Managed to get one of the few cool days of the summer to do this hike with our 2 and 4 year old girls. I've done it 3 times before but not for 3 years. The trail's in great shape all the way to the Falls. The previously washed out section (mentioned in the previous trip report) now has a trippy-trappy bridge over it. It's narrow but does the job. There must have been some rain because there was a pretty good flow over the falls (see accompanying image). 800ft elevation gain and 5 mile round-trip was no problem for the kids. Lots of touch-me-nots in bloom and plenty of cool fungi in plain view. Found a rock with some native copper on it - maybe from the nearby abandoned mine.

What a perfect day for a hike. The trail had one significant washout. It wasn't a problem however as previous hikers had already blazed a way around it. Their was little snow at the parking lot and about 4 inches at the falls. In a few places the trail got a little muddy, but for this time of year it's an exceptional trail. No bugs in the winter :) If you haven't done this one in winter, it's a must. The mist from the falls freezes where ever it lands creating a wonderland of glistening diamonds and icicles. The distance is about 2 miles with moderate to easy elevation gain because where the trail gets steep, stairs have been built including handrails where it gets icy near the falls. for thowe who want a longer hike, you can go on to Lake Serene (about 2 more miles more.) Pit toilets are available in the parking lot. To get there, take highway 2 East (toward Stevens pass) about 8 miles past Index. Turn right on the road marked Mount Index and within 1/2 mile turn right into the trailhead.

A beautiful sunny day with magnificent views all around. Normally at this time of year this trail and its cohort to Lake Serene are snowed in. Not this year! There was no snow on the trail to the Falls at all, and reports from other hikers was that the trail was clear all the way to Lake Serene. There was a lot of ice though, especially on the last 1/2 mile (stairs and trail) to the falls. While slippery the climb was fine, just needing a little more attention... hard to do with the views opened up by the lack of leaves on trees. The rose bushes along the entire way were in bud, and even a few intrepid specimens were trying to bloom! Not your average February that's for sure! The falls were spectacular, with quite a good volume of water... early snowmelt contributing. Warning: Don't use the rose bushes as hand-grips when slipping... they hurt!!!!

We got lucky with the unseasonably warm weather and were able to make the fairly easy ascent(except for the steep stairs up to the falls) in good time (less than 3 hours round trip including a picnic at the base of the falls). The views across the valley are pleasant, but the real pay-off is the up-close look at falls, which are visible from highway 2 near Index. The trail has some small gulleys across it and will be muddy and/or slick in spots once the rains hit.

Water over the trail at seven or eight places along the way to the falls. Not a problem for adults who are careful, but may be difficult for children to traverse. Falls had a huge volume of water on this day due to a particularly rainy week. Bring rain gear and stay away from the edge! Couldn't even take pictures of the Falls because there was so much water. However, it was an amazing site and a pretty large reward for a minimal amount of hiking effort.