47 Hike!

Hike 15 of 47 - Skagit Wildlife Refuge

2012-07-05T00:45:00.002-07:00

Two words describe Skagit Wildlife Refuge in Mount Vernon, WA....flat and peaceful. Never having been to this location that is just a stones throw away from home, I thought it would be perfect for a short walk before work on this fine, sunny 4th of July. I had read the most recent trip reports, jotted down the driving directions, loaded up my pack and Jack and headed to Fir Island. Arriving less than 10 minutes after leaving home, I was the only car in the southern parking lot.

There is certainly plenty of parking here and by the time I was situated and ready to walk, three more cars had pulled into the lot. There is a privy in the parking lot; look carefully as it is somewhat hidden by bushes. I thought it was just a storage shed!

Mount Baker is hiding behind these clouds.

Jack and I followed the gravel road out of the parking lot and turned right onto the dike. There is a gravel ramp for bikes, wheelchairs or strollers. We walked a very flat 9/10's of a mile following the waters edge. There was a lot of water to our left and a slough or something off to our right, hidden by bushes, that provided a constant sound of trickling or rushing water. The entire way we heard various birds chirping and the wind blowing gently through the trees.

Watching the little bird flit from branch to branch

We ambled on until the road became overgrown. We turned around and headed back the other way, dropping off our doggy bag when we passed the parking lot. Heading left on the dike from the parking lot, in approximately 4/10's of a mile you arrive at an even larger parking lot, a more modern bathroom and a "boat launch". We turned around here after Jack got a drink of water and headed back to our car.

Although I didn't have any kids with me today, this is a great place to take kids for a walk. I'm looking forward to bringing my grandson back in the winter and spring. I saw a HUGE nest in a tree across the water, not sure who built it though; perhaps an eagle or a blue heron?

BIG nest!

There were tons of birds chirping the entire way. Not being very knowledgeable about birds, I could only identify robins, ducks and gold finches. Previous trip reports mentioned benches, but the only benches that I could see were across the water and sitting in the water. From looking at previous trip report photos, it seemed like there was more water than normal today.

There are various hunting blinds along the way (is that what those things are called, the place where the hunters hide?). Posted along the way are many signs warning of hunting from September 1 - March 15. I'm not anti-hunting if hunters are providing food for their families, however it seems odd to me that we have a beautiful wildlife refuge, yet hunting is allowed within the refuge. Especially considering that there are THOUSANDS of snow geese that come here, and snow geese mate for life.

Looked like a place you'd buy nachos and candy at a Little League game.

This park was very clean. I saw only one piece of trash, which I picked up and brought home to throw away. I came across young families, nature photographers and seniors out walking. I was dismayed to see that I was the only one with my dog on a leash. A couple of dogs were under good voice control, but others were not. I do feel that because this is a wildlife refuge,allowing dogs to run loose and frighten the birds is less than desirable.

Jack in front of the boat ramp aka dog cooling-off area

My GPS measured about 2.5 miles, but I wandered over to explore the covered area and the bulletin boards in the parking lot. According to the bulletin boards, there are plans to reclaim some of the lost area. I believe floods in years past altered the area quite a bit which probably explains the benches in the water. You do need a Discover Pass here. Be sure to bring your own doggy bags and be prepared to take them home with you., along with any trash as I didn't see any dispensers for doggy bags, nor any trash cans.

Looking northwest, the surrounding farmland is beautiful, too!

If you visit this location via I-5, you will pass this beautiful church in Conway.

Driving directions from the WTA website ( www.wta.org ):

Take Interstate 5 to Exit 221. Go west from the freeway and turn right on to Fir Island Road, following the sign for Conway/La Conner. In 1.8 miles, turn left onto Wylie Road and follow for 1 mile to a T-intersection and a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sign. Turn left and follow the signs to either of the two parking lots.

Hike 8 of 47 - Orcas Island 25k

2012-07-01T01:55:00.003-07:00

Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Eastsound, Washington
January 28, 2012

Please forgive my numbering, it's a little out of whack.

It was snowy, it was cold and I most definitely hadn't trained enough, yet here were were again, giddy with excitment, on the ferry headed to Orcas Island for our second Orcas Island 25k, one of the awesome trail runs put on by Rainshadow Running. Moran State Park boasts an amazing trail system, with almost 40 miles of trails! This year, rather than staying in the Group Camp facilities at Moran State Park, we were lucky enough to be staying at North Beach Inn thanks to one of our fellow trail runners. We were excited about showers, a little kitchen and beds that weren't 1966 metal bunk beds! It's the little things that mean so much.

