Franklin Fall - Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

[4Feet]: Franklin falls located at the heart of the Snoqualmie region between i-90 eastbound and westbound around Exit 51 At just 2 miles roundtrip with 400 feet in elevation gain, it is the perfect destination for any hiker looking for something easy and beautiful. In winter, vehicle access to the trailhead is usually restricted due to heavy snow. We parked along the road right out of Exit 47 and hiked 3 miles to the trailhead. It was drizzling throughout the day. The beginning of the national forest (NF-5800) road was quite slushy and later covered by more than two feet of snow. Fortunately, the temperature today around 37*F slightly turned the new snow into a sheet of ice on the surface, which made the "pre-hike" easier even without snowshoes. Yet, microspikes were still recommended to obtain more grips. Without a rain jacket, I was eventually soaking wet in this highly humid weather. The actual hike on the trail was considered short and easy even with tons of snow underneath. As we approached the end of the trail, the Franklin Falls was in sight. The major stream was still pouring down, yet elsewhere froze solid as icicles hanging off the cliff. Soon after we left, i-90 around that region was shut down due to heavy rain and high wind. An extreme avalanche danger level was confirmed. Where there we stood and took the photo was buried by avalanches in the later evening. 2/21/21