Rattlesnake Lake

 Rattlesnake Lake

We did try another hike recently this time to Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend on the way to Snoqualmie Pass with hopes of hiking up to Rattlesnake Ledge but there was snow and ice on the ground, not much but enough to make a steep trail somewhat hazardous.  This close to the holidays we were cautious about incurring an accident and chose to just walk part way around the lake and not go all the way up to the ledge.  Instead of a 4 or 5 mile round trip hike this ended up more like a mile or a mile and a half level walk.  It was cold but beautiful.  We will probably come back when the snow and ice are gone and try it again.

The trail winds upward through the trees and has some large boulders along the way.

 Rattlesnake Lake is filled by a leak from the City of Seattle Cedar River reservoir so the level of the lake goes up and down.  The City cut the trees to make the lake and the result is this interesting stump forest in the water.

 View of the lake from near the picnic area.

 

 We saw a fisherman in a boat out in the middle of the lake.

Before the lake was formed this used to be a large meadow where the Native Americans gathered Camas bulbs, salmon berries and black berries, and other edibles.  They would burn the growth down to prevent the forest from building up in the meadowland and come back annually to gather the new bulbs and berries.  There is a plaque explaining about the meadow at the edge of the lake.

The beach was rocky and covered in brittle ice.  Every time we took a step we broke through.

The landscape looked so cold and wintry but it was very pretty.

On this particular day there was not enough snow to ski but too much for hiking  . . .