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Pacific Crest Trail
Trail No. 2000
Snoqualmie Pass almost to Kendall Katwalk
| NOVEMBER 30, 2008 Because the Rattlesnake Mountain
trailhead is relatively close to home, I left foggy Seattle late in the
morning for my last hike of November. I changed my hiking plans,
however, as soon as I reached the exit and the day suddenly turned sunny
and warm. Why do a winter hike if there was no snow in the
Cascades yet? I headed to Snoqualmie Pass and the Pacific Crest
Trail. The hike to Kendall Katwalk is 5.7 miles one-way, but I was
determined to hike as far as I could in my allotted time.
The trail was snow free for the first two miles, but it was icy as it crossed over a boulder field. The views along this stretch of the trail were spectacular, but the trail soon returned to the woods and climbed steadily to Kendall Ridge. It's no secret that I love the ridges, and it this last portion of the trail was like being with a good friend. As the trail emerged from the woods again, the trail was covered with snow, but the views opened up. The Katwalk was still about 3/4 of a mile further at 2:00, so I stopped for a short lunch in a large boulder garden to enjoy some of the best views I've seen. A pair of gray jays flew in to keep me company as I sat staring out at the sea of mountains. Mount Rainier was backlit, and the sky turned winter-sunset soft. I was almost 5 miles from the trailhead, so I packed up and hurried back down the trail. I miss the long hiking hours of summer! Approximately 10 miles round trip 2400' elevation gain |
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