Since we introduced Clara to snowshoeing last weekend she's been looking longingly up at the flocked mountains all around North Bend. Amy headed off to Dream Dinners early this morning so I packed up all three of the girls and headed up into the hills.
We tried to find snow off Exit 38, just a few miles from home, but although the road climbed with promise early it left us short of the snow. After that 30 minute detour we jumped were back on the freeway. We stopped at the next exit, but there was little hope there, but at Denny Creek I knew we could drive all the way to the Pass if need be.
In just a few miles we were at the Melakwa Lake trailhead. It had a few inches of wet snow, but that was all we really needed for today. Clara geared up and Lilly was strapped into the pack and we were off.
Instead of heading up the trail, which was mostly in the woods with little snow on the ground, we walked back along the road to the bridge over the South Fork. Clara got the chance to perfect (or at least improve) her snowshoeing skill in the light snow and it wasn't too cold for Lilly. Tokul pranced through the white as she's prone to do and got suitably wet to shake a few times.
We managed only a half mile of total distance, but it was enough to further inflame Clara's love of the snow so it was well worth the time and gas and the few tears that are inevitably shed on a hike. Next up on Clara's punchlist is either Gold Creek or Mount Rainier. We'll leave that decision for later.