Awesome thrift-shop shirts!

The night before the race, we checked in at the group camp, picked up our shirts, then settled in to our cabins and had a potluck dinner, which is always a good time with delicious food, lots of laughs and a couple of beers thanks to a beer run by Marie.

We rose early well before dawn, got dressed and headed over to the Start/Finish area.This 25k boasts 3,500' of elevation gain, old growth forest, waterfalls and beautiful views from the summit, provided the clouds haven't moved in and obscured the views. Add in the anticipated snow and ice and we were guaranteed a good time!

Someones idea of a good time!

We said goodbye to our friends then Kerrie and I, being hikers rather than runners, took an early start to ensure that we were well into the first climb toward Little Summit before the stampeding pack caught and passed us. We left the Start/Finish line and followed the well-marked course onto Cascade Creek trail. This trail climbs up gently passing the spectacular Cascade Falls and several other smaller water falls.

We continued on passing the Mountain Lake Dam and hiked along the west shoreline of the lake, which brought us to the Mountain Lake Parking area. From here we picked up the rather difficult Mount Constitution Loop trail and immediately started climbing. Initially this trail is very steep and it is here that the pack caught up with us. I did a lot of stepping off the trail to let the runners pass by.

Lots of Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock trees in this area of Moran State Park. I read in the park brochure that this trail was initially a pathway for the telephone lines when crank telephones were used. Staying on this trail, we ignored the Little Summit trail which veered left and continued on upward following the orange tape toward the summit of Mount Constitution at 2,409'..

Less than one mile from reaching the actual summit, we came upon a clearing that afforded us some amazing views of the San Juan Islands. Last year the fog blocked our view, so Kerrie and I took a little break, snapped some photos and truly enjoyed the views. That is the true beauty of hiking, enjoying the AMAZING scenery around us, while doing something healthy with people you enjoy hanging out with.

Amazing views!

Kerrie celebrating!

After we left this area, headed for the actual summit less than a mile away, we were finally passed by the last of the runners. It was nice to know we could just hike our hike and not have to worry about slowing anyone down. Here the snow got deep and our pace slowed. Finally reaching the summit race aide station after climbing up the last icy hill, we took about a ten minute break and attempted to warm up. Once we stood still, it immediately became clear just how chilly it was! The wonderful volunteers fed us soup, wrapped my shoulders with a warm blanket and generally "mothered" us until we were so cold that walking was the only thing that would warm us us. With just 7 miles, and a lot of elevation gain, under out belt, we were almost half way done. Together we battled our way across the very icy parking lot trying desperately to stay upright and picked up the trail that headed down.

There was a good bit of descent where I could pick up some time, and then another big climb to about 2,350'. I was feeling "DONE!" at this point. Somewhere on the descent the trail "sweepers" caught up with us and stayed on our tails for the rest of the hike. It was a little unnerving to feel like I was holding people up, but they assured us that our pace was just fine. I did the best I could and they were fun to talk to. One of them had a little dog in an argyle print jacket who was hiking, too!

The second half seemed to pass slowly, but once we hit the major downhill with tons of switchbacks I felt like we were in the home stretch. We came down pass some gigantic trees and eventually ended up back at Cascade Lake, near the Day Use area. There was a great CCC restroom with my name on it! After a quick potty stop, we crossed the road and followed a trail around the lake, where we were met by Ashley about 1/2 mile from the Start/Finish line. By this time, everyone else had finished, showered and had some warm soup and a cold beer while listening to some great music!

The Start/Finish line when Kerrie & I arrived

My second Orcas Island 25k was now complete. I cut approximately 1.5 hours off my 2011 time in spite of tons of snow and ice. It was a fun way to burn several thousand calories and see some beautiful sights. If you are ever in the area, check out Moran State Park; there is something for everyone!

Liz & Ashley

Hike 7 of 47 - Pilchuck Tree Farm

2012-05-09T11:25:00.002-07:00

Hike 7 of 47 - Pilchuck Tree Farm in Stanwood, Washington

January 14, 2012 - I'm just getting around to finishing up this blog entry!

