Denny Creek

NEAR: Snoqualmie Pass

ROUND TRIP: 4 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 700 ft

It seemed like half of Seattle decided to join us on our hike to the Denny Creek waterfalls. Not surprising since temperatures were forecast to soar again today. The parking lot was overflowing and there were two forest rangers conducting traffic and writing parking tickets. After a detour to buy a parking pass (or be fined $55) we set off to the trailhead, a 1/4 mile from the car. Lilli walked, ran and stumbled the full 1/4 mile + through the car park in her turquoise squeaking sandals. We diapered her and backpacked her at the trailhead and marched through the cool green forest to the Slippery Slab. This was the destination for many families. Kids were splashing in the river, sliding down the waterfalls and hopping over rocks. It was a colourful scene with adults and children in bright summer clothes, multi-hued beach towels and a large blue inflatable mattress. We rapidly left the crowds behind and continued up the increasingly steep and rocky trail. We burst into yellow sunshine as we traversed a steep slope, hurriedly rubbing creamy sunscreen into pink arms, and sweated up switchbacks to pretty Keekwulee Falls. Here Denny Creek emerges from small canyon and skips over smooth granite steps or lingers lazily in emerald pools before diving once more in a white spray into a dark lower canyon. Jon, Pete and I took it in turns to eat our juicy pepperoni and caramelized onion sandwiches and splash in the toe-numbing pools of clear mountain water with Lilli. She was captivated by the water cascading off a small tarnished ledge. I was entranced by her acute concentration upon the water running through her cupped reddened hands. The heat forced us to retreat to the cool forest and back to our car.

Mount Catherine

NEAR: Snoqualmie Pass

ROUND TRIP: 3 miles

ELEVATION GAIN: 1300 ft

Welcome Lilli to the beautiful Cascades. This was a perfect first hike for you. You rode up the pretty path on Mummy's back with a rock in each hand. You enjoyed watching the sunlight flickering through the trees. It was delightfully cool in the shade of the forest. The path climbed steadily, switchbacking up the west flank of the mountain. It wasn't long before we reached a ridge where we could watch the heavy marine clouds spilling over Snoqualmie Pass and floating in wisps towards Lake Kachess. Silently you fell asleep and missed the final scramble to the rocky summit. You peacefully slept while the rest of us enjoyed our sandwiches, took photos of the glorious encircling views and slapped at hungry bugs. We could see Mt Stuart to the east, the Snoqualmie peaks to the north and the closer peaks of Granite, Silver and Chair. Rainier was hidden under a blanket of cloud. Somewhere across the valley your Uncle Dave, Auntie Lynn and Uncle Pete were also sitting atop a mountain eating their lunch and taking deep breaths of mountain air. Daddy carried you down the mountain. You awoke just as your hiking buddy, Jamie, nodded off on his Daddy's back. Mummy and Daddy were happy you enjoyed the hike. They certainly had a wonderful day and are planning many more mountain excursions.

Fun at Home

Lilli and I have so much fun together. We play games throughout the day with all her toys. Sometimes Lilli will play by herself. Yesterday she played a game with Big Ted (my old beloved teddy bear). She first helped teddy drink from the tube of diaper cream, then rifled through my drawer of pajamas and picked out a pink t-shirt for teddy. Next she placed the diaper cream drink in a drawer above her head, thought better of it and decided it should in fact go in the drawer above. It's wonderful to watch these small shows of inventive play. Lilli has a blossoming imagination. I'm frustrated to be in the dark until she can fill me in on the story.

Besides her toys, Lilli appears to be enjoying everything so much more (apart from teeth cleaning and diaper changing). She loves our fun action songs and giggles outright at chase and hide-and-seek and funny faces. Lilli has the most wickedly inviting eyes which peer at me in a most mischievous way when playing peak-a-boo. Most comical of all though is the way she swaggers drunkenly around the living room windmilling her arms to her favourite music.

Wading Pool

Todays heat necessitated a trip to our local wading pool. It wasn't quite a mob scene, but close enough to provoke slight motherly anxiety! Despite the fact that I was gripping Lilli's arm tightly and continually pulling Lilli away from toys-that-don't-belong-to-us, she had a grand time splashing in the water, chasing trucks and balls and crawling into the deeper section where she could lap the murky water like a thirsty dog! It was a fun way to cool down on our hot afternoon.

Lilli's Bus Journey

Today Lilli and I caught the bus downtown and back. It was a big adventure. Lilli's first bus ride! How could I deny her a ride any longer since she has her own toy bus and enjoys watching the real buses rumble down the street. She loved it. A kind man gave up his seat for us since the bus was standing room only (the full time Mum completely forgets about rush hour!). We found ourselves next to a lovely grandmother type who kept Lilli entertained the entire journey. Between big smiles to her new friend Lilli watched the passing cars and trucks on the freeway. The bus home was empty, but despite the lack of interesting faces Lilli hugely enjoyed herself. She surfed the seat with her forehead pressed on the window, giggling at the vibration and gazing at the passing traffic.

Montana

We're back from beautiful Montana. It was everything I thought it would be. Big sky country indeed. Beautiful meadows filled with lush grass and pretty wild flowers, green hills rolling up to snowy mountain peaks, tumbling streams and sparkling rivers meandering through big broad valleys. Not only was it scenic, it was interesting too. It's mining and logging past has littered the state with ghost towns and rickety trestles.

We logged around 1700 miles over the week and needless to say the inside of our car is littered with puffs and crackers while an entomologist would be proud of our front grill. Oh yes, wonderful bugs were hatching in Montana much to the delight of the trout and fly fishing enthusiasts. Besides squashed bugs and stale crackers, we brought home a fully fledged toddler. While in Montana Lilli switched from mostly crawling to mainly walking, sprouted 3 molars and began to feed herself with a spoon and fork. She slept little and ate even less over the week due to the constant entertainment provided by her many cousins. We discovered that when pushed to exhaustion she will sleep in a car seat, a backpack or a tent. The three of us even managed a few short hikes and avoided being mauled by grizzlies. No, we didn't even see one. Our only wildlife sighting was graceful white-tailed deer flickering through a stand of aspen. And birds. Every day at the cabin in Lolo I was enchanted by the bird song all around.

Since our trip was so successful we're now planning future hikes, road trips and vacations and I already have a long list of places to visit. In fact we hope to try a short hike at the pass this weekend.