Gold Creek Pond Winter Hike

Today we went on an adventure to Gold Creek Pond.  This was a short and easy walk with a spectacular view of the mountains and water.

From I-90, we took Hyak exit 54 and went over to the Hyak Sledding Hill.  Here we purchased a Sno-Park Pass (we already have a Discover Pass) and I thought we'd spend the afternoon sledding.  Normally Jake loves sledding, but after a couple of minutes he said he was done.  The snow isn't very deep and the past couple of sunny days means that there was a layer of ice on top, so it may have been a little too bumpy, even on the short hill.

Since adventures don't always go according to plan, it's good to have backup ideas in mind.  Since we had the Sno-Park Pass on hand, I decided to cross under the freeway and check out Gold Creek Pond. 

After driving under I-90, we saw the large Gold Creek Sno Park sign.  Rather than go into the park here, I turned right and drove down about a mile or so to Huckleberry Peak Road, the entrance to Gold Creek Pond.  The forest service road looked pretty icy so I decided to parallel park down on the main road amongst lots of other cards.  It's only a .3 mile walk up to the parking lot so that seemed like a better route than risking icy driving conditions.

Walking on the ice to get up to the lot wasn't super comfortable, but it was manageable in our snow boots.  The trek ended up being totally worth it!

In the parking lot, we saw porta-potty type of restroom facilities, which is always great to have on hand when hiking with kids.

In the lot, Jake noticed the multitudes of ice crystals sparkling in the sun.  He loved the sparkles and checked them out for a couple of minutes.  Someone might notice that this is a kid with his right mitten upside-down and his boots on the wrong feet, but I see a big kid who got their winter gear on all by themselves.  I would have fixed the boots if I had noticed.  Oops.

Beyond the parking lot, we saw a trail so we headed down.  Pretty quickly we saw a "Y" in the trail.  I had no idea which way would lead to a quicker or better view of the pond.  However, the right path was in the shade and the left path was in the sun so we went to the left. 

Within minutes, we encountered a little log bridge that crossed a sparkling stream.

Beyond the bridge we came to a surprisingly flat field.  There aren't a lot of flat fields in Western Washington, especially around hiking trails.  However, this flat, sparkling field went right up to Gold Creek Pond with some gorgeous mountains in the background.  For being only 5 minutes from the parking lot (and about 20 minutes from the main road below) Gold Creek Pond has a lot of bang for little work.

We mainly hung out in the field, checking out the sights.  Several folks had left behind real snowmen, which Jake loved. 

BEFORE YOU GO:
1. Go to the Washington Trails Association's site https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/gold-creek-pond and check out the latest field reports to get an idea about conditions.
2. Since it's on National Forest Land with restroom facilities, a Forest Service Pass is required.  The Discover Pass doesn't count.  You can get a $5 daily e-pass here: http://www.discovernw.org/store_national-forest-recreation-epass-national-forests-in-washington-and-oregon-only_20281.html
3. If you're comfortable driving on icy roads, you don't need an additional permit.  However, if you avoid icy roads (like me), don't want to try driving up Huckleberry Peak Road, and want to park down on the main road, you'll also need a Sno-Park Permit, which you can purchase here: https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/prod/store/sno/SnoChoice.aspx.

GETTING THERE:
1. From I-90, take Hyak exit 54.  From Seattle, take a left at the end of the off-ramp.  From Ellensburg, take a right.  http://binged.it/1vFnbNn
2. At the "Gold Creek Sno Park" sign, turn right and drive down the road.
3. In about a mile, you'll see a sign for "Gold Creek Pond" on Huckleberry Peak Road.  The parking lot for Gold Creek Pond is up the road .3 miles.  Either drive up to the parking lot or find a spot along the side of the main road to park.
4. From the parking lot, find the trail in the NW corner of the lot. 
5. At the "Y" in the road take a left.

Snow, Not According to Plan

Today I had hoped to explore Franklin Falls https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/franklin-falls by Snoquamie Pass with Jake.  However, since he & Andy were having such a fun morning, Jake wasn't interested in an adventure until the afternoon.

