Kendall Catwalk
Round trip to Katwalk 10-1/2 miles
Hiking time 7 hours
High Point 5400 feet
Elevation gain 2700 in, 300 feet out
mid July through mid October
One day
Take Interstate 90 to Exit 52 at Snoqualmie
Pass (Exit 53 from the East). From the
Alpental road is the Pacific Crest Trail
parking lot
With my thoughts tormenting me as I walked along, I passed open areas in the forest where parts of the mountain had released it's grip on large areas of broken rock. Here could be seen large trees that had been bent back by the onrush of tumbling rocks, Some of these rock fields had an older look to them, moss, huckleberries and small trees growing back, trying to cover up that which had been lost. Other rock fields however, seemed freshly rolled into place, with no sign of ageing. These, I crossed without slowing my pace, wondering at which times the mountain decided to rearrange itself.
Down below in the city, living rooms were being pummeled by the feet of excited football fans watching goliaths smashing and crashing into each other. Hope and despair in their hearts as the teams fought back and forth.
Measuring my stride up the mountain, I would pass others, either those going up or those coming back down. Some men by themselves, larger groups and lots of couples walking together. As I would pass the couples on the trail, I would think how peaceful everything was up there. People would be stopping together to rest and eat their lunches, taking pictures and just enjoying being there.
As I got to the top of my climb, the Katwalk, I searched for a place to eat my lunch. Wanting a better view of both valleys, I pulled myself up, letting the soft rubber of my boots bite into the rough granite rocks as I climbed to the top of the ridge. Here the rock had been shoved up with unworldly force at an angle that defied logic.
As I settled in to a jag in the ridge, I braced myself with my legs. I looked out on either side of me on two separate valleys. Looking straight down on my right, the cliff sheared away as if some stonecutter had sheared the stone away with some sharp edged tool. I had come to the edge singular and by myself, quite a bit of me had been used up getting myself to this point. Slowly, I started to eat the things I had brought with me. Breaking the chocolate bar into bits, I ate the pieces one by one. breaking the seal on a can, the liquid fizzed up and covered the top. Drinking the top part off, I then opened it wider and drank from it. Looking at the valley to the left, the trees seemed to cover quilt like over the mountain in an effort to protect against a mountain that would send down rocks when it shivered, the near cliffs evidence, that rocks were continually falling away into the valley. Small trees were tenaciously clinging onto whatever they could. The huckleberry on the steep hillsides were turning red and getting ready for winter. The skies, blue with no clouds, were contrast to the white granite of the mountain. Looking out across the valleys, and the tops of other mountains, I could sense my nourishment filling me up.
Climbing back down from the edge, and heading back down the trail, I could feel that my step, was a little quicker than before, and my knowledge of where I was going a little more clear.