Middle Fork Snoqualmie River — Monday, Apr. 7, 2025

Snoqualmie Middle Fork was on our monthly hiking schedule for today.  Five hearty hikers braved the the less than stellar forecast for a soggy / muddy hike in a lush green forest.  We pulled in to the Middle Fork Trailhead just before 10:00.  It was low clouds, 48 degrees with a light rain coming down.  The vault toilet was out of supplies, but a DNR worker was there cleaning it and taking away trash when we walked back to the TH early afternoon.  A trail runner pulled in and said he planning to make it all the way out to Goldmyer.  He had on running shorts a singlet vest that held 2 water bottles and he was off.  We were surprised that he would take on a 20 mile trail run with minimal gear and potentially not see another individual the whole time.  The entire trail is saturated soil with several muddy spots and long mud puddles to work around.  With the recent heavy rain and snow melt all the side creeks and channels were at peak flow.  All the recent deadfalls and tree debris had been cleared in the miles we covered. We turned back at the drainage past Nine Hour Creek where the creek was over flowing.  A log was placed across the creek about 10 yards downstream but looked too iffy for members of my group to take the risk to try and cross it.  Spring wildflowers were budding out all along the trail.  We saw trillium, coltsfoot, yellow violets, salmonberry, huckleberry, skunk cabbage and more.  Birds and their calls were heard all along the trail and a couple chipmunk calls.  We saw robins, wrens, woodpeckers, crows and a a couple sparrow varieties.  We kept eating trail snacks throughout so we could coverage more miles before the rain deluge started again.  The skies cleared a few times with small sun breaks and you could see the top of Garfield Mountain.  On our return we heard unusual drilling / sawing noise when we arrived back at the base of Stegosaurus Butte.  We noticed someone up on the eastern edge of the rock wall drilling holes and or affixing climbing anchors.  Trail traffic was super light we passed 3 other trail users on our return.  Eight cars were in the TH lot when we pulled out just after 1:00. The weather gods were with us as it was pouring when we drove back to Mailbox Peak area and the outskirts of North Bend.  Another fantastic day out in nature with friends.