13 miles of hiking • 2250' elevation gain •
Headed out this Veteran's Day from Everett at 6AM for the long drive south to the trailhead after receiving an invite to hike the Greenwater and Echo Lakes Trail in the Norse Peak Wilderness. The day at first struggled to move beyond the morning mists but succeeded as we arrived at the trailhead. We three wasted no time in heading out on the trail. The softness of the tread combined with the mossy greens reminded me of a 70s shag carpet, yielding to each footfall as we travelled beside the Greenwater River, noisy and tumultuous in vociferous chaos then calm and serene in whispering flow of clear, cold liquid, a silvery serpentine gliding along between boulders and under once mighty cedars and firs. Anon, our arrival at the Greenwater Lakes was greeted by an American Dipper ardently bathing in the clear waters of a once glassine pool now marred by the ripples of this bobbing and dipping Ali wannabe. He (or perhaps she) was soon joined by a pair of relations chasing each other like a two WWII aces engaged in a tenacious dogfight between equals, rising and falling just above the water's surface until one prevailed and his opponent dropped into the drink, only to arise with a headshake and a song. After this entertaining display of aerial maneuvers, followed by a raucous songfest, we continued our journey through the silent sylvan world before us until arriving upon the shores of Echo Lake, it's surface rippling in the breeze as towering firs shook their heads. The sun painted Echo's surface in a garishly glaring color lost to the eye in brightness, a contradictory statement perhaps made in protest for her warmth being lost in the coolness of the day. After refreshing ourselves upon the shore with Arch Rock adorning the blue sky across the lake, we took our leave and began our exit from this forested hideaway, gladdened for the opportunity to partake in the natural worl on such a day as today.
