MT. BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA :: On this first day of 2007, Kristie and I enjoyed a snowshoe hike through Commonwealth Basin near Snoqualmie Pass. We had originally planned to explore Pipe Creek near Blewett Pass, but the roads were getting kind of dicey over the mountains, so we cut our drive time in half and still had a great time.

The sign above the Family Pancake House at Snoqualmie Summit displayed a temperature of 15 degrees. It was pretty cold, but once we started moving, we warmed up rather quickly and started shedding our outer layers. Fresh snow blanketed everything in the woods and it was very pretty. Unfortunately, the falling snow turned into tiny ice pellets that stung whenever they hit our exposed skin, so after an hour of romping through the network of trails, we called it a day and headed back.

2006 was an incredible year for us, and we're looking forward to an exciting 2007! We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Happy New Year!