Pilchuk Glass School during a sunny, winter day (not the day of this hike!)

Northwest Washington was hit with a mammoth (for us) snowstorm mid-January that left our area with 6-18" of snow. So, we decided to go for a snowy hike/run in preparation for the Orcas Island 25 that was fast approaching. Kerrie, Ashley and I bundled up (a little) and headed to Stanwood for some brisk, snowy miles. We were accompanied by Jack, my German Shepherd and Oliver who is Ashley's Jack Russell Terrier. And if I may say so, Oliver looked quite dashing in his plaid coat.

Located near Pilchuck Glass Studio, Pilchuck Tree Farm is exactly what its' name implies: a tree farm. There are forested areas and clear-cut areas, logging roads and trails. The trails are used by hikers, joggers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Oh, and loggers too, but fortunately I've never run into anyone working in my visits. On this very snowy day we saw what looked like hunters, but I don't know if they actually were hunting or just dressed the part. At Pilchuck, you are in and out of the trees. The trails tend to be on the muddy side, especially in the spring.

There is a labyrinth of trails here and it's easy for me to get turned around and subsequently lost. This is where my GPS comes in extremely handy. I love this little gadget, not only for the normal GPS features like pace, speed, distance and calories burned, but at places like this I really like, and use, the "Out & Back" feature, that you can follow your exact route back to the starting point. Another feature is the "map" that allows me to see on a field exactly where I am and where I want to be. If the terrain permits and I'm short on time, I can amble in the right direction by watching the directional arrow on the GPS unit until I'm back at my car. Now, if there are mountains and bodies of water, you can skirt around them while still seeing your destination. There are miles and miles of trails here, that's I've only just begun to explore. Ashley knows her way around here fairly well, but on this day she would probably be doing a lot of running with some occasional hiking. Having the GPS would be important for Kerrie and I who were mostly hiking with a little jogging thrown in for fun. Fun? Did I just say jogging and fun in the same sentence?

Jack loves a snowy hike.

After donning our hats and gloves, Ashley, Kerrie, Jack, Oliver and I hit the snowy trails. The depth of the snow varied from 2" to 8", although some spots sure seemed like more than that! The snow makes hiking and jogging a super-duper cardio workout. Ashley was marking the trail with ribbons for our friends who wanted to run that loop. That meant she jogged a bit then stopped to tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree....oh wait....I got lost in an old 70's tune for a moment. She also put in some extra miles jogging ahead and then back to Kerrie and I.

Almost to the top, on the south side is a big clear cut. From here one can see Lake McMurray. While the views are beautiful, standing among the stumps isn't. I believe Whitehorse Mountain is visible from this vantage point on a more clear day.

Looking southeast, approx. elevation 1,100'

Up at the top of the hill in the Pilchuck Tree Farm, which my GPS recorded as 1,402' elevation, is a monument and a couple of benches. It provides fantastic views to the north in which you can see Conway, Mount Vernon, Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. It's also a great spot to take a break, have a snack or lay down in the beautiful meadow on a sunny day.

Monument at the top, looking north.

Time was running short and I had to get to work. We headed back down the trail, taking a slightly different route back to our cars. We arrived at our respective vehicles with cold hands and wet feet. This was a beautiful, invigorating hike that is close to home. I hope that we get some snow next winter so that I can find more snowy hikes. This is a place that I will definitely return to again to put in more miles.

Ashley & Kerrie

Me and Ashley

7 miles
3 hours
1,170 calories
830' elevation gain

Hike 11 of 47 - Heart Lake in Anacortes, Washington

2012-05-03T17:27:00.002-07:00

April 30, 2012
Heart Lake

Jack and I at the north end of Heart Lake

Today we crossed our fingers for decent weather and headed out to Heart Lake in Anacortes. There are some wonderful hikes in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL) and we were on the hunt for an easy one as today was going to be the first day that my one year old grandson Oliver rode in a backpack. Up until now, he'd been carried in the frontpack.

Something very interesting on the forest floor

The ACFL includes roughly 35 miles of multi-use trails. While you will see mostly hikers, horses and mountain bikes are allowed on some of the trails. For part of the year and only on some of the trails, motorcycles may be seen (or heard). Although, in the 3-4 years that I've been hiking here, I've only encountered motorcycles twice. Dogs are allowed on-leash. The trails are especially well marked and ACFL puts out a set of 3 great maps for the lakes the ACFL surround; Whistle Lake, Cranberry Lake and Heart Lake, which used to be Heart Lake State Park, but now belongs to ACFL. Maps are available at several locations around town.

