Editor’s note: it is the month of December and for many bloggers it is the season of “Blogmas”. It is a marathon of posting every day for the month of December, often with a holiday theme. For some crazy reason I have dived into this as motivation to clear out some drafts and repost some posts from the last 6 years with a refresh. And maybe a few new stories! This was a repeat snowshoe to Hex Mountain, a great low avalanche risk route east of Snoqualmie Pass.
I first talked to you about hiking Hex Mountain in Playing Hookie on Hex and what a great hike this makes when the west side of the Cascades is grey and sloppy. Just head over Snoqualmie Pass to the drier interior of Washington State and the skies brighten and the weather turns welcoming.
In this case, the forecast for the pass was supposed to be favorable and we had intended for a Kendall Lake Peaks snowshoe but as soon as we started heading up in elevation, it actually started to SNOW! None of us were in the mood for that having mentally prepared ourselves for blue skies (and left heavy rain gear at home) so we just kept right on driving over and towards the small town of Roslyn.
You may hear me talk several times when recounting outdoor adventures about hiking anew in areas that have suffered a wildfire in recent years. Hex Mountain was affected by the Jolly Mountain Fire in 2017 and I have not returned since to see what the effects were. And when I say effects, I do not mean devastation. Wildfires are a way of forest life.
I love hiking on the east side of Washington because of its drier climate and the ponderosa pines that call it home with their characteristic gnarled bark .
Just before we reached the actual trail head (the gate is closed 1.75 miles before due to private property), our first sign of the fire’s swath was evident.
Some were trees spared, some were burnt to the core and even though it appeared the wooden sign for the trail was unscathed, if you looked close enough you could see the base was blackened.
Our ascent along the ridge had a more sapia tone than when I have been here before where the verdant pines normally mottled the snowy landscape in stark contrast to the azure skies.
The ebony trunks of the forest made for an eerie walk as we gained on the summit.
We had to be careful as the trail crossed over many downed trees hidden under the blanket of snow making for easy postholing even with snowshoes on.
I wondered how long some of the charcoaled trunks would remain standing and marveled at the moss still clinging to its host as we wove around them.
Defiantly reaching towards the sky, the dark spines yet stood guard of the summit. Would they still be here the next time I come or will a strong windstorm soon lay them down next to their already fallen neighbors to become a part of the forest floor?
Making a panoramic turn at the top, I could see the areas the wildfire had swept over the hillsides.
Here is a photo from a few months before the fire:
And here is now…
I don’t mourn the loss of green and trees, wildfires are a natural part of the cycle of forests. But it is interesting to mark the changes and be involved in making sure that we do our best to ensure that human involvement in their creation is minimal. The Jolly Fire was due to a lightening strike and our summers here are drier and drier every year. Wildfires will happen. But it is said that 90 percent of wildfires are due to human action. There is definitely room for improvement.
Want to learn more? Visit this website and learn what you can do to prevent them and how to escape if you are caught near one. If you want to learn more about how the forest service manages our national forest, you can find out more information here.
Have you encountered wildfire effects on your hikes lately? What do you think we can do better to keep them within their natural course?
Read more about my previous trips to Hex Mountain Trail details for hiking it on this page.
Thank you so much for stopping by Must Hike Must Eat!
If you need some healthy eating inspiration start here:..
Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
Find out what’s been happening outside the blog:
If you have a question you don’t want to post in the comments, you can ask them here:
Discover more from Must Hike Must Eat
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.