North Bend Hiking | Rattlesnake Ledge

July 22, 2012 Zach Hodgson

Sometimes you just need to do things a little crazy, a little out of the ordinary. That’s why I gathered a few friends at three o-clock this morning to go hiking up Rattlesnake Ledge just outside of North Bend. It was cold and dark, but we had a blast climbing up the trail together and the views were wonderful as always. We started hiking in the pre-dawn hours so it was very dark (I got to give my headlamps a good workout). These are some images I captured en route. If you can find a time without crowds of people around (this is one of the Snoqualmie area’s most popular hikes), this a great place to read, pray, or just find some peace and quiet for meditation. Of course, bringing a friend or two along is great as well. Wild Huckleberries… …and a Banana Slug! There you have it! Be sure to watch Facebook for the next time we go out. I’d love to have you come along.

Defiance at 5580′

July 21, 2009 Zach Hodgson

Like the bleached skeletal fingers of a long-buried giant, the burned carcass of once mighty evergreens push upwards out of the remains of a decades-old forest fire. The place is Mount Defiance and is one of the most beautiful trails in the Snoqualmie region. The trail begins at the end of FR-9031 which is exit 45 off of I-90 in Washington State. As of this writing the road is passable. However, there is still a small washed-out portion to be wary of. Ample parking is available at the end of the loose gravel road but a Northwest Forest Pass is required. Before entering the trail, be sure and fill out a registration card at the small stand. Permits are free but are required for trail use. The trail that leads to Mason Lake has been recently renamed the Ira Spring Trail in honor of the late nature photographer and naturalist. A plaque is visible at the crest of the saddle leading down to the lake. In Summer, be sure to bring plenty of bug repellant and sun screen as both are plentiful this time of year. This is what you will find on most of the Ira Spring Trail—the end […]

Snow Lake

July 10, 2009 Zach Hodgson

I got the chance to go check out a new trail on Thursday as part of my day off and I must say that I am extremely pleased. Snow Lake is out in the Snoqualmie Pass in North Bend, WA and I must say, it was a welcome treat after the day leading up to it. The day started innocently enough with a planned trip to Talapus Lake. I woke up around seven in order to get an early start with hopes of catching up with a friend for lunch. I hit my first snag when I discovered that I needed a parking pass to even get to the trail head. After driving twenty minutes west back to the ranger station and twenty minutes back to the trail head, I discovered that the road to the trail head had been washed out in three places and there was no way to access the trail. So, I turned around. Well, I would have turned around if there had been room do so. There wasn’t so I backed down the hill most of the way until I found a bend that I could use to turn around. I drove out to the […]