Day 3 of 3, see previous posts on March 21st and 22nd. Little did I know what was ahead of us! I never thought the hike to the top of the ridge overlooking the Yakima river was going to be so strenuous!!! After you cross over the suspension bridge at the trailhead you take a left at the fork in the trail which takes you UP to the top of the ridge. In just a few miles you gain over 2100 feet in elevation. If you are not in good shape or have a weak heart I would not suggest taking this trail. The last portion of the trail is the steepest! We set up camp on the top of the knoll and enjoyed the fantastic 360 degree view. We took our walkie talkies with us so we listened to the local weather. It was going to be 26 degrees in Ellensburg so we knew at 3500 feet it was going to be a very cold night, around 20 degrees. I am now a very steadfast believer in emergency blankets. Without them it would have been a very uncomfortable night. We wrapped one around ourselves inside our sleeping backs and then put one over the top of both our sleeping bags. At times we were almost too warm. Always pack emergency blankets with you! They saved us. The views are amazing and the stars at night unbelievable. You can also see the city lights of Ellensburg and Yakima. In the morning we enjoyed a hot breakfast, packed up and headed down the trail. All in all, a great start to the hiking season.

Entry 2 of 3 We awoke to a winter wonderland! So much for an only 30% chance of precipitation! About two inches of snow had fallen overnight. It was on the verge of being too cold overnight but we were prepared. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast before we packed up and headed out of the canyon, planning to hike up to the ridge in the afternoon. The colors of the canyon were enhanced by the snowfall and blue sky. I was very impressed by the colors of the light green & red lichen and dark green moss on the cliffs surrounding the canyon, set off by the dusty gray browns of the landscape. It didn't take us long to get back to the trail head for lunch and then take the fork in the trail heading up to the top of the ridge overlooking the Yakima River and surrounding Eastern Washington. Little did I know what was ahead of us.... See March 23rd for the dramatic conclusion.

After reading Mytho-man's many Eastern Washington trip reports, my son and I decided to to head for Umtanum Creek Canyon (thanks Mytho-man) for a multi-night excursion. Umtanum Creek trail is mostly level for the entire three miles into the canyon, a very pleasant walk. We pushed up the canyon about 4 miles until there was too much underbush to get through. We found a great place besides Umtanum Creek and set up camp for the night. We were enjoying our freeze dried dinners when it began to snow, our 30% chance I guess, lol! It was absolutely beautiful. What an awesome feeling to enjoy a hot dinner while watching the snow lightly fall. We bedded down for the night wondering what it would look like in the morning. During the night we could hear the snow gently falling on the rainfly and then slide off as it got to heavy. See March 22 entry for what it looked like.... 1 of 3 day entry

The trail head is clearly marked as a camping/picnic area and the bridge is difficult to miss. The trail was in good condition, though covered in packed snow/ice. We lost the trail at one point following a pair of tracks that took us in the wrong direction for about a mile, but we were able to backtrack and head off in the right direction. Ice on the trail made it difficult to traverse steeper areas, and resulted in some wet feet when we stepped on ice-covered puddles. A nice day hike if you're not interested in great vistas (you're in a canyon the whole time).

I led my first Winter Walk of the season for the Cascadians today to Umtanum Canyon & it was truely a winter walk with snow on the ground & in the air. Only Ethan and Karen Martinis from Ellensberg & her dog, Jasmine, had the courage to brave the elements with me and it was quite a different experience from when Ethan, Brenda, & I were here at the end of October. Today it was snowing lightly under very low clouds (almost fog) as we crossed the swinging bridge over the Yakima River. The farther up canyon we went, the harder it snowed. We went about 3 miles up the canyon, but finally decided to stop when the trail became mostly snow covered talus about 100' above the canyon floor. We found a nice spot for lunch overlooking the canyon, but didn't lounge around as we often do. By this time there was 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. About a third of the way back down the canyon the snow slacked off & the sky began to lighten up. By the time we reached the lower crossing of the creek we had some blue sky & even some sun. Some of the cottonwoods still had yellow leaves and the shrubs & large clumps of basin wild-rye were beautiful in the snow. Except for one other hiker in the lower canyon, we had the place to ourselves. We didn't see any wildlife except for a few birds as we hiked, but on the drive up the Yakima Canyon Ethan & I saw a bald eagle cruising low along a hillside, a large deer, and a herd of big horn sheep near the road. All in all, it was a very nice start to the Winter Walk season.