Tradition Lake Loop — Friday, Sep. 6, 2002

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain

We only had a couple of hours, so we curcuited the Tradition Plateau trails. Most of the trails are in landscapes and utility easements pretty well trashed by man's handywork. There are a few interesting flowers here and there. There are some decent-size second growth trees that will be impressive in a couple hundred years, so it is fortunate this area is preserved. One old-growth tree inexplicably survived the logging. It's kind of a big, sad, lonely museum-piece. The other inexplicable ""attraction"" is a rusting bus frame on its side out in the woods, full of bullet holes. Go see the nearby Talus Caves instead, which really are an attraction. There is blackberry-seeded bear scat all over the place and pileated woodpeckers yacking above. The only wildlife we actually saw was the Issaquah High School girls track team.