You want some White with that Green?

Well... What can I say?

I want and desire hikes to be out of the way and with nobody on it and that is exactly what I got.

Green Mountain is where I found myself today. I won't say where this lovely hike is how to get to it or even which Green Mountain is because I want to keep this one a bit more on the secretive side though.

SO

A little different in the fact that I won't actually be describing the trail to much and more a long the lines of experience.


SO after finding the trail head, which was an experience within its self, you begin. The trail is mellow for the first 2 miles. You walk through a marsh or bog but either way, the amount of Cedars and Alders is to damn high! There is also a lot of water at this point in the year so if you do decide to find this place, get ready to get a little moist.


As we traversed the easy route we ran across this tree. I personally think it was struck by lighting because the wood felt burned and defiantly looked like it exploded but who knows?


You continue up a section in which I have now dubbed the "Alder Ridge"... Wall to wall with the bloody things. Although I shouldn't say that to loudly because 2 did save me from falling on my rear on the way down.


One thing I will point out is the amount of stream crossings. Since it has been wet lately, any place you go, it is going to be a wet one. My partner today decided to send the foot swimming not once but twice along with constant avoiding of mud holes. Made for a lot of fun!

As you keep going on you eventually reach what looks like a forest service road. Its local name is the CCC road. Why and the history? Well from my under standing, it was created during the depression by young men for who knows why?

You mush down this for a bit when you meet what looks to be more of a road and follow the rusty gate and from there, its no more easy climb, up is the word to use.

You do come across a few areas in which you can nab a look at the area below you but nothing spectacular. I was sad cause of the moving clouds meant no views BUT that would fix it's self later.






As you go up, you keep hitting creeks again and again BUT then the fun in the white stuff begins as you hit snow! Now I love snow and know how to hike both on and in it but this was so easy that it was laughable. I normally carry around what are called Yak Traxs simply because you never know when you need traction and NOT once did I.








So as you continue to parade up, you pass a lot granite. Now most people don't care about this and look at it as just another rock BUT here is why you should care. Green Mountain is apart of a GIANT Batholith. For those of you illiterate in Geology, a Batholith is a LONG section of rock(Normally no less then 40 miles in length) in which it has either been forced out of the ground or has been eroded out. Now one may say meh? Who cares? Well here's the thing, Granite is a prime ground for a shinny mineral with the atomic sign of Au and again, for those periodic table illiterate, Au stands for....................................................................................
GOLD
There's gold in these hills! Now not enough to cause a massive gold rush, but long ago, the area was significantly searched for gold and there was some found here and there. With a little looking about, you can still find mining camps but that isn't why it is important. To find gold, it takes miners and to have miners, that takes money, a town and such. This contributed to the growth of the small towns of Tanner, North Bend and Snoqualmie. If not for miners in the area. Who knows what the area would like today?


We kept going and reached a point along a ridge line where I decided to go up and have a look around. Me being me, I affixed my ice ax and scrambled up the hill to look around. When I broke the small ridge, Nothing but trees greeted my view which meant one thing, we made it!





The views sadly weren't there though, clouds every where. I snapped a FEW photos

Cloud 9 eh?

I like

You get to Panoramas today!

As we headed down, in fact... 20 minutes after... The clouds dispersed and we were greeted with sun and blue sky's.... Sigh, I swear it some times... In fact all the time, when it is foggy or cloudy when I leave a summit, with in the next 2-5 hours..... BAM sun....








Oh well. I loved this little hike. It is only 8 miles and about 3,200 feet in elevation gain, so about Si only MUCH MUCH MUCH more out there. Which is fine by me.


So since I didn't name the place, road etc. If you can find it, it is well worth it. Good warm up for when the snow is starting to recede from the higher peaks.









So all in all... Not bad at all. I even got a few pictures for future hikes but I won't name drop, just yet ;)



So also got some ruling done today. At 51 for total!


Think I will actually be able to get if off before Christmas. SO if you still wanna help, it's not done yet!