Winter Hike to Franklin Falls

On December 31st we went up to the mountains for a hike. We tried to get to Franklin Falls on January 1st of 2018 but we didn't get very far before we were tired and hungry. We made it all the way to the Falls this time around.


Normally it's a very mild and short hike from the official trailhead, but we semi-accidentally parked further away, turning it into 7 mile round trip -- give or take. We parked semi-legally near Snoqualmie Summit. 

This is the beginning of our hike.

Then we walked downhill slightly for about 40 minutes along a forest road. A 4x4 vehicle had provided some good deep, tracks that let us walk on packed snow.

That hike took us near the actual trailhead, at which point we started going uphill slightly for about 10-15 minutes. 

We reached the Falls themselves where we stopped for a moment, after an hour of hiking.

It was super icy and slippery at the trail next to the Falls. Spikes or poles would have been helpful. At the Falls, C asked: "How are we getting back?" I responded: "One step at a time".

We prefer hikes where you go uphill on the way in, and downhill on the way back. Going uphill when you're also tired is a challenge. Going uphill in snow, is even more interesting. Fortunately the mostly packed snow made the walking easier, and the slope wasn't much, but the heavy snow boots that the boys aren't used to made it a workout.

I love the sunshine and snow combination.

We made it back. C did not enjoy most of the return trip, but he never complained once. A always seems to enjoy these physical challenges, though he was starving once we got the car. He never mentioned that until we were done. 

We had a late lunch in North Bend. I like George's Bakery but J and the boys went elsewhere.

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