Hello, hikers,

A record 10 hikers braved the forecast to enjoy the sights and sounds of Twin Falls and experienced a relatively rain free outing! Jeanne, Tarja, their daughter Cheyenne and dog Brownie, joined Janice and her gaggle of offspring (Forrest, Fischer, and Scout), Jen, DJ, and myself for a great time of things. Having gathered at the trailhead, the rules for a safe hike were outlined, and off we went.... the first WOW view was of the raging Snoqualmie River. Onward and upward the group went, with the energetic youngsters taking the lead. Soon we reached the lower falls, giving us a goal to reach as we could see the bridge far ahead at the upper falls area in the distance. Taking a few minutes to enjoy the view and to regroup, on we forged, a bit of downhill in front of us. Brownie had no shortage of hikers that wanted to take him by his leash...sniffing and tail wagging as he went! Next, it was down several flights of stairs to catch an up close and personal look at the lower falls.... WOW, as it boomed down in front of us, leaving a heavy mist in it's wake! Time to retrace our steps and head to the upper falls area, a few hundred yards up the trail...ah, the bridge we had seen from a distance we were now standing on, looking up to the top of the upper falls as it made it's way around a rocky corner, and then down as it raced under the foot bridge, and was swept away. Look for the next flat spot to stop for lunch, oh forerunners! Soon we were parked enjoying lunch and snacks, and taking the opportunity to rest up, relax, and enjoy some socializing! Let's see: there were ants on a log, Finnish chocolates and candy to name a few of the things enjoyed at the stop. I took a break from all of the holiday eating and enjoyed a few pieces of fruit.......time to head back as the kids were getting antsy. Ah, downhill for most of the trip back. The skies now being lighter and the temperatures warmer meant a bit of mud to tromp though. Not to worry, as there were plenty of puddles to splash through to wash the mud off the boots. Perfect timing..as we reached the parking lot, the skies opened up and here came the rain forecast earlier for the day! As we crawled in the cars, a bit of hail greeted us as well. A great time was had by all, and a record number of hikers will hopefully join the group for one of the upcoming hikes... Please plan on joining the group on the trip to White Chuck Bench, Saturday, February 18th! Details will soon be posted on the www.outdoorwomen.org website.

Happy Trails,
Kathy