Friday, September 22, 2017

#Hike to Stan's Overlook - #SaturdaySnapshots

Last week the senior center group had scheduled a hike in the Sunrise section of Mount Rainier. However, smoke from wildfires still burning in the area made our leaders cancel that destination and opt for a hike to Stan's Overlook on Rattlesnake Mountain instead. That turned out to be a beautiful substitute for a perfect autumn day.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)


Although this sign at the trailhead says Stan's Overlook
is 1.9 miles ahead, websites I researched gave
the distance as 2.5 miles (5 miles round trip). 

That's what my FitBit said and what it felt like to me!

The trail to Stan's Overlook led relentlessly upward -
not incredibly steep but with very few flat sections. 

We took occasional water breaks and paused to 
catch our breath along the way. 
I love the play of sunlight through the trees.
A hint of autumn was in the air and fallen leaves
dotted the trail. I started out wearing a fleece
hoodie but removed that layer as I warmed up.
View near Stan's Overlook.
I believe that's Mount Si.
Lunchtime, back near the trailhead.
This area is a City of Snoqualmie park.
Beautiful setting for a lunch break.

My FitBit says I covered 6.5 miles that day, but that includes walking around at home. By the way:


  • I searched online but was unable to learn the identity of "Stan" for whom the overlook is named.
  • There are no rattlesnakes on Rattlesnake Mountain. The story goes:  "The lake and nearby ridge are said to have gotten their inapt name from Seattle pioneer Arthur Denny when the rattle of seed pods on a nearby meadow frightened a road surveyor into thinking he was being attacked by a rattler. The surveyor didn't know there were no poisonous snakes in Western Washington."






More info:
 Rattlesnake Mountain, Washington Trails Association
Snoqualmie Point Park



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15 comments:

  1. Love the path through the trees - can almost smell it :-)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. We had perfect weather and scenic views on this outing in the Rattlesnake Mountain area.

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  2. I am so impressed by your hiking adventures...and you have such beautiful shots today, as always. Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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    1. I'm glad you've enjoyed my hiking adventures. I'm lucky to have found such an active group of seniors -- ranging in age from the early 60s to mid-80s. I'll keep on hiking as long as I'm able!

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  3. My favorite place to walk, other than the beach, is a trail that goes through trees along a river. So peaceful!

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    1. One of my favorite hikes took us along the Snoqualmie River. LOVED hearing the rush of the water. So soothing.

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  4. What a beautiful hike! Thanks for sharing the views with us. My FitBit stopped working last Saturday, a day after I walked 25,470 steps -- 11.71 miles. I must have flabbergasted it. If Fitbit lets me replace it, I plan to order a Fitbit watch in hopes that it will last longer. I really miss it.

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    Replies
    1. I've had to re-synch my FitBit several times lately, so I'm wondering if it's on its last legs. I'll definitely replace it and probably upgrade from a FitBit One to a fancier model. It motivates me to keep moving. I'm lucky that I live in a town that supports these types of activities for seniors. And I'm also lucky that I'm healthy enough to participate.

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  5. It's great that you go on a hike every week! Keeps you in shape- and helps you see as much of your beautiful country as possible!

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    Replies
    1. I agree. It's a wonderful activity and I'm loving it.

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  6. Sounds very similar to our own Copperhead Hill a couple of miles from my parents" (formerly my great grandparents') home. Although it was aptly named. One summer the men working the planting and harvesting killed over 100 copperheads around the hilly area.

    The pictures are lovely! It seems like most of those signs, though, are quite wrong in how long the trails are. Wasn't that the case last week, too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yikes! One hundred copperheads! I'm not sure I'd enjoy hiking around there.
      About the inaccurate signs: Now I'm wondering if my FitBit is wrong! Or maybe it's just that its mileage includes my steps from the parking area to the trailhead. On my next hike, I'll get a consensus from my fellow hikers to determine how far we really went, according to their devices.
      Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures.

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  7. Rattlesnake does not sound good. But it seems to have been a great hike. :)

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  8. Gorgeous pics, as always! Looks like a wonderful hike. I love the photo of the trail with the light coming through the trees - so pretty!

    We haven't had any fall days yet - still over 90 here most days! ugh.

    Have a good week -

    Sue

    Book By Book

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  9. Blue skies and mountains this is what I like!

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