Annette Lake
8-16-14


I needed a quick morning hike that would have me home by early afternoon. I had been meaning to get back up to Annette Lake all summer. It had been 4 years since my last visit. A long time for a favorite close in hike. I headed up I-90, exited at Denny Creek, and pulled into the parking lot at8:10 am. By 8:15 am I was on the trail. There were only about 7 or 8 cars in the lot. Not many for this time of year. It was a cool misty morning. After a string of hot days it was not unappreciated. Since there would be no views this day it was another reason for a hike to a lake. The Asahel Curtis Nature Trail that starts at the parking lot is closed for reconstruction. The Annette Lake trail is in fine shape. No logs down are other problems.

I made good time heading up. Not much to photograph but the misty trail. I caught one group but otherwise it was quiet on the trail. Approaching the lake it became very cloudy. Visibility was minimal. It gave a very different feel to a trail I know so well. I arrived at the lake at 9:40 am. 1:40 is not a bad time but not a great one either. Clouds wafted across the lake. One minute it was clear then I could not see the other side. I sat and watched the clouds drift across the lake basin. There were several other groups at the lake but it was far from crowded. That would occur a few hours later.

I hung around the lake until about 10:10 am. The trip out drops a little then climbs to the high point. It was not long before I met the next group heading up. I continued to see more folks heading up most all the way down. It is still a very popular hike. I just managed to get started ahead of most of them. Back at the railroad grade I turned right and headed up the grade. A chance to get in a little more mileage. I met several groups of bikers pedaling down the grade. After about .70 miles I turned around and headed back. There were some ripe thimbleberries along the grade. Very tasty. I reached the parking lot at just a few minutes after noon. Not only was the lot full, there were nearly a dozen more cars parked along the dirt access road. I'm glad I had an early start.

This was exactly the hike I had hoped for. The misty clouds gave the trail a very different feel. I had more solitude than I expected. The cool temperature made for comfortable hiking. I had a great morning hike and was still back to Seattle by 1:00 pm. Just what I had in mind.



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Trips - 2014

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