After a late and snowy spring on the Hood Canal we had heard about a lot of snow on this trail. Hike leader Donna scouted it out on Sunday prior to our Monday hike to check on conditions first-hand - details below.
Just as spring buds emerge on the cottonwoods, we caught what appeared to be a heron rookery high in trees on the Puyallup Loop Trail with at least thirty-one nests.
2/3 of main trail covered in snow. Snow was well compacted so microspikes were fine, in lieu of snowshoes. Successfully summited.
12knt with gusts to 29. Crew was safe, engaged, and had a good time!
Flow was in the range of 401-482 CFS. There were a few class II drops before the first bridge, then it became a fairly uneventful class I stretch most of the way with a few riffles intermixed.
645 CFS. Very low water. Lots and lots of scraping. Not recommended at this level. No unavoidable strainers. The scenery is stupendous.
We climbed Leuthold Couloir and moved to climber's right for the last 500 or so feet of the Couloir, so more into the Reid Headwall area. Conditions cold with high temp around 15F and moderate winds. Downclimbed the Old Chute to the Devil's Kitchen and walked down from there.
Sailed a 2 hour instructional sail out of Des Moines Marina before the wind went dead calm. Points of sail, tacking and jibes but in very light wind conditions.
Loop hike starting from Upper Blanchard trail head. Hiked first to Lizard Lake, then Lily Lake before making side trip to Oyster Dome. Returned via Max's Shortcut.
A beautiful river section with plenty of interest.
Delightful evening hiking with a good group. We had dinner at the Talus Caves.
At the dock training session for the Basic Keelboat class.
Snow camping yea!!!
Launched from Newcastle Beach Park, paddled to, into, and out of Mercer Slough, lunch break at Enatai Beach Park, break at Meydenbauer Bay Park, return to Newcastle Beach Park.
Beautiful Day in the snow plus scenery and waterfalls
We did a few practice sessions down the slalom course above Landsburg Bridge before heading downstream to Maple Valley. The gauge below the diversion dam in Landsburg read 329CFS when we took out.
White Pass Nordic did a courtesy grooming of their trails on April 15. We skied most of the trails and loops, found them all groomed and with good depth and coverage. This will probably be good skiing for at least another few days. Thank you, White Pass!
Dry weatther and snow free ground on a loop hike outside of Ellensburg.
This is a loop walk , from the Magnolia viewpoint parking to Ella Bailey Park(viewpoint) , the high point , Discovery Park , Perkins Lane , and Moving Stairways . The views were great !