Ms Mammary Monkey relaxing on a VERY large leaf

We parked at the Heart Lake parking lot (where there are two restrooms and lots of fishermen putting their little boats into the water) and loaded up the kiddo in his backpack.

My daughter, Oliver and I set on on our hike, while my son-in-law took off on his mountain bike. The weather was cloudy initially, it brightened up as our hike went on. We left the parking lot headed north on Trail 210 which goes around approximately 2/3's of the war around the lake in in a counter-clockwise direction. We passed several intersecting trails, but continued on 210 until its end passing several thick-barked, beautiful old Douglas Fir trees which had obviously been involved in a forest fire sometime long ago.

At that point we had to make a decision; continue south about 1.5 miles to a viewpoint or loop back around to the parking lot taking a different route back. Since we weren't really sure how the view would be on this cloudy day or how much time we had before we met up with my mountain biking son-in-law, we opted to head back around the lake, taking a different route. From there we headed east on Trail 212 and north on Trail 250, picking up Trail 210 clockwise and then 242 back to the parking lot.

As I mentioned, the trails are well marked with views are of the lake and forest. Lots of time for picture taking and we took a lot of pictures!

If you get to the southern viewpoint, you can see south toward Deception Pass with beautiful water views. The trails to the south of the lake are designated for hikers only. There was a fair bit of mud on the trails, not terrible, just mildly annoying. It rained hard the night prior so mud was to be expected.

It was just a little muddy on this day

We didn't pass any hikers, but did pass a man and his dog, who looked like they were headed to their favorite fishing spot.

A quick glance at the Heart Lake map tells me that there are approximately 10 miles of trails surrounding this lake. There is ample parking which is on the east side of the lake, off Heart Lake Road, which is actually H Street in Anacortes. All of the trails around Heart Lake are great for kids of all ages as the elevation gain is minimal and there are restrooms in the parking lot. Hillary, Oliver and I walked 4 miles in two hours and had a total elevation gain of about 550'. If you haven't made it out to these trails, put it on your list for a day hike. You can make it as long or short as you like. You can walk across the street from Heart Lake and hike up to the top of Mount Erie the very same day. From up there at just under 1,300' the view is amazing!

Ariolimax columbianus or Banana Slug

All in all, it was a successful day for Oliver's first hike in his backpack! He is fortunate to grow up in such a beautiful area of the country. I think we have a junior hiker in the making!

Hiking is hard work!

Distance: 4.1 miles
Time: 2 hours
Calories burned: 750

Hike 10 of 47 - WTA Volunteer Trail Work at Lost Lake

2012-04-30T01:06:00.000-07:00

Hike 10 of 47 - Lost Lake Trail - volunteer trail work

The view from Lost Lake Trail

This past Saturday, April 28th, Julie and I, along with 40 other like-minded individuals participated in a Washington Trail Association trail work event on the Lost Lake Trail in the Chuckanuts. If you aren't familiar with WTA and you love hiking in Washington, you should quickly familiarize yourself with them. It's a wonderful organization committed to providing accurate hiking info, trail reports, photos, and much more.

Although we only hiked about 3.5 miles in 6 hours, we worked hard shoveling, digging, clearing trails of duff and improving drainage. It was a great was to spend a sunny Saturday!

This particular work party also happened to be sponsored by REI in Bellingham. All volunteers received a voucher for a T-shirt and a chance to win a pair of binoculars donated by REI.

The day started out with a brief meeting in which Arlon, the Crew Leader, reviewed the 3 rules of the day:

1) SAFETY FIRST! We all came dressed for safety; in semi-official Trail Geek fashion which consisted of long pants, long sleeved shirt, hiking boots and gloves. I don't have any suspenders, but I think I'll get some because my pants kept slipping down, which is most definitely NOT a good look. WTA provided snazzy green hard hats and instructions on how to use each piece of equipment. We also identified those in the group who had First Aid kits and when asked if anyone in the group had medical training, well.....Of course, being the medical professionals that Julie and I are, I offered up our services should anyone decide to have a baby during the work party. Safety first people, DO NOT go into labor on the trail!

