Trip Details:
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Arrive Parking lot |
02:45PM |
|
Main trailhead |
03:00PM |
|
First View to south |
03:18PM |
|
First Ledge |
03:39PM |
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Second Ledge |
03:47PM |
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Third Ledge |
03:55PM |
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East Tower (end spot) |
04:45PM |
|
Leave East Tower area |
05:04PM |
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Third Ledge |
05:43PM |
|
Second Ledge |
05:50PM |
|
First Ledge |
05:55PM |
| Back to main junction | 06:02PM |
| Main trailhead | 06:38PM |
|
Car |
06:44PM |
|
Snow |
Yea right.... |
|
Bugs |
None noticed until near peak, then a few gnat types. Annoying but not a major issue. I didn't even bug up for this. |
|
Weather |
Mostly cloudy (a few sun breaks). Temps maybe mid/low 60's. Cooler on top. No rain. |
| Crowds | A decent crowd at 1st ledge on way up (only one guy taking pictures on return trip). Saw no one on 2nd or 3rd ledge. One guy at east peak heading back towards the west about the same time I was arriving. Oh yea a deer was seen in bushes just before the 3rd ledge. |
| Scenic Value | Ledges have cool views. First and third ledges the best in my opinion. Most of hike itself in the trees with a few peek a boo views. Views from east peak nothing too special, and as the trees grow, they will be come more and more blocked. Best view from east peak area is from the bench just below the peak. |
| Difficulty | Easy 100% trail hike. Well you are going uphill, but it isn't that steep in general. |
Route map:
Narrative:
Well the days get shorter it seems. Decided to revised Rattlesnake ledges/east peak. I hadn't been on this side since March when above the ledges there was snow worthy of using traction/snowshoes further up. Not so today for sure.
Proceed up the poodle friendly wide trail (note no actual poodles were encountered today). A viewpoint out to the south is seen about half way to the first ledge.
Soon the first ledge is reached, the turnaround point for most. Proceed just past the junction sign to the right to the rock slabs which on a nice day will be packed with humans, poodles, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Then on and up to 2nd ledge. Much smaller/less crowded.
Then the third ledge, but immediately before the fork I heard a bounding in the woods off to my right... Lo and behold a deer. It didn't move from here even when I took pictures. I took a few and finally just continued to the 3rd ledge as it still stood where it is in the picture.
Third ledge views.
The endpoint today was the east
tower, so time to mush on. By now it was getting a bit cool and the only long
sleeve thing I had was a nylon jacket so I didn't want to put that on.
I saw nobody above the first ledge on the entire trip
except the deer and one guy leaving the east tower heading west as I arrived
there. Nothing much to see from the last ledge until you get to the east tower.
The views there
aren't all that great either, especially as the trees get taller. It is better
in the snow and some of the junk is under snow. Still worth a few pictures.
A few view shots in the area before heading back. A few bugs were around and it was a bit cool.
The excitement was too much and I was ready to be on the move again since it wasn't exactly warm. It's either 4.4 miles back to the Rattlesnake Lake or 6.1 miles to Snoqualmie Point, the only problem with the latter was that my car is at Rattlesnake lake.
Made quick extra photo stops on way down. You never know what you will get for pictures. I actually spotted and was able to zoom in my car down below.
A few shots of large mossy rocks on the lower trail section.
In shorter order back to the lake and a few final shots.
All in all not the most exciting destination, but a slam dunk/dumpster dive no brainer. The views from the ledges really are great bang for the buck and worth at least a trip that far. It's amazing how different parts of this trip above the ledges looked now from back in March when it was all covered in snow.
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Last Updated 08/27/2008
