Twin Falls State Park

Todays hike will be shorter ( 3 miles) but we will be attempting to jog it. It's an easier grade so I figured a perfect intro to trail running. Let's hope the footing is good and not muddy as we are going in sneakers!


When we arrived we were definitely at a higher elevation that had remained colder. There was snow still on the ground in places and it was a bit chilly. But we were not to be stopped!




The trail started out nice and flat for the first mile or so and we did jog it as we had planned. Go us! I wanted to try and jog the first bits of switchback which weren't steep but my calves protested. In time, I suppose.
Our first hint at what we would see later.




Good to know. Walking on soil around older growth trees will compact said soil, making it more difficult for the tree to survive.



Yay water erosion!



Eric being a good sport.


"Look, Ma, a waterfall!" And I'm wearing my silly hood.



Looking downriver.


There is a smaller fall between the near bottom and the far bottom.


The trail continued up and over the top of the falls and there was a bridge you could take across to the other side where the trail continued. We decided to keep going.



The big falls are directly in front.


Looking upstream.


On the bridge!


Posing. And I am not pregnant, thank you, bad picture.


As we climbed higher, we found ourselves in a cloud. Which was cool.


And that's when we discovered one of the entrances to Narnia, a Narnia still under the sway of the White Witch. The horror! But pretty.


Remember how I said we were in sneakers? Yeah....


That didn't stop us!



A mountain, with snow covered trees, across a valley, in a cloud. I-90 is down below, and unhappily loud for my taste.




Okay okay, I admit it. We have turned into tree huggers.



Enjoying the snow.

We had a snow ball fight.


Eric tried to start a boulder that would get bigger as it rolled. It worked for about 4 feet and then friction won out.


I-90. At this point the fresh smell of the forest was replaced by car exhaust and motor oil and the difference was very physically jarring. I usually enjoy breathing in the forest air but coming around the bend and realizing that there was a difference was not a happy moment for either of us.


This was pretty to walk through. But then I realized there were power lines above us. Alas.


We didn't go any further as we wanted to get back before the light failed on us and we didn't know quite how far we had to go until another vantage point or good turnaround. But we could have kept going. We made a snowman on the way down.


That big cedar from before, with the sign about not standing on its roots.


The start of the switchbacks.


And then it started to snow...



If the weather was about 50-60 deg warmer, there were definitely spots along the river where I would have been willing to take a dip.


Have some video.




The snow REALLY began to pick up! And continued to do so until we moved west enough that it turned to rain and then fizzled out completely. Ah Washington.