NorthBend RainEnthusiast

I'll be on a SW USA trip during the same time period, though it'll be in Navajo country in the four corners region. I've traveled Utah and Arizona extensively over the last decade and have some tips: Zion National Park: I'll leave out tips on the classic hikes at Zion in the main canyon (Angel's Landing, Observation Point, Narrows) since there is plenty of information out there about those. The key is to catch the earliest shuttles, you won't feel the crowds as much then. What many miss is that there are three other areas of Zion that are absolutely worth exploring: Kolob Canyons: This is located off I-15 and is an incredible area of Zion. The best short hike I have ever done is located here, the South Fork of Taylor Creek. Cannot recommend this trail enough. East Canyon: I recommend Many Pools "off-trail" hike, absolutely incredible and very lonely. Kolob Terrace: I recommend the Northgate Peaks trail at the Wildcat Canyon trailhead, it is absolutely beautiful and uncrowded. I would recommend any of those three areas over Cedar Breaks, which will be mostly snow still in May. Bryce Canyon: Hike the Fairyland Loop trail in the park. We found Kodachrome Basin State Park near Cannonville to be worth the visit, I think we hiked the Angel's Palace trail. Great BBQ at IDK BBQ nearby. There is also Willis Creek slot canyon nearby (feet will get wet), absolutely worth it. Capitol Reef: The drive between Bryce and Capitol Reef on UT-12 is mindblowing, one of the prettiest highways you'll ever drive. Look up the Burr trail in Grand Staircase Escalante and Capitol Reef, absolutely worth making it to the steep windy section, Headquarter Canyon was a great trail. Inside the park, don't forget to get some pie! It sells out fast but is delicious. Cohab Canyon, Grand Wash, all great trails. Moab: The best hike I've found in all of Canyonlands/Arches is the Chesler Park/Joint Trail loop. Druid Arch is cool too. I prefer Needles District over Island in the Sky and both over Arches. 128 east along the river is beautiful, plenty of camping and rock climbing, Fisher Towers is beautiful (biggest climb I've done). 145 is fun too, pushed my car to the limits. Grand Canyon: Given your other travels, I hope you're visiting the North Rim instead of the South Rim. Much quieter, the lodge is my favorite in the NPS and the hikes are great! Have a great trip!

Your incorrect about the neighborhood history, every home had an incredible view here when the neighborhood was built in the 60s and 70s (it was a tree farm right before and the trees weren’t large here at the time). Weenies probably deserved, I’m just annoyed by the nature of your responses to me every D**n time. That probably means it’s time for me to take a hiatus.

You know what, I’ve never stepped outside my own house and looked. Thanks for letting me know or I’d never have known! I have a view of a lake and Mailbox Peak all winter long, don’t worry about me. I remember my first comment here in 2019 was similar: you telling me about my own property and how dark it is. This neighborhood is currently much darker than it ever was in the 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s (fun fact: trees grow up). I love the shade, I love the moss, I love the rain, and despite your attempts to often highlight the opposite, it’s mostly rain and darkness for all of us all winter long. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to built a snow dam in my creek with my son in this dark abyss I call home. (As with many peoples comments towards you, this will seem a bit aggressive but is built off years of subtle comments from you. It’s why I left the first time. Now play innocent like you have no idea what I’m talking about and we can move on.)

Yep, I’m in the neighborhood you can see below you while on Rattlesnake Ledge, about 1000’ elevation. Rainy as hell, dark as hell, but often snowy as hell too. And pure bliss in the summer.

Same

I have not seen the words "Clausius-Clapeyron" for a decade, thanks for the flashback to grad school. Definitely a factor when calculating melting temperatures with depth throughout the thickness of an ice sheet. It's been snowing consistently at 33.5°F here for a few hours, nothing accumulating but it's beautiful (especially since everything is already snow-covered). Hard to not feel spoiled up here when even for a "quiet" winter I'd still give it a high score. In January, we had a week of very cold temps (down to 9°F!), frigid winds and power outages, all with a few inches of snow on the ground. Then this week we've had a couple days of snow now, plenty enough to pull the kids on the sled.

Up to 5” and the snow has basically stopped. Pleasant late Winter surprise, looking forward to the heavy rain on Wednesday.

Don’t go so soon baby, I was hoping you’d spend the night with me

@snow_wizard, this must be what you’re always referring to when you insist people are triggered when they aren’t identified how they prefer? The irony… Blustery and wet here today, 1.85” today but only 6.04” this month.

Don’t bother, they can’t be helped. My sympathetic conclusion is they reason this way to avoid dealing with the depressing reality of what’s actually happening to our local ecosystems. Though I will say, I refuse to take the doomer route and throw my hands up and give up. There are regulations we can support, and actions we can support by non profits and government. Best way I deal with it is helping locally best I can. I’m buying the “extractigator ( https://extractigator.com ) to work on the holly invasion around our little lake. There will always be suffering (and always has been) but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it to reduce it the best we can.

Not really but they’re not better either. 30°F.

Probably smart, it was freezing rain and quite windy last I looked outside. Beautiful though. North Bend roads still a mess, and even windier down there.

Still raining, 30°F. Ice thickness on trees has doubled this morning and the power has gone off and on a couple times. Almost there!

Still 27°F and raining, schools closed. Trying to decide if attempting to make it to work is a safe decision.

It’s about King County vs. North Bend. King County covers unincorporated outside North Bend (rich, poor, in between) and the city does North Bend. It’s a running joke out here. We get taken care of out here because often we’re the only spot in unincorporated King County with snow/ice. Light rain and 26°F

Sleet happening now?

It’s kind of beautiful. However, ice is on my bad side right now because I slipped and landed right on my kneecap yesterday and I have a bad feeling I may have to visit a doctor soon..

I’m in Wilderness Rim up against Rattlesnake Mountain at about 1000’. My steep driveway is already slick, even walking to my car at the bottom could be difficult in the AM.

Lightly sprinkling since 7. Temps dropping and dew points rising. 27°F w/20°F dew point.

It seems like the NWS and other popular online weather commentators have really been placing an emphasis on communicating uncertainty these last few years. Cliff appears to have taken the opposite approach.

Cliff forecast for Puget Sound: "There could be a few flakes getting to near sea level and perhaps a spot of freezing rain, but nothing of note." https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/01/heavy-lowland-snow-over-northwest.html

We got a winter weather advisory for the foothills (UPDATED). School is on a 1-hr delay today, not sure why really. One of the elementary schools is closed for a broken water pipe. URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Seattle WA 847 AM PST Tue Jan 16 2024 WAZ555-170100- /O.EXT.KSEW.WW.Y.0004.240117T0300Z-240117T1400Z/ East Puget Sound Lowlands- including Bonney Lake, Maple Valley, Monroe, Woodinville, Arlington, Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Gold Bar, Duvall, Carnation, Fall City, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Covington, Black Diamond, Orting, and Eatonville 847 AM PST Tue Jan 16 2024 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM PST WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected, with areas of freezing rain. Total snow accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch. * WHERE...East Puget Sound Lowlands from Snohomish County to Pierce County, including Arlington, Gold Bar, Duvall, Snoqualmie, Buckley, and Eatonville. * WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 6 AM PST Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling.

Aside from having the pipes always insulated, we block the foundation vents to slow the cold moving into the crawl space when temps get sub-20. Works well and moisture build-up isn’t an issue since it’s only a few days typically.