Our Trip to Washington - Day 6 - Fun in the snow

Karl and Grant went over to Tom's yesterday afternoon and got Jeep fixed and running so that we could go up into the mountains today. Ruth and Emaline didn't join us  We stopped in Gold Bar to have breakfast at the Mountain View Diner, went to the Skykomish Ranger Station on the Mount Baker-Snoqualamie National Forest to buy Christmas tree permits, and then drove up the Foss River Road into the mountains.  This is where the Timber Tamers come every year to do 4 weekends of downed tree patrols (they bring chainsaws and clear the roads) and to watch who goes in and out, to be able to help people who might get stranded or need help.

We parked Karl's truck in a clearing and off-loaded his Jeep.  He and Isabelle bundled into warm clothes, he strapped her into her car seat, and we were off!

We stopped briefly, so I asked Karl if I could ride with him for a bit.  He gave me detailed instructions on where and where NOT to put my hands if I needed to grab onto something.

First we went kind of fast, until we got to the group checkpoint, where we ran into Moose and some other folks.  Karl decided that before we went looking for trees, he'd play in the snow, so we took a little detour up onto a dead end road (trailhead at the top) where he could wheel and Isabelle could use her sled.

First we went fast

Then we went REALLY fast

We had a bit of trouble at the top of the road, getting vehicles turned around because some folks already there had parked inconsideratly.  We all got out and Isabelle played in the snow.  This was only the first of a couple of "rescues" today.

We went back down the hill and drove up the road where Karl said the best trees are located.  The creeks were beautiful ice sculptures.  Once we found our trees, we went back to the checkpoint to warm up by the fire and to allow Isabelle and Daddy do some serious sledding.. By the time we were done, it was 4:00 and so we headed back to Karl's truck, changed Isabelle into dry clothes, and went home.  We called Ruth along the way so she could order Chinese take-out so no one would have to cook.  Grant and I picked it up and we spent the rest of the evening eating, visiting, and reading bedtime stories.