a small creek maybe 200 feet or so long. Muddy zones are minimal but definitely wear proper hiking shoes/boots as there are many rocky sections. The views of the rocky alpine basin surrounding the upper lake are jaw dropping - do this hike now before the snow returns!

	Denny Creek, Melakwa Lake, Olallie Lake — Sep 07, 2008 — Barstool Hiking Club Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Expand report text Hide report text This was Hike #20 of this year for the BHC. Last Sunday the mighty BHC met at the 12th Avenue Café,... This was Hike #20 of this year for the BHC. Last Sunday the mighty BHC met at the 12th Avenue Café, and after spotting a car at Pratt trailhead we drove to Denny Creek and started up towards the old Slippery Slab. In attendance were Tengu, Trooper, Sauza Gold, Dr. Jon, Forest Princess, Jeff One, Garmin, and Sandy the Trail Dog. The weather was perfect, sunny but cool. We enjoyed the excellent Denny trail and strolled towards Hemlock Pass. Not too many people which was surprising. A ranger was passing out $120 tickets for unleashed dogs, no problem for Sandy as she is always leashed, but some long faces on a few people. After a nice lunch at beautiful Melakwa we headed down the Pratt valley trail towards Tuscohatchie. The trail switchbacks steeply down for a about a mile and a half losing a little over 1000 feet. Not many go this way, so it is pretty rustic, sometimes muddy and rutted. Leveling out it then traverses along the valley with nice views towards the Middle Fork. The spire of Kaleetan appears, it is impressive. About a mile from Tuscohatchie there was fresh trail work. We were shocked of course, and wondered who was doing it. When we got to the lake there was a large camp set up, turns out Earth Corp is doing the work for the Forest Circus. Our tax dollars at work at last! Last year the Tuscohatchie area was loaded with blueberries, we picked a quart off one large bush. This year there was nothing to be had, too bad. We didn't stay long as time was wasting, we were off for the half mile to Pratt. There we hung for a little while, Dr. Jon, the Princess, and I enjoyed a cool swim. Then we were off for the six mile trek over Pratt saddle and down to the rig. We arrived back at 7:30, the days are getting short now. Then down to the Brew pub for a pint and some chow, BHC rule #3 is that all hikes end on a barstool! This is a nice little loop hike of about 14 miles, the trails are decent and the Pratt valley is getting some attention. We highly recommend it.

	Melakwa Lake #1014,Point 5729 — Aug 31, 2008 — Will M Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text This trip started as an attempt of Kaleetan Peak, but quickly changed to a nice long hike to altitud... This trip started as an attempt of Kaleetan Peak, but quickly changed to a nice long hike to altitude. We got an early start at the Denny Creek trailhead, about 7:45, and there was only one other car. The weather was cloudy, cool, with occasional rain. It certainly would change, being Aug and Labor Day weekend? The trail is in great shape with a few muddy spots. As we left the car, I noticed my hiking partner limping. What gives, Benedict? Bad ankle. Well, it didn't look like a summit of Kaleetan was in the cards that day, so we decided to go until his ankle told him to turn around. We made the lakes in 2 hours and 10 minutes, having seen only three other people on their way down. There were 4 or 5 tents there, and still no views. The rain occasionally increased from mist to sprinkles. We continued up past the latrine toward the Kaleetan ridge. As we reached the last talus field before Point 5729 and its prominent cairn, it started snowing. Real, honest to goodness snow! That was enough to make our decision. Benedict called it quits there, and I ran up to the cairn for a hopeful view. Still no views to speak of. The trip down was painful for Benedict, uneventful for me. A lot more people heading up towards the lake. Also a large WTA work party. Thanks for the great work, guys (and gals)! The rain returned as well, but the hike was just what we needed.

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake #1014 — Aug 25, 2008 — Chris Caviezel Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Mudholes, Water on trail Expand report text Hide report text One of the advantages of living at Snoqualmie Pass is being able to get easy access to Hiking right ... One of the advantages of living at Snoqualmie Pass is being able to get easy access to Hiking right away. I decided to hike up the Melawka Lake Trail from Denny Creek. This was a trail that I had never been on before and the sight of the most recent rescue of two kids from a collapsed snow cave. Ironically, I parked about 3/8 of a mile from the trail head than I needed to be. Part of the learning experience today was to see the few different places at Denny Creek that various trails head out. I only hiked up about two miles of the trail and I did not find the snow cave that I was looking for. It did rain off and on. However, most of the trail is in the trees so I stayed reasonably dry. There was not much wild life and/or birds seen. I did see some Bushy Penstemon that mainly was starting to go to seed.

