1st Group training hike

On Saturday we had our first group training hike. The hike was at Rattlesnake Ledge just a little bit east of North Bend. The hike is about 4 miles around trip and 3000 feet elevation change. The day was unbelievably gorgeous! Apparently last year on this hike it had snowed on the group but this year there wasn't a cloud in the sky and it was around 60 degrees. We had great company, getting to know some of the other climbers a little bit better. The guides on the hike were very helpful. We carried 15 pound packs on this hike. My pack was hurting my shoulders a little bit and the guides were very helpful in getting it more comfortable for me. Apparently I didn't pack the weight correctly. Because the pack wasn't full, all the weight fell to the bottom causing the pack to not sit properly. We had to use trekking poles on this hike as well. I was a little unsure to begin with because I don't ski so I'm not use to poles in my hands. However, now I'm not sure I would hike without them! They really help with balance as you're climbing around  roots and rocks. Here are some pictures. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed the day!  

The pictures are of the view at the top of the ledge looking left to right.