Julie & Liz

2) GET SOME WORK DONE. The various crew leaders explained the goals for the day and everyone. We would be working the length of the Lost Lake Trail, which was in desperate need for some drainage work. People could decided how far up the trail they wanted to go. Keep in mind, we were also carrying our day packs and the equipment. Oh, and Ms. Mammary Monkey came along to help, too.

3) HAVE FUN!! It was stressed that this day was to be fun and if someone wasn't having fun, then that situations would need to be rectified. I must say, it was tons of fun!

Brad, Julie, Kriss and I after much fiddling with the camera and me falling in the stinging nettles!

WTA is fabulous at encouraging people to work at their own pace, take breaks when needed and to look out for one another. I worked with equipment I had used in the past, such as a shovel and a hand saw. Some things that were new to me were the Pulaski, Grub Hoe and McLeod, which I learned can easily leave someone with 6 sucking chest wounds if safety isn't #1. I developed a whole new respect for those who are carrying these tools for days on end out in the backcountry fighting forest fires.

It felt good to get out there an use muscles that I don't use every day. I also learned a very important lesson: a hard hat sitting at trails edge, usually means someone has discretely stepped off the trail to go potty, so do not pick up the "lost" hard hat and try to find its owner. After 5 volunteer days, WTA presents the volunteer with his/her very own WTA hardhat. I can't wait to get one!

We met Pete, who was our immediate Crew Leader. Pete was a pretty amazing guy. He's 82, a retired lawyer and has done well over 1,000 trial work volunteer days. He said he stopped counting long ago. When we sat down to lunch, he shared some stories of his growing up years in Texas. Lots to be learned by listening to folks like Pete.

Pete, Brad & Julie - lunch break

I worked with a gentleman named Kriss. It was fun to make new friends who share common interests. Julie worked with Brad, who was working on his 25th volunteer day. The four of us leap-frogged with each other all day, completing various projects all aimed at diverting water off the the trail. We cleared a fallen tree out of a drainage area, removed debris, dug a catch basin to allow water to flow into a culvert. Below is our big project of the day. It doesn't seem like much, but this area is about 25-30 feet long and was filled with a lot of stuff. Much time was spent swatting mosquito's and spraying ourselves with DEET. The annoying little suckers were surprisingly thick this day. I've never encountered many bugs at all up in this area.

My largest project of the day - clearing the drainage and digging a catch basin

There are lots of opportunities to get out and enjoy some fresh air. WTA has many Trail Work Parties scheduled throughout the state. There are single day trips, 3 day trips, Youth Trail Work Parties, Youth Vacations and even some Volunteer Vacations which last for one full week. Check out the schedule; there is bound to be something that interests you. Some governmental agencies offer vouchers in exchange for trail work. Once you've worked 24 hours, the vouchers can be exchanged for a Discover Pass.

All in all, it was a great day! We hiked a little, met some great people, gave something back to the trails we so enjoy, worked hard, got some exercise and laughed a lot. If you want more information, check out the Common Questions. As for me, I'm hooked on volunteer trail work!

If you enjoy the wonderful trails we have here in Washington, please consider joining WTA for a Volunteer Trial Party; you won't regret it.

Hike 6 of 47 - Chelan Riverfront trail and REACH 1 Trail - a combo walk/hike

2011-10-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hike 6 of 47 Chelan Riverfront Trail & REACH 1 Trail

The last weekend of September several of us were at the Washington State Nurses Association Leadership Conference in Lake Chelan, WA. Conferences of this type, any nursing conference for that matter, seems to keep attendees busy from morning until late evening, but I was hopeful that I could get a hike or two in. Besides, there is food galore at these things and a lot of time spent sitting on your butt. Julie & I searched the fabulous Washington Trails Association website and other places on line and in some hiking books and came up with a plan to to the Chelan Butte trail on Sunday morning. We were up bright and early, directions in hand, with the intent to hike this 5 mile trail and be back in plenty of time to get ready for the days conference events. The day was shaping up to be a nice, sunny day and we decided to do the Chelan Butte hike. The book, "Day Hiking Central Cascades" gave great directions, however we found it difficult to find the "forested gully" where we were supposed to park and begin our walk up the service road. There was lots of "gully", but not so much "forest". Once we came to the sign that said "Northwest Forest Pass Required", we figured that we were close. However, continuing to follow the very bumpy, washed out gravel road we ended up at the top, so we parked and walked around a bit. The views were amazing over both sides, with Lake Chelan to one side and the river and farmlands to the other. It was quite windy, and therefore dusty, up there.

