Spring is that time of year when we the days are still short and it rains. A lot. Stupid amounts of rain. Sure, we get some late season snow thrown in there every once in a while, but mostly it's rain. The rain in the mountains is more than twice that of Seattle.

And the snows of winter are destabilized by temperature swings. It gets cold and we get new snow that doesn't bind well with the old snow. Then it rains and the new snow can slide.

So we tend to spend more time in the lowlands. The views are less epic because we're in deep valleys. When we do manage to get to the high country the weather was more likely cloudy than blue skies.

That meant lots of waterfalls and lonely trails. Lots of walking in the dark waiting for the sun to rise. Lots of postholing through rotten snow wishing it was either fluffy enough to snowshoe or consolidated enough to walk atop.

For me, spring ends when the high country becomes accessible. This year that happened in the first part of June. A little earlier than usual, but not terribly so.

With luck, I'll be able to get back on the blogging train before it's time to post about summer 2024. If not, see you in a few months.

📍 On the lands of the Snoqualmie and Wenatchi people.