JANUARY 22, 2011 We were a group of 12 for this
Mountaineers snowshoe on the Cooper River Trail as we headed to Cooper
Lake in the Salmon La Sac area. I didn’t remember the trail being this
steep when I hiked it as part of a loop
hike to Pollalie Ridge, but the woods are just as lovely in the
winter as they are in the summer. The snow was firm when we first set
off on the hike down the closed road, and we didn’t put on snowshoes
until we reached the official trailhead. The usually gentle hike along
Cooper River was made somewhat challenging by the snow conditions—we
never knew from one step to the next if we would step onto solid pack or
break through the crust and posthole. The trail was not broken, but it
was relatively easy to follow. We found it necessary to make a short
detour around a downed tree or two and head upstream for a likely place
to cross a shallow stream or two. The beauty of the woods was marred
only by the sounds of snowmobiles on the other side of the river. After
a lunch stop in a sunny spot, we returned the trailhead. Although we
didn’t reach our destination on this trip, I enjoyed the hike through
the snowy woods. I love the open forest on the east slopes of the
Cascades, and the Salmon La Sac area is one of my favorite places to
hike.
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