With that said, three friends joined me for what would become a water adventure on the Bridal Veil Falls trail on Stevens Pass. It had rained continuously for a few days but we were anxious to get our conditioning under way, so headed out undaunted by the forecast of heavy precipitation. Forecast aside, the amount of water on the trail caught us by surprise. We were basically hiking through a stream on its way downhill. We had to make multiple stream crossings, which wouldn't normally have been a big deal had the volume of water in the rain-swollen streams not pushed them over top of all the stepping stones. My feet were the first to get wet as we skipped our way across stream after stream, but by the time we reached the falls, we were all pretty much soaked. Fortunately, the rain was warm and there was no wind ... until we reached the top. The wind that blew up there chilled us to the bone. We stayed just long enough for a few quick photos then headed back down.
I seem to be really struggling with the downward treks. I fell behind by a few minutes so got to enjoy the solitude and hearing the raindrops hitting the tree canopy above me. My knees and quads seemed to be the areas that were needing the most attention. I have structural issues which lead to additional stresses on my hips and knees that need to be overcome and worked around. Strengthening, conditioning and persistence will be my keys to success.
Miles hiked: 4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1180 ft
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