Fresh snowfall blanketed the mountains in Mt Rainier National Park. It was a gorgeous day! Cold, light snowfall at times, it was wonderfully invigorating for hiking. 
We stopped for lunch at a little cafe in Wilkeson then headed up the mountain. 
The Carbon River Road is currently unmaintained due to a torrential flood that wiped out sections of the road a few years ago.
It has been turned into a hiking-biking trail, off-limits to vehicles. 
Streams from upper reaches of the mountains flow down to the Carbon River. Snow and ice storms which ravaged our area earlier this winter caused lots of damage to trees 
throughout the area. Splintered wood and deadfall was strewn throughout the forest. 
We hiked upwards, towards an old abandoned coal mine. We had difficulty using the trail from time to time, as so many tree limbs had blown down in the storm. 
Hiking poles would be impossible in this kind of terrain - they would sink through lots of debris and get caught. It was difficult hiking and a bit precarious coming back down. 
The Carbon River will be raging with snow-melt in a few months.
