So, no joke, we went in search of the sun. Washington is bisected by the Cascades. Often when it's lousy on the west we can go to the east and find sun. On this trip we only had to go as far as the Yakima Valley for blue skies, dry trails, and SUN!

The Yakima Skyline Trail is at the end of a decent dirt road with a small parking lot. There's a quick rise, then a flat stretch to the rim of the canyon. Options at that point are to turn around and go home (unlikely) or follow the rim up (duh).

At no point on the trip did it seem the summit was very far away. Yet, at no point on the trip (until the very end) did it seem we were getting any closer. The slope was uniform and unbroken by rock or tree. Had it been overcast with snow on the ground it would have been almost impossible to find the sky.

When we finally did get within a quarter mile of the high point there were a series of false summits that raised our spirits and then dashed them. We only knew we were on the summit when there was nowhere else to go that was higher. (There is a higher point, but that was a couple miles distant and required us to lose a ton of elevation to get there.)

Instead of returning the way we had come we set off across the mile-long meadow straight downhill. We usually hike together, but somehow we spread apart. Treen ranged far and wide just enjoying the big space between us. A huge herd of deer appeared on the ridge, but were so far away we didn't pay them any mind. As much fun as rolling through grasslands was we didn't make great time because it was littered with rocks and holes to be avoided.

We were too late for the snow that could have made this an epic glissade and just a little too early for the flowers, but we had great weather and a break from the incessant rain on the west side. And of course, we saw a bunch of other trails switchbacking up hills on the other side of the canyon so next time we need a bit of sun we've got some destinations lined up.