Rain, Solitude, and Training Miles: A December 26th Hike at Rattlesnake Ledge

The day after Christmas has its own kind of quiet. The wrapping paper’s been cleared, the house still smells faintly of pine and leftovers, and most people are settling into a well-earned lazy morning. I, however, pulled on my rain shell and drove toward North Bend for a solo hike at Rattlesnake Ledge—another small step in training for a long backpacking trip next summer.

The sky was a solid wash of gray, the kind of Pacific Northwest winter rain that doesn’t fall so much as hover in the air. But that was the point. Training means showing up when the weather isn’t cooperating. Especially then.

A Trail Nearly to Myself

One of the biggest surprises of the morning was the solitude. Rattlesnake Ledge is famously popular—sometimes overwhelmingly so—but the steady rain kept nearly everyone home. Maybe 25 people total all morning. A rare gift.

Without the usual lunchtime crowd shuffling up and down the trail, the woods felt almost untouched. The air held that rich, wet-cedar smell you can only get in deep winter. Footsteps were muted on the soft, rain-soaked tread. Every switchback felt personal, quiet, slowed down just enough to hear the forest breathing.

Mist curled through the trees as I climbed, clinging to branches and drifting across the trail like low-hanging smoke. It wasn’t cold enough to bite, but cool enough to make every uphill stretch feel comfortable—no overheating, no stopping for layers. Just forward movement.

A Landscape Shaped by Water, Time, and People

Rattlesnake Ledge rises above the Raging River watershed, part of a landscape shaped by glaciers thousands of years ago. The sheer rock faces and exposed ledges you see today were carved by immense sheets of ice retreating from the Cascades, leaving behind dramatic cliffs and a deep basin that eventually filled to become Rattlesnake Lake.

The region is part of the ancestral lands of the Snoqualmie Tribe. For generations, the Snoqualmie people lived, fished, gathered, and traveled through this valley long before North Bend or the Cedar River Watershed existed. The water, forests, and surrounding peaks were part of a larger seasonal rhythm, and remnants of these trade and travel routes still echo through the geography.

More recently, in the early 1900s, the area became known for the flooding that repeatedly washed out the community of Moncton—a small logging settlement that once sat near the lake’s shoreline. After devastating floods in 1915, the town was abandoned, eventually becoming part of the protected watershed we know today. The old foundations still reveal themselves when water levels drop.

All of that history sits quietly beneath your feet as you climb—layers of human stories and geologic time blending into the landscape.

Training in the Rain

For me, today’s hike was the mental start of preparing for a long backpacking trip next summer. Rattlesnake Ledge is familiar, reliable, and close—a perfect testing ground. And hiking in the rain isn’t just a mood; it’s real training. Gear gets tested. Footing changes. The mental game shifts.

The views were completely swallowed by cloud when I reached the ledge. The lake disappeared into a curtain of mist. The horizon was gone. But honestly? It didn’t matter. Today wasn’t about scenery. It was about putting in the miles.

A Clouded View, A Clear Purpose

Sometimes the reward isn’t the view at the top—it’s the discipline of climbing in the first place. On a quiet, wet December morning with hardly anyone else on the mountain, that truth felt pretty sharp.

I headed down as the rain softened, passing a few late-morning hikers beginning their ascent. But the solitude of the early hours stayed with me. Mile by mile, this is the groundwork for next summer’s adventure—built one rainy trail at a time.

If You Go: Rattlesnake Ledge (North Bend, WA)

• Location: Snoqualmie Region, just outside North Bend

• Distance: ~4 miles round trip

• Elevation Gain: ~1,100 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate; well-maintained but steady climbing

• Parking: No permit required at the main Rattlesnake Lake lot

• Trail Conditions in Winter: Expect rain, mud, slick rocks, and low visibility; microspikes can help when temps dip

• Crowds: Extremely popular—arrive early or go in poor weather if you want solitude

• Best Time for Peace and Quiet: Weekday mornings, rainy days, winter months

• Nearby Food: North Bend has plenty of options—best to refuel after the descent

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