Autumn Hike

Ryan and I have been dreaming and scheming of fun adventures for the fall and winter. During the last few years, my law school schedule prevented us from enjoying a ski weekend or day in the woods. Well, that will not happen anymore! We can't wait for snow to fall and so we can ski or snowshoe in our backyard. Until the snow comes, we are taking time to hike and enjoy Mother Nature in all her glory.

This weekend we went to a hiking spot about 30 minutes from Seattle, Olallie State Park. As usual, we have some photos:

Thorough Signage

Trailside debris leftover from a major windstorm last December.
Many parks, including Rainier National Park, were devastated by the storm with trails and campgrounds closed during the main tourist season. Volunteers and the Parks Service are working hard to return outdoor recreation areas to usable condition. In the Seattle area, many people lost power for a week or more and a woman lost her life after her basement flooded. We were surprised to see more evidence of the storm 10 months later.

My Boys
Soma and Ryan enjoying the trail.

Navigating a Tight Spot

The trail we hiked went underneath this bridge. Another trail, formed by an old Forest Service road, went over the bridge and along the mountains for many miles.

Washington's Version of Deciduous Trees

Twin Falls
This was an unbelievably beautiful part of the trail. Two large waterfalls were upstream while another waterfall was downstream and within view. The bridge where this picture was taken was about 50 feet above the narrow gorge.

Like true yuppie-puppy parents, we bring Soma his own water bottle. However, he doesn't drink anything unless you put your hand underneath the spout.