Day Hike - Shady Lane & Staircase Rapids

The trail had more snow on it than expected.  Friends had hiked the Mount Rose Trail up to Horse Camp earlier this week and reported little/no snow, and its elevation is significantly higher than the Staircase area; similar reports from the Big Creek hike, also in this area.  We had traction devices but never put them on because the snow/ice on the trail was sporadic; conditions were such that if the snow/ice covered a greater portion of the trail we would have used our micro-spikes.  I would guess that about 10 to 15% of the trail had snow or ice on it.  The most problematic areas were the few bridges we crossed that had compact snow/ice on them; hand rails were very helpful in crossing.  Even though it was sunny with highs in the low 40's when we ended, there was very little melting.  We started at the Shady Lane trailhead (near Copper Creek), hiked to the Staircase Rapids trail, hiked up-river to where we crossed the suspension bridge, and then turned left to hike upstream along the North Fork Skokomish River Trail to where it intersected with the Flapjacks Lake Trail where we sat on a log, ate lunch, and returned to the cars via the same route.  There were a few trees down along the trail, but they were easily crossed.