Mt. Pilchuck

6 miles round trip and 2400ft elevation gain.

I hiked Mt. Pilchuck together with some friends from M$: Su Weitao and his wife, Sun Murong, Tian Feng and our driver Li Zhiwen. Su Weitao is also from Taiyuan, my hometown. He and Murong just became proud home owners. Although Tian Feng did not has much good luck in Three-Kingdom period almost two thousand years ago, he becomes an inspiring hiker since he moved to USA: hiked Grand Canyon in ONE day and also hiked Half Dome in Yosemite NP, two of the most strenuous trails in USA. Zhiwen just moved from New jersey and will start work for M$ tomorrow. A hike not that easy for him definitely shows great efforts for starting his new Northwest life.

We left the Totem Lake shopping mall about 10:30AM. Began to hike around 12:00pm. At 2:00 pm, we reached the lookout house. Nothing to lookout in the heavy fog. We headed back under sometimes heavy rain. We were back at the trail head about 4:30pm.

Short distance, less elevation gain and good view (I can only imagine this time) made Mt. Pilchuch trail a popular place. I'm sure I will try it another time when the whether is great.

No pictures (yet). I forgot the SD card in my camera :-(.

View while heading back

A hiker told me that this is Mt. Forgotten. Another 1000ft gain away, saved for the next time

Mountains in the south direction

Have singing bird at lunch time

another picture of the view at the meadows

View from the meadow

Water fall on Perry Creek

Mt. Forgotten Meadows (Perry Creek Trail)

7.6 miles round trip and 2900ft altitude gain. Began to hike around 11:00am and came back about 4:00pm.

Whether is great today. Although I still have various flu-like sympotoms, I pressed on to finish the trail. Along the way, there are several waterfalls. Flowers are along the road. Hope I can remember their names: columbine and siberian miner's lettuce.

Water is always happy.

Childen were playing with water.

View while we heading back

Another water fall.

Another lake picture

It was raining.

Mtn. besides Melakwa Lake

Melakwa Lake

Beatiful water fall.

Snow capped mtn.

Melakwa Lake

9.0 miles out and back with cumulative gain of 2,700 ft.

While gardeners working in our backyard, I went out for a nice hike with Jia Li and Jin Zhong. We reached trailhead about 10:10. Reached the melakwa lake around 1:00 and get back about 4:30.

It was raining and the trail was very muddy and slippery. But isn't it great fun to still be able to touch snow in the middle of June?

4000 ft altitude gain in 3 miles! Climbed in rain and even snow. This is definitely one of the toughest hike I ever taken.
BRUTAL! BRUTAL! BRUTAL!

A very robust mailbox.

Broken telescope, old notebook...
The tax return letter is a baseless rumor.

I-90 4000ft below

Mailbox Peak

The tail is not faraway from Mt. Si.

Hiked on Jun 5, 05. I started around 10:00am. Reached the top at 1:00pm. Enjoyed the snow, rain and ever changing cloud and fogs on the top. I headed back at 1:30 and arrived trail head around 3:00.

Those plan to climb Mt. Rainier use it as a conditioning trail.