Cougar Mountain did not disappoint! Five hardy hikers gathered in rather cool starting conditions, all clad in at least two layers, some even quilted ... except Tim who apparently welcomes all sunshine in shorts! From the trailhead, we made our way around the backside of the mountain in much cooler shade - a few admitting their fingers were cold... even Tim! The blue skies, however, promised us sunshine as we climbed the steep ascent portion of the trail and excitement built as we we neared the crest ... and then we got to the view! Spectacular!! The green carpet of pine trees so far below edged the sparkling Little White River and lines of yellow birch leaves divided the planted squares - absolutely breathtaking! There was still some reds and oranges around us and on the far mountainsides but not all the leaves have changed yet. Nobody was in a hurry to leave our peaceful perch but we did, eventually, move on. We continued on the loop to descend on gentler terrain, although somehow we still managed to find an 'alternate', more challenging route that someone had also marked. Regardless, the hikers returned to the trailhead safely and very satisfied with their day's hike.
