The last time I visited Staircase my hopes were high and the reward was low and cold. My plan, admittedly a poor one, was to spend the weekend camped along the Skokomish savoring a rare weekend of clear winter weather. Snow covered the patch of riverbed where I tried pitching a tent. I met one person that day, and he worriedly asked if I was okay while I struggled to stake the corners into a mess of wet pebbles. Now I realize what he must have seen: someone with too much stake in a terrible idea.
I ended up bailing on camping that day. I packed my things, hiked back to the car, and drove straight to a friend's house in Seattle to crash on their couch. Since then, I've always wanted to come back to Staircase when conditions weren't miserable. So I consider my visit this weekend -- this time a day hike with my girlfriend-- to be one of redemption.
The trail was snow-free. The sun was shining. The road was as riddled with potholes as I'd remembered, but the washout before the park entrance was restored saving me an extra two miles of roundtrip hiking. I was wearing a boot courtesy of a stress fracture and still, everything about the hike was enjoyable, so markedly better from last year's trip.
A couple trees were downed early on on the North Fork trail. We hiked ten minutes past the second tree before turning around and crossing the bridge to come back on the rapids trail. The timing must have been perfect because one day later it snowed.
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