Lake Chelan from Chelan Butte

Apparently it's a spot for hang gliders to launch from, although we didn't see any. Although the views were amazing,it wasn't really my favorite kind of place to hike. I think vehicles with low clearance would have a difficult drive over parts of this service road. There were deep washouts and large rocks jutting up from the roadway. I worried a bit about my oil pan and driving off the cliff! I was glad to see a turn around spot at the top because I REALLY didn't want to back down the entire service road. I was saddened to see the amount of litter up there, too. Friends that were also at the conference said they've found a way to hike up to the Butte without having to utilize the service road, however we didn't have time to check those trails out, maybe another time. I think Spring would be the best season for this hike.

So, we got back to our room and decided to take a different approach; we'd just walk the Chelan Riverfront trail instead. This approximately 1 mile loop follows the beautiful Chelan River as it leaves Lake Chelan. The water is crystal clear and we saw many ducks and geese along the way. Once we got onto this path and just before crossing over the bridge to head back to Campbells Resort , we found signs for the REACH 1 trail. Not sure where it lead or how long it was, we followed it. It lead us along some neighborhood sidewalks, through some older parts of town and eventually to a new parking lot with great interpretative signs. I perused the signs and determined that it would be approximately 5 miles round trip, and that we would get us back to our conference with plenty of time to shower and get prepared. We hit the paved trail which eventually became gravel and wound it's way down through what appeared to be a recently burned area. There are benches with more signs along the way. Once down at the level of the river, we could see Chelan Butte from where we were. Along the way, we could see many remnants of burned out items such as cars, refrigerators and old metal Coleman coolers. I wonder why this wasn't cleaned up when this trail was built? Isn't that the kind of work that prisoners should do?

View from the REACH 1 trail, jut below Chelan Dam

The day was heating up and we hadn't planned on taking this hike, so we didn't have any water with us. All we had was our cameras, cell phones and room keys. The river water was crystal clear. We stood for a while and watched the water cascade over the dam. It seemed like a great place to wet my shirt to cool off. I couldn't help myself. I apologize to anyone who lives up on the hillside who happened to be outside drinking their morning coffee.

A great spot for dunking ones shirt

It was a nice hike with lots of good ecological info on the interpretive signs. I enjoyed it, but I think I'm just fond of the green, wet side of the state. Dusty desert doesn't interest me, but the river and lake views are beautiful. This little hike was much nicer than the Chelan Butte adventure.

Campbells Resort also offers some great views, too! It's my favorite place to stay while in Chelan. I can't wait to come over here with my family. I think there would be something fun for everyone.

Can't beat the view from our room.

I will try more later. Right now, it's time for a shower and a nap before work.

In a couple of weeks, I'm headed to Vermont. I'm excited to be able to get some miles on the Appalachian Trail while I'm there. Should be fun!

Distance: 5 leisurely miles

Hike 5 of 47 - Peshastin Pinnacles

2011-09-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hike 5 of 47 - Peshastin Pinnacles State Park

On our way back from Washington State Nurses Association Leadership Conference in Lake Chelan where we stayed at Campbell's Resort, we decided to stop at Peshastin Pinnacles State Park 10 miles west of Wenatchee right off Highway 2, thinking it would be a good place to use the potty and stretch our legs. I had planned this stop for our trip over to cross one of the hikes off of my list, but it worked out that it was dusk when we passed the area, so I just figured we'd stop on the way back. While I knew this desert-y state park was little at just over 34 acres, I was really interested in seeing the unique sandstone formations that are frequently used by climbers.

From the Washington State Parks website:

"The park is named for its "pinnacles," or unique sandstone formations, and for the town of Peshastin, located three miles away. The area has been popular for rock climbing since the 1960s. In 1986, land owners closed the pinnacles to climbers for liability reasons. Later, The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit group, purchased and developed the site, then sold it to State Parks."

From the Washington State Parks website.

