Wilderness Peak Loop, Wilderness Creek — Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain

Went on a group trail run that included the Wilderness Creek/Cliffs loop. The trails are littered with blowdown, though mostly branches. We tried to move what we could but there is so much it would have taken us all day to clear a mile or so. It took us 27 minutes to cover one mile, and we were running (stopping/running/crawling over trees/running/moving branches/running, you get the picture). Widerness peak was hit especially hard, because of it's altitude i would suspect. The alder forest near the top of the peak has had some major pruning, and all the branches are strung about. the short trail to the peak is hard to distinguish as a trail if it didnt have a sign. Expect to do lots of climbing over stuff until things are cleaned up. There are 5-6 or major blowdowns on this loop that currently require some reroute or navigation around them. Otherwise, most are crawl over or through situations. There was still snow on the trail, maybe 6" on top, but mostly muddy slush near the bottom. The rest of cougar trails that we covered also sustained similar damage, just so you know what to expect.