Monday morning, we woke up, had some breakfast, and headed north and then east towards the North Cascades. It was a beautiful day, with hardly a cloud in the sky.
We stopped at a day use area right near the trailhead for lunch. It sits right on the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River. The river was quite clear, but had a slight milky-blue tinge to it indicating it was running glacial runoff. We unpacked the coolers, and the kids headed down to the river for some fun.
While the kids were rock hopping and wading, Jeff and Tonya took pictures and video. After a little time running about, we sat down at the picnic table and had our lunch! We had some great sandwiches and Kristina's pasta salad!
After lunch, we drove back across the road and to the trailhead. With our bellies full, we headed up the trail. Lots of pictures were taken as we began snaking through the virgin forest of giant Red Cedar.
We hiked and hiked, and made it all the way to the top! Tina pretty much led the way... a real hiking machine. Everyone else trailed behind, but we all made it! And, we were rewarded with the amazing view! The lake was super clear and the sun was brightly shining on the water. Everyone kicked of their shoes and waded around a bit and then relaxed for a little while.
All good things must come to an end, however, and it was getting late. So, we began our trek back down the mountain. On the way down, the kids had learned about raising your legs above your body to allow the lactic acid to drain out of tired muscles (which helps to relieve soreness later on). They were very good students and promptly propped their legs up at every stop!
After reaching the bottom, we headed home for some dinner and relaxation out in the backyard. We needed to rest up to prepare for more adventures ahead!