The four of us arrived at Peshastin Pinnacles State Park in the heat of the day, around 3 p.m.....naturally! The park is located off Highway 2, about 10 miles west of Wenatchee, it is well signed so just follow the signs from Highway 2. It's less than 1 mile off of the highway, a great place to stop for a break. The morning before we left Lake Chelan, I had read some trip reports for this hike and found that some hikers suggested that this wasn't a good hike for little kids, or those not steady on their feet; I would wholeheartedly agree. There are so many great hikes in our state, if you are looking for something fun to do outside, check out the Washington Trail Association website. It's very interactive and has something for everyone.

We figured it would be a good potty stop as well as a place to stretch our legs on our ride home. It was HOT and therefore the privy was LESS THAN PLEASANT! In fact, being anywhere near it was less than pleasant. I'd guess it was about 85 degrees out. I knew from reading a hiking book that there was a 1.5 mile loop that was recommended and looked interesting. While it only had 400' of elevation gain, those 400' were gained quickly! Once parked, we left Jeannie in the car with the keys in case she wanted to turn the air conditioning back on. Since she recently had knee surgery, she wasn't up for this hike. Our intention was to stop at the privy and then head up the trail. One whiff in the mid day heat and I went directly to the trail. After crossing the parking lot, with a quick glance at the trail map on the bulletin board we headed up a service road (for the stinky privy, I'm sure), we passed through this gate and onto the trails.

From the parking lot, you must pass through this gate to get to the trails.

Linda and I had our cameras, so we stopped frequently to both catch our breath and snap a few photos while Julie motored on ahead of us. Since this was a sort of spontaneous stop, we weren't really dressed for the occasion. I had regular tennis shoes since my suitcase containing my hiking shoes was packed deeply in the back of my car. Poor Linda was in jeans, a long sleeve T-shirt and also her regular tennies, having just changed out of her sandals at the last minute. Thankfully she did! Julie had on her trail runners, so she was best equipped on the sandy trails.

You can see the trail switchback up next to this crazy sandstone rock.

Apparently people DO climb these things. Is it wrong to say I'm glad they weren't there when we were there? I would have been worried to death about them! Our co-worker Doug, who was also attended the conference we had just come from, told us that he climbs here, too.

What a view! This is from about 100' above the trail head.

On just about each switchback, Linda and I stopped for two reasons; to catch our breath and take some pictures. While you can't see the Wenatchee River in this shot, it was beautiful, as were the orchards.

About 1/2 way up we came across these plants. The pods reminded me of a mustache. Linda touched one and said they were soft and squishy. I certainly don't know what kind of plant they are, but I wonder if the flowers are amazing?

Does anyone know what this plant is? These seed pods were soft and squishy.

When we reached the top, the views were amazing. We could see the river as it snaked its' way east. We could hear people talking, but I think it was the field workers in the orchards off to our right from the picture above. We could also see Jeannie who had gotten out of the car and was waving her arms. I had seen a car come in to the parking lot and then leave again, and being the "worrier" of the group, I hollered down to her a few times "Are you okay?" She kept waving her arms and finally replied that she was and we headed to the north side of the summit to find the trail down and back around the the south side. Our intent was to make a loop. This park is small, and I think that no matter what trails you explored, it would not be difficult to find your way back to the trail head and parking lot.

From the back (north) side of the summit, we could see a Tee Pee

Apparently a lot of rock climbers enjoy
climbing here in this state park.

From the top, when we looked north the views were also amazing; more sandstone, more orchards, more hills and a tee pee. I'm not sure why it was there....but it was cool sitting up there. I'm usually a fan of hiking amongst the big trees, enjoying the coolness of their canopy's, but this was a very interesting and beautiful hike, too. We headed down the back/south side on what looked like a trail that may or may not take us where we wanted to go. My only concern was getting down to the bottom only to find that we had to climb all the way back up again to find the right trail. But, we got about half way down, climbed back up the side of a hill and around the the front/north side where we could see Jeannie and the car again.

I couldn't get over the view; AMAZING! The Wenatchee River, pear orchards, the
Enchantment Mountain Range....beautiful! Can you see my car down there?

Only I could be outside for less than an hour
and get a sunburn. Check out the amazing sandstone.

The trails were quite narrow at times, and walking in the slippery sand made for some unstable footing for must of the time. Often we had to straddle the center of the narrow trail to avoid the ankle-twisting gullies obviously made by water coursing its way down the trail. I was so proud of Linda, who hadn't been hiking in quite a while. At times, usually in spots where the trail was narrow or when she turned the corners of the switchbacks or when she stