National Forests, State Parks, National Parks and National Recreation Areas run from the northern state border almost to the south state boarder of Washington. This allows us to explore our state in such a unique way.  Each trail we explore is different and has unique treasures that surprise us and take our breath away.   Sometimes with a heavy winter snowfall we need to head south to find an accessible mountain trail early to mid summer.This was our first hike to Mt Pilchuck. I researched trails and had found one that looked amazing, was highly rated on Washington Trails Association.  We also toyed with the Mt Pilchuck trail but determined it might be too steep for me. We packed lunch, threw our gear into the truck and headed down the highway. An hour and 30 minutes later we arrived at the trailhead.  It was packed, not an empty spot in the parking lot or along the access road to the parking lot or the parking lot across the highway.  So as any good hiker would do, we scrapped that idea.  Sometimes hiking a crowded trail isn't worth it.  Another day, possibly during the fall.  Since we had already done a little research on Mt Pilchuck we drove back down the highway until we reached the access road to the trailhead and turned in.  Since it wasn't directly off the highway and you had to drive a ways up the mountain there were less people there.  Pulling up to the trail head, we noticed a fair amount of cars yet still empty spaces.  Always a good sign.  People but not a stream of them. It didn't take long before we had our boots on the trail and were headed up.  This trail offered view of Mount Baker to the north and Mount Rainier to the south.  Once we were mostly above the tree line, we hit snow. At this point I realized that I would no longer be able to go on.  My knees tend to hurt with a lot of down hill pounding.  The uphill would be fine, but coming down I wouldn't be able to get back to the car without pain and hiking backwards.  So I found a very warm, dry out of the way rock.  I pulled out my journal, a water bottle, and placed my camera beside me and I watched the rest of the family continue on the trail.  At first I was a little sad.  The top had a fire lookout tower perched on the pinnacle of the mountain and the view must be amazing.  Then I became reflective and realized that this is life.  We do what we can and then we need to bow out and let the next generation explore, learn, and take over.  I sat and listened to the birds, the sound of the creek and water melted into it, and groups of people chatting as they ascended or decended the trail. Then there were the groups that blared their music as they hiked and it made me feel sad again.  I was sad for myself because frankly I didn't want to hear their music or really any music at all, I had this amazing sound around me.  I was sad for them, because they were missing something and they didn't know and also because they had to be so plugged into "entertainment" that they couldn't enjoy the entertainment around them. I was sad for the other hikers that had to endure that. I get that it's nice to have music, but not everyone wants to listen to music as they hike, that's what earbuds are for.  I guess that growing up not plugged in all the time, gives me an "old fashion" perspective but as I get older, I try more and more to be in the moment and for me that means leaving my phone, my facebook, my instagram turned off and enjoying the now. Periods of silent doesn't bother me, it restores me, it comforts me.  There really isn't a time that it is silent, just the quiet noises are able to be heard.  Within an hour, my family returned.  Taking a break at my cozy spot, Lona plucked a few tunes on her ukulele that she carried up and down.  Which is funny because I was sad about music, yet somehow it was different had the person been playing the harmonica or a guitar or something like that. I guess acoustic music in the woods fit better and it isn't constant.  Hilarious and probably hypocritical as well but that is how I viewed it. The descent was just as beautiful and there were new things to discover as our eyes were pointed a different direction.  As we neared the trail head, there was a gal heading up in ski boots packing her skis and it made me smile.