	Windy Lake #1010,Pratt Lake #1007,Melakwa Lake #1011,Melakwa Lake #1014,Denny Creek #1014 — Aug 24, 2008 — klack Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text Hiked the Pratt lake trail Friday. The trail is in good shape. Stopped at Pratt for a rest then pu... Hiked the Pratt lake trail Friday. The trail is in good shape. Stopped at Pratt for a rest then pushed on to Lower Tuscohatchie Lake. Found one nice spot at the West end for a great sunset. Took a day hike up to Windy Lake. This part of the hike is the most beautiful: tall firs with clear views under the canopy and little undergrowth. But the mountain is about 40 degrees inclined here. Lost water bottle and it bounced far out of sight down the hill. Highly recommended place to hike, nice soft trails. Did not make it all the way down to Kaleetan, the most remote spot in the Alpine lakes. Decided to nap at Windy and head back to Tuscohatchie. Spent a warm, pleasant evening. Not many bugs. Sunday packed it out to Malekwa. Pretty easy going up to the last pitch up the hill. Kaleetan stands might proud in one or two spots on the trail. (Must climb this again.) Lunched up at Malekwa and chatted with the forest ranger. He was out and about and had put yellow caution tape on the side trails to Denny Creek above Keekwulee Falls where the two teen age boys got clobbered by falling snow. Down the mountain along Denny creek the path is rocky across the talus fields. Murder on the feet, even with sturdy boots. Three days in the Alpine Lakes. Best weekend ever with my two boys.

	Melakwa Lake #1014 — Aug 08, 2008 — Lone Cedar Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Expand report text Hide report text Trail is totally snow-free with only a few bits of muddiness. There were a handful of spots of snow ... Trail is totally snow-free with only a few bits of muddiness. There were a handful of spots of snow clinging to the cliffs around the lake. No awesome flower shows, but pleasant patches of blooms dot occasionally along the trail. Left the trail head at 7 AM and, outside of the couple camping at the lake, had the trail to myself until I was 1/3 of the way back. The last mile back to the trail head was crowded, so much so that when I drove away at 11 AM people were parking next to Denny Creek Road and then walking up the road to the Melakwa Lake trail head because the trail head and even the Franklin Falls parking lots were overflowing. There were bugs, some, not a lot, along stretches of the trail and at the lake, pestering you to don't dawdle and to move along.

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake #1014 — Jul 28, 2008 — Alex's Dad Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Mudholes Expand report text Hide report text The trail is in generally good condition, with just a few patches of snow just south of Hemlock Pass... The trail is in generally good condition, with just a few patches of snow just south of Hemlock Pass. Mud in the usual places, especially in the short section between Hemlock Pass and the spur to the lake. Lots of flowers - marvelous scent - along the trail. No bugs on this foggy/misty day. The area around the lakes, including the side-hill rocky trail from lower to upper Melakwa has lots of snow. Steep, with runout right into the water - you know how to use an ice ax, right? A couple of groups were camping in the area - seemed pretty happy despite the weather.

No image submitted	Melakwa Lake #1014 — Jul 19, 2008 — BigRed Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area Beware of: Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text My friend and I left the trailhead (near Denny Creek Campground) at about 9 am under cloudy skies an... My friend and I left the trailhead (near Denny Creek Campground) at about 9 am under cloudy skies and cool temperatures. It warmed up/cleared up about an hour later. At about 1 mile is the Slippery Slab, a popular hangout for people wanting to play on the river. Another 20 minutes past that was a beautiful waterfall. The trail has some rocky sections, and at higher elevations there were expanses of snow across the trail, but not so much that we couldn't figure out where the trail was (and the snow was easy to walk on). After we crossed a pass at about 4600 ft we went downhill for maybe a half-mile to the lakes (Melakwa and Upper Melakwa). In this downhill section there was some muddy parts of the trail. The lakes were still largely frozen over and there were large expanses of snow but also areas of no snow. The weather was perfect and quite comfortable with no jacket. Beautiful vistas. We did the hike in 2-1/2 hours at a moderate pace, taking photos. The return was 1 hr, 50 min. The trail is listed as 9 miles RT.

No image submitted	Denny Creek #1014,Melakwa Lake #1014 — Jul 12, 2008 — phaser Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass Beware of: Blowdowns, Water on trail, Snow on trail Expand report text Hide report text Started out Friday afternoon (July 11) intending to make camp at Lake Melakwa. Trail was in good sha... Started out Friday afternoon (July 11) intending to make camp at Lake Melakwa. Trail was in good shape, with a few blowdowns (mostly cleared), and expected some snow on the trail form the USFS reports. Encountered still heavy snow pack above Snowshoe Falls. The trail here is not visible, but lots of pre-existing tracks made it fairly easy to follow, and a few of the boardwalks are exposed. Caught by failing light, decided to make camp in the meadows above Snowshoe. Pitched tent on snowpack I would estimate at 20""-30"" deep. This turned out to be a good choice, as we found out day-hiking from there to Melakwa. Heavy snow on the trail approaching Hemlock Pass, with a large snow field obliterating the trail at one of the switch backs. Nearly lost trail, but found it. Met 2 hikers coiming out of the woods obviously relieved to have found the trail again. Lots of snow at the top of the pass, but mostly clear on the far side. Actually measured snow depth at Lake Melakwa by standing in a tree-well next to the outflow - 4 feet deep! Lake still 85% iced over. Not good camping conditions. Beautiful hike and warm sunny weather. Lots of snow melt means a lot of water on the trail. No washouts, but beware of wet rocky crossings. Noticed the handwritten USFS report on the b-board at the trailhead warning about the snow and forecasting that the snow should be gone in about 2 weeks. I doubt that very much. I would be surprised if some of the snow wasn't still there in mid-August. Would like to see more detailed reports from the USFS... Still, a great hike on a beautiful day.

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