Sunday, March 13, 2011

Rattlesnake Ledge - North Bend

This day wins the Worst Weather I've Hiked In award.  I have hiked in rain, snow, mud, ice and wind, but the rain today was lashing down miserably, the wind shook it off the trees and pushed us around at the top a little and by the time the relatively short (4 mi roundtrip) hike was over, I was drenched.  This is the 1st time I have raided my pack for the spare dry hat and fleece I keep lugging with me.  Would I do it again if I started the day over though?  Absolutely.  : )
The trail starts out at Rattlesnake Lake.  The parking is abundant and the lake is large and beautiful.  Two very excited labs (do they come any other way?) were retrieving in it. 
From there the trail just winds up switchbacks for almost 2 miles, at a gain of 1900 feet to the top of this huge rock face.  If it hadn't been cloudy, foggy, rainy and windy the views would have been phenomenal.  With all those things considered, it was a little gloomy, eerie and magnificent anyway.  I don't know why, but I do love viewing things shrouded in mist.  It must be the Northwest mold in my veins or the moss in my head or something.

Adventure Dog enjoyed it too.  He taunted me by taking in the views himself and  then trying to duck out of the picture when I tried to photograph him with the panoramic backdrop.

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