Heybrook Lookout at Mt. Index

Yesterday, James and I took advantage of a gorgeous day (the day before the first day of spring) and drove out to the Skykomish Vally. Just past the town of Index is Mt. Index at nearly 6,000 feet and there is a Forest Service lookout that we hiked to, the Heybrook Lookout. It was a moderately steep climb, with many switchbacks, but it was not a long climb. Here are some pictures of all the beauty of nature in the mountains. Snow is melting, lots of mud, and beautiful views!

Mt. Index ahead.

The Forest Service signboard at the beginning of the trail to Heybrook Look Out.

 The climb begins, with James leading the way.

 

Water falling and flowing everywhere from snowmelt.

Rain forest!

Up and up we go. This is one of the drier parts of the trail.

Snow on the ferns.

The sound of water flowing is everywhere. At one point in the trail we were essentially hiking up through what had become a creek bed, flowing with water.

A peak at Mt. Index as we near the top - gorgeous!

 

Many big boulders left behind by glacial retreat littered the path.

At last! Heybrook Lookout!

The happy hikers, James and Kathy, on the lookout.

James snaps me from tower observation deck.

I see you, James! :)

The panoramic view from the lookout.

The hike back down was faster, but we still had to negotiate all that mud.

We are near the bottom - the path here is a bridge over a stream.

Some fellow hikers - cute Samoyeds! We met them at the lookout.

Driving home, we cross the Skykomish River.

Happy and rosy-cheeked hiker!