On this weekend, I was going to hike up the Mount Defiance Trail in the Gorge to the top of Mount Defiance but lacked directions to the trailhead. I knew I was close to the trailhead when I pulled off at exit 51 and found the Wyeth Ridge trail which goes to North Lake and connects to the Mt Defiance Trail. Unfortunately, after gaining 3800' in altitude, I lost the trail in the snow and had to turn around. I was almost to North Lake when I had to retreat and I left with not much to show for my effort. I did get some good pictures of a white crab spider on a white flower. I only intended to take a picture of the flower but the camouflaged crab spider was a bonus. Found some wild strawberries that were ripe. All in all, a good training hike but mostly viewless and forested and losing the trail was a letdown.
