We arrived at the Palouse-Cascades/Iron Horse TH (Exit 32 of off I-90) at about 9:20 a.m. this morning, to partly sunny skies and 39 degrees. Glorioski! No deluge! About 4 cars at the parking lot, which has room for about 30. Outhouses seem to have been perfumed-up recently so as not to send one to the bushes gagging. (As my LA brother-in-law would have put it, the place has been "poodled up"). In fact, my clothes still smelled like a 1969 candle and incense store ten minutes after I exited the place . . . Anyway, we took our usual route: 2 miles up the Palouse-Cascades Trail, then taking the Olallie Trail (a multi-use/mostly bike trail) up to the 3rd viewpoint. RT was 11.6 miles (though it may have been more like 12.5--still haven't quite figured out the mileage. It's a good workout, whatever it is).
The trail is in excellent condition--well-maintained by, I'm guessing, local bike riders and cycle clubs. There are numerous drainage channels dug at strategic points, so there are zero puddles and practically zero mud until you reach the "ridge" about a mile past the first viewpoint (the long part of the trail that heads due east (except for a few switchbacks) towards the side trail up Mt.Washington). No blowdowns today. The whole area is windy, from the Palouse-Cascades to the Olallie--just a North bend-area fact. So, bundle up. I was wearing a long-sleeved polyester shirt, medium weight wool longjohn top and fleece all day--oh, and pants, socks, and boots. Donned a fleece during our lunch at Viewpoint #3. Snow started after Viewpoint #1, but not until reaching the "ridge." The ridgeline is more open, but also you continue to gain elevation, so by the time we reached the third viewpoint, there was about 6-8 inches of snow (see pics). We didn't bring or need spikes today, but poles were handy on the way down.
The terrain and views: you are hiking through second growth forest, much of which comprises the watershed for Seattle (Cedar River Watershed). I find the forest here much nicer/healthier than that on Rattlesnake Mountain. Lots of cedar, Doug fir, alders up top, lovely ferns throughout. The first and third viewpoints have pleasant views. The first looks towards Mt. Si and over the Snoqualmie Valley and North Bend area, the third has two hand-hewn benches and has views across the valley to Middle Fork Snoqualmie's peaks--dusted with snow and gorgeous on this clear, almost-sunny day. We gained over 2000 feet of elevation, as far as I can figure. Saw four people--one hiker (old guy, like us. Love seeing Wrinklies on the trail!) and three bikers. Great to be out in the season's first snows. Happy hiking, Everyone!
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