Tomlike sounded like a good idea at that point so I hiked out there to see if the clouds would disperse offering up some awesome views. Getting things rolling at the swamp and some of the forest near the east fork crossing:
This mega shroom(as well as a few others) had been knocked off the dead tree it was living on for who knows how many years
Must have been recent as you could even see the footprints through the mud where the person walked up and knocked them off 
Below the Mud Lake junction:
Past the Mud Lake junction someone had snowshoed several days before:
I turned the last switchback on my way to the tomlike turnoff and decided to call it quits with the deepening snow. I have always noticed a trail grade coming in from the hillside so I explored that for a bit. It took off up hill just a 1/3 mile or so before reaching the Tomlike turnoff, im wondering if it was the old Herman Creek or maybe Skyline Trail? I lost it after about a 1/4 mile and just cut over to the anthill/rainy wahtum junction. The old tread was easy to follow and had lots of very old cut logs:
There were several blazes as well:
I thought about a short loop around Wahtum too but instead just looped back to the anthill trail and explored around the tomlike spur before heading out the ridge to the summit:
Tomlike Glacier looking kind of puny:
Juniper on the summit of Tomlike Mountain, where I sat around for about an hour waiting for the clouds to clear
And my backpack straps
only buttons today 
It was one of those, "oh now the clouds leave" kind of summits
Clouds or not, the ridge always offers up something to admire:
Back in the woods and it was time for the nicely graded tromp back to the car. Saw one backpacker enjoying a fat doobie down by the east fork crossing. He seemed quite surprised to see anyone else
I didn't take many pictures on the way down but I liked this scene with a vine maple leaf under the rushing water:
Hopefully if I get some time tomorrow(have something stupid and loony planned again no doubt
I will upload the gps track for this hike so others can see the old grade alignment. As for the 2014 in pictures part of the title here is a link to a video I made of hikes from 2014 to Seal. Big thanks to all who contribute to this incredible resource. I hope 2015 is just as good or better for all 
