Shy Bear, Old Man's Trail, Fred's Railroad, Deceiver, Klondike Swamp & Coyote Creek — Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2008

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain

Today was a great day to hike--by February standards. A balmy temperature of 47 degrees, light misty rain, and no snow...what more could one ask for? Signs of spring continue to slowly appear: triliums and salmonberrys are blooming, and skunk cabbages are popping up in the wetlands. In particular, the wetlands along the Shy Bear Trail feature a nice growth of skunk cabbages. I started my Cougar Mountain hike at the new Sky Country trailhead, and from there rambled a wide selection of trails. For the most part, the trails I hiked were in good shape. King County does a good job staying on top of trail maintenance these days. The main problem I saw were numerous flattened and useless drain dips. Here's the rundown on specific trail conditions: Old Man's Trail: Good condition. Bypass Trail: Good, but east end is a bit eroded, needs drainage work. Freds RR Trail: Good condition. Shy Bear Trail east of Deceiver Trail: o.k., a bit rooty and muddy. Deceiver Trail: Good, a few mud holes especially east of Long View Pk. Klondike Swamp Trail: Good, recently worked. Coyote Creek Trail: Good, some mud holes.