Oh, how I love SNOW!

In the PNW there's snow somewhere all year long, but it's often hard to get to. Either it's high on the volcanos or it's deep in the wilderness. When the first snow falls in the easy-access Cascades it's cause for celebration even if those first snowfalls aren't the greatest.

To make the most of what snow has fallen I head to the highest peaks. Snoqualmie Mountain is the highest of the peaks that are easily accessed. It's only a mile and a half to the summit, but that includes 3,000 feet of gain on some terrible trail that was flowing with water on this day. However, the flowing water that wet my boots meant it was likely snowing up higher and maybe even frozen at the top.

Above the waterfall, above the bench, above the ridge it did finally get cold enough to hold snow and ice. Well, mostly ice. At least it wasn't running water any longer. The final 300 feet got progressively more wintery and with winter came the awesome. The summit had a few feet of snow and the cornices were starting to form.

It was no wonder there was snow given the temperature on the summit. Even though I was on a quest for snow I hadn't quite acclimated to the cold. As a result, it was literally freezing and I was figuratively freezing. Treen seemed amazed at the cold, too, even though I know her feet don't get cold like mine would.

We dropped down off the summit and out of the freezing temperatures. Looking across the South Fork valley to the west we were treated to a view of the valley full of clouds with just a few tree topped hills poking through. The Kaleetan group of peaks were bathed in sunlight and there was just a hint of a brocken spectre in the distance.

Getting into the snow at the peak was wonderful and a welcome relief from the unseaonably warm Fall. It was also a good reminder that even though Winter is on its way it's not here yet and there is glory to be found below the summit.