Since it's not too far away, I thought we'd give it a try, even though we didn't leave until close to 1:00 PM.  It ended up being too late.  By the time we reached North Bend, we needed to stop for a potty break.  Wanting to avoid fast food joints, I pulled into the Outlet Mall parking lot so we could use facilities there.  The other day, we had talked about how higher elevations usually receive snow before lower elevations.  Right from the parking lot we had a great view of the phenomenon in action.  What a nice way to start out our adventure!

When we got near Exit 47 on I-90, we could see snow above us, but the foliage around us still looked pretty green.  I wasn't certain that there'd even be patches of snow at the trail and since we were all bundled up, I decided to keep on trucking up to the Hyak exit 54.  When I had checked out the Hyak Sledding Hill http://dotsonstories.blogspot.com/2014/12/ready-for-sledding-all-we-need-is-snow.html a couple of weeks ago, I saw a sign for Gold Creek https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/gold-creek-2.  After checking it out on the WTA site, it looked interesting & I added it to my list.  It seems like it might be another place that could be fun when there's a light dusting of snow but before it's deep enough to require snowshoes.

When we pulled up to the Gold Creek entrance on the north side of I-90, I saw the sign saying that Snow Park Passes are required.

I have an annual Discover Pass & had printed out a Forest Service Pass but didn't have a Snow Park Pass on hand.  We could have crossed the freeway & printed one out at the Hyak Sledding Hill.  However, since it was getting late & I hadn't really scoped out Gold Creek ahead of time, I decided to return back to Exit 47 & check out Franklin Falls as planned. 

 

 

 

 

 

At least the roads were clear and the trip was scenic!

 

 

As I drove the road towards Franklin Falls, I realized two unfortunate things.  First of all, the road had some real ice patches.  Although I have studded tires, I'm a cautious driver and don't like driving in bad conditions if I don't have to, and I really didn't need to check out this trail today. 

Secondly, only then did I remember that one of my headlights went out yesterday.  With the trees closely lining either side of the road and the trail being between the I-90 corridor valley, I thought there was a good chance I would need headlights on the 45 minute trek home.


So, avoiding the ice & headlight risks, I decided to turn back even before making it to the trailhead.

However, even when adventures don't go as planned, there's always some way to have fun.  After turning around on a pretty slippery patch of ice, I found a safe & wide stretch of road.  I pulled over near the Denny Creek Campground so we could get out & play in the snow.  After getting pelted with a sharp ice-ball I nixed the idea of a snowball fight for today; there will be plenty of more opportunities this season, I'm sure.

Jake stomped around in the crunchy ice shell coating the ground and had fun looking at his breath as it steamed the air in front of him.

Hopefully we'll check out Franklin Falls and Gold Creek Pond another day, but since we still got to go out on a little adventure, check out a new road, see a new bridge, play in some snow, and see a spectacular sunset when arriving back to Duvall, I'll this day a win.  :)

Rainbows Amongst the Clouds

I love rainbows, and Andy often pokes fun that I'm such a rainbow hunter, often stopping in my tracks if I sense the lighting is right for a rainbow.

The other evening, when I drove home from the Big Four Ice Caves, the evening sunset cast a warm and sparkly orange glow to the west.  To the east were dull, gray clouds.  As I drove over a bridge over the Skykomish River between Monroe and Duvall, I felt awestruck at the magnificent beauty of the sunset.  It's possible I was still feeling a rush from the incredible hike, but the sunset was really, truly glorious.  For a moment, I realized that the position of the clouds, the sun, and overall lighting felt like a rainbow could be possible to the east.  However, as I drank in the warm light, I couldn't pull my eyes away from the sunset to check, even for a moment.  I didn't want to look away from the incredible sunset.

When the trees again obstructed the sun and I actually focused on driving again, I realized something:

It is easy to find beauty in a sunset.  However, only by looking for beauty in the misty, and sometimes dark, clouds can one ever discover the magic of a rainbow.

I missed out on seeing any rainbows that day.

Big Four Ice Caves - Spectacular and Easy Hike!

OMG, BEST. HIKE. EVER.
Today, Jake and I went on a snowy adventure to the Big Four Ice caves in the Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest.  The weather was perfect and it's one of my most favorite adventures of all time!

June through November, the roads and trail are totally clear with the only snow up by the actual cave.  January through spring, the roads may have snow or ice and the trail may require snowshoes.  We were lucky to go at a time when the roads were totally clear, the trail was mostly clear, and there was a bunch of snow up by the cave.  Plus, it wasn't snowing or raining so it was pretty much a perfect day!

HIKE
The hike itself was amazing!  From the parking lot to the ice cave, you walk along a trail towards two spectacular mountain peaks.  The entire hike, from start to finish, was incredible.  It took us about an hour to get to the snow field in front of the caves.  On the way back, it only took us about 30 minutes because Jake (and I) ran most of the way down the hill, only breaking stride to walk on ice or the wooden boardwalks along the way.  About 10 minutes into the walk, the Big Four Mountain Trail goes on a bridge over the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River. http://binged.it/1BcKEJp. The river, with snowy mountains in the distance, is beautiful.  This really could have been a destination by itself.  Fortunately for us, we got to see even more.

Shortly after the bridge, we came across a "Y" in the trail.  On the way up, we took the steeper, but shorter, path to the left.  On the way down, we took the shallower, but slightly longer, groomed trail to the right.  The path to the right only adds a minute or so to the trip but is a little safer.  Both worked well for us.

Throughout the hike, we saw gorgeous peek-a-boo glimpses of the peaks above the caves.  While there is a slight elevation, it is not strenuous and there are benches along the way.  At one point Jake wanted to stop for a little snack, but after 5 minutes felt energized again.

After about an hour of easy walking, we came to the ice cave.  It was incredible.  Because there is easily-visible signage about the dangers of entering the cave, we stayed outside.  There were lots of people around but that didn't take away from the breathtaking beauty of the snow field, ice-cave, and spectacular peaks.  We played around for about 45 minutes before heading back down the hill.

While the trail would not be great for strollers, we saw lots of babies in front-carriers and our 4 year-old made the trip with ease.  I recommend this spectacular & easy trail for families of all ages & abilities!

The best season to visit is summer & fall, as the roads can get icy in the winter & the trail will require snowshoes when it's completely covered in snow. 

Pics:
The start of the trail was flat with a little slush on the trail.  It was great because it was easy to walk in but still had a fun winter feel!

So happy to see the snow!

 

About 10 or 15 minutes in, we crossed this bridge over the South Fork Stillaguamish River.  The cold river was crystal clear.  A photographer with a polarized lens could take some amazing shots here, I'm sure.

 

One upside to this trail's popularity is that it's incredibly well maintained.  There were all kinds of boardwalks along the way to keep hikers up & out of the many streams.  Jake loves bridges, so he was happy whenever we encountered one - railings or not (although the ones with railings are really bridge-like and extra fun.)

 

After our 1 1/2 hour drive & 45 minute hike, Jake was ready for a little snack.  We sat on a log & he had a quick bite.

 

After a little snack we continue on our way.  We're about 15 minutes from the cave and the mountains are in constant view now, through the trees.

 

The mountains are getting taller.  The views all along this hike were incredible.

 

The mountains are even bigger.  We're getting close!

When standing in the snow field in front of the cave and turning around, this is part of the 360 degree spectacular view.

Not only was it fun to look at the entrance of the cave, the entire snow field around us was incredible.  Jake takes some of it in before forging on ahead.

 

 

Entrance to the snow cave.  We went up near the base, but we did not go into the cave or against the cave wall due to the extreme danger.

 

 

I love how 4 year-olds think everything is so exciting!  Jake loved feeling the difference between the ice & the snow.  (This looks like we're up against the cave wall, and technically we are, I guess.  However, when you look at the zoomed out picture above, we're at the very far right and the wall was only about 5 feet tall here.  We did not go up against the cave wall taller than my head.)





 

 

One good thing about having so many folks at the snow field with us was that several people offered to capture a pic of Jake & me in front of the cave.

After we returned to the parking lot, we shared the cup of cocoa we had picked up from Starbucks when we left.  While it wasn't piping hot, it was warm and much appreciated at the end of this adventure!

 

 

BEFORE GOING
1. Basic info - Check out these websites to learn about official info & location:
Big Four Picnic Area: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbs/recreation/recarea/?recid=62778
Big Four Ice Caves Trail: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbs/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=17728&actid=50
2. Trip reports - Check out the Washington Trails Association Big Four page: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/big-four-ice-caves.  I like sorting the field reports at the bottom so that the most recent report shows first.
3. Road & trail conditions - WSDOT doesn't have any traffic cameras in the area.  Try to figure out what the weather conditions are like before you go, either by checking out the recent WTA trail reports or calling a ranger station.  The hiking season is June - November and the snow-shoeing season is January - spring.  December to January is a time of transition when the hiking trail gives way to a trail requiring snowshoes.  To get the best info about weather, traffic, and trail conditions, call the Darrington Ranger District: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/about-forest/offices.   If the roads happen to be too icy on the way up and you feel like you need to turn around, keep an eye open for the many campgrounds along the road. Rather than coming all of the way back home, a backup plan could be to pull into a campground, check out a stream, or go for a mini-hike around the grounds.
4. Park fee - Because it's on a National Forest land with picnic & restroom facilities, there is a fee of $5 per day.  This is for a National Forest Recreation Pass - the Washington Discover Pass doesn't apply.  There is no way to pay on site and cars without receipts are subject to fines.  One option is to pay in-person at the Verlot Public Service Center, if it's open: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/about-forest/offices/?cid=stelprdb5228753.  Another route is to get a daily e-pass here: http://www.discovernw.org/store_national-forest-recreation-day-pass-national-forests-in-washington-and-oregon-only_09944.html. 
5. What to bring - In addition to making sure everyone has warm clothing on and shoes or boots with some traction, pack a backpack with: gloves/mittens for everyone, snacks, a camera, and TP (there are sanicans in the parking lot, but it's always good to pack a roll of TP & keep it in your car, just in case they're out.)  You may even want to consider packing a tripod or a selfie stick so that you can take pics of yourself in front of the cave, although there were plenty of folks up there & I just asked someone to take our pic.
6. No cell service - Make sure you have any info you want downloaded to your phone ahead of time.  There is no cell service there.
7. Bonus cocoa - I brought a stainless steel Thermos coffee mug to Starbucks on the trip up and had them fill it with hot cocoa.  I brought an extra hat for the cocoa so it could stay covered & a little extra insulated in the car while we hiked.  When we returned to the car after a couple of hours in the snow, it was great to have a cup of warmth! 

GETTING THERE
1. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/0TVYM (You can swap out "Duvall" for any other starting location.)

2. My car's GPS couldn't find "Big Four Ice Caves" and I couldn't find an address for the trailhead.  I ended up plugging in the address to the Verlot Public Service Center to get us most of the way there: 33515 Mtn. Loop Highway, Granite Falls, WA 98252.  As we drove by the Verlot Public Service Center, I hit the tripometer and the entrance to Big Four Picnic Area was in 14.8 miles.  The drive this last stretch of road was beautiful.  The combination of clear & safe roads with scenic snowy streams & mountains right outside of our windows was perfect for this scardy-cat driver!

3.  Be aware that about 8.2 miles beyond the Verlot Public Service Center, there's a sign that says "Pavement Ends 1000 feet."  It's true, and for about a quarter mile there are patches of gravel on the highway.  The regular paved highway resumes pretty quickly, though.

 

4.  There are 2 Big Four parking lots, and the trail starts halfway between them, so it doesn't really matter which area you park in.  The signs are easy-to-see yellow & brown National Forest signs:

5. Since being aware of bathroom facilities is important when hiking with kids, we scoped out the potty scene.  The first area, the Big Four Picnic Area, has a small lot and some porta-potty style facilities housed in a permanent building.  The Big Four Trail parking lot is about a quarter mile beyond the Picnic Area.  The parking lot is bigger at the Trail lot, but their restroom facilities were completely closed for the season & had a sign directing folks to the Picnic Area.  After the hike, we peeked in the Picnic Area facilities & they were out of TP.  If you think you have a family member that will need to go potty, I recommend parking at the Picnic Area & packing along a roll of TP to keep in the car.  If the Picnic Area lot is full, it's not a long walk from the Trail Lot if necessary.

 

Ready For Sledding - All We Need Is Snow!

I've heard fun things about the Hyak Sledding Hill but haven't gone yet because Jake's been too young.  This year, however, I wanted to check it out!

I couldn't pinpoint exactly where it is, even on the official http://parks.state.wa.us/647/Snow-Play-Sno-Parks.  I could see that it was off of Exit 54 and generally SE of the exit, but before driving somewhere new, with Jake, on snowy roads, I want to know either a specific address I can plug into GPS or *exactly* which roads to take.  I've also heard that the parking permits are a little complicated & that you can get hefty tickets for disregarding them.  Today, after driving home from lunch with my Mom & Nanna, I found myself Jake-less by Hyak so I decided to take a quick detour to figure out logistics.

Fortunately, even though the map on the website looked a little vague, there are clear signs to "Keechelus Trailhead."  If you follow 2 brown signs to Keechelus, the 3rd sign you'll see is for "Hyak Sledding Hill."

QUICK SUMMARY
Since I've included lots of nitty-gritty details here, here's a quick summary of where to go & what to do to get started sledding at Hyak Sledding Hill:
1. Take exit 54
2. Follow 2 brown signs to Keechelus Trailhead until you see the brown sign for Hyak Sledding Hill.
3. In the parking lot, if you don't have any Washington State permits, use a Visa/MC to buy a "Sno-Park/One-Day Discover Pass Combo" for $30.
4. Go sledding!  That's it - you don't need anything else on this page.  :)


***UPDATE - SLEDDING HILL IS OPEN FOR 2014/2015 SEASON***

On December 30, 2014, I returned to the Hyak Sledding Hill with Jake.  While there was some snow, there was also ice & some dirt patches.  Sledding conditions aren't ideal yet, but it is a fun place to escape to some snowy with easy driving conditions before school & work hit next week.

Jake on the kiddie hill off to the side:

Main sledding hill.  Only die-hard sledding fans would brave these icy & sometimes rocky conditions:

 Off to the side there was another little hill next to a big open field where some folks were making snowmen.  This was the most popular area that afternoon.

If you're interested in details of the route or permits, continue on...

GETTING THERE
Address: For GPS, try entering: 15 Keechelus Boat Launch Road, Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068. This may not be recognized by all GPS systems, but it may get you close.
Link to map: http://binged.it/1xGDejC
Directions:
1. From Seattle/Duvall, take I-90 East and take Exit 54-Hyak.
2. At end of off-ramp, take a RIGHT.
3. In about 20 feet, take IMMEDIATE LEFT.  Look for brown "KEECHELUS TRAILHEAD" sign under a green "Dept. Of Transportation HYAK MAINT. DIV" sign.

4. In about .4 miles, turn RIGHT onto  Keechelus Boat Launch Road.  Look for the brown KEECHELUS TRAILHEAD" sign.

5. Take the first RIGHT into the Hyak Sledding Hill parking lot.

 

 

PARKING & PERMITS
Parking at the Hyak Sno-Park Sledding Hill requires 2 permits from Washington State.  Parking permits are tightly enforced, especially on crowded weekends, so make sure to plan accordingly. 

These can be a little complicated your first time out, so in a nutshell, make sure you have both a Sno-Park Permit and a Discover Pass:
Sno-Park Permit - If you only plan on going once, a single day permit is best.  If you plan on going twice or more, an annual Non Motorized Sno-Park Permit for $40 would be the best option.  If you click on the "Price List" of the Sno-Park Permit link below, it says "$20 per day, valid for 1, 2 or 3 consecutive days."  This may mean that a single $20 permit is valid for both days in a single weekend, although I'm not 100% sure.
Discover Pass - If you already have an annual Washington Discover Pass, you don't need an additional one.  If you don't have a Washington Discover Pass, decide if you want a single-day Discover Pass, an annual Discover Pass, or the Sno-Park/Discover Combo.  You can buy a Discover Pass at the Duvall True Value: http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors/.

	Single Day	Annual Pass	More info
Non-Motorized Sno-Park Permit	$20	$40	https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/prod/Store/SNO/SnoChoice.aspx
Discover Pass	$11	$33	http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov
Sno-Park/Discover Combo	$30	N/A	https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/prod/Store/SNO/SnoChoice.aspx

There is a parking meter in the parking lot which sells the required permits & accepts Visa & MasterCard.  However, if for any reason the machine is down it could be a pain to find a place to buy them so buying ahead of time is advised.

SLEDDING HILL
Right now, the sledding hill is closed.  I'm so excited for it to open!  I will update this once I have photos with snow and sledders.  The "official" hill looks like it would be pretty amazing for older kids.  I'm not sure if our 4 year-old is ready to start at the top of the hill, but we could always hang out on the lower part.  Also, once the area is covered in snow, I hear that there are pockets around the field where smaller kids play.  I'm so excited to check this out with Jake!

The top of the hill looks organized, directing sledders to the middle of the hill & returning folks to walk up the sides.

This hill looks frumpy now but I bet it will be fun & crazy covered in snow & sledders!

FACILITIES
Since planning for potties is an important part of adventures with kids, I scoped out the restroom facilities.  I did not find any diaper changing stations (I looked for friends with younger kids), although half of the restrooms were locked.  However, I was really happy to find a building in the middle of the parking lot with heated restrooms and running water. 

FULL LOT
The Hyak Sledding Hill is really popular on the weekends.  If the lot is full and has become a scene out of Hunger Games with mini-vans & SUVs, Gold Creek State Park can be a backup plan.  To get to Gold Creek Sno-Park, return back towards I-90.  However, instead of returning to the freeway, continue over the overpass.  Just on the other side of I-90 is the entrance to Gold Creek State Park.  Take a RIGHT into the park.

RELATED LINKS
Snoqualmie Pass WSDOT traffic cam: http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/passes/snoqualmie/default.aspx
Washington State Parks Winter Recreation
     Web: http://www.parks.wa.gov/130/Winter-Recreation
     Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WaStatePks_WNTR
     Phone: 360-902-8684


Hyak Sledding Hill at Lake Easton State Park: http://parks.state.wa.us/647/Snow-Play-Sno-Parks
Hyak Sledding Hill map: http://binged.it/1xcCwuV
Hyak on Washington Adventure Awaits: http://adventureawaits.com/2013/12/snow-play-sno-parks/
Hyak Sledding Hill on Bing: http://www.bing.com/search?q=Hyak+Sledding+Hill&src=IE-TopResult&first=9&FORM=PORE


Washington State Sno-Parks Permits: https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/prod/Store/SNO/SnoChoice.aspx
Washington Discover Pass: http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/
Washington Trails Association's breakdown on various national & state permits: http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/passes/passes-and-permit-info


Gold Creek State Park: http://www.parks.wa.gov/438/Blewett-I-90#Gold Creek
Gold Creek trail report: http://adventureawaits.com/2013/01/snowshoeing-gold-creek/,
Gold Creek map: http://binged.it/1red1GR
Tubing at Snoqualmie: http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/activities/tubing-faq




Map to Hyak Sledding Hill

Map to Gold Creek Sno-Park (if Hyak Sledding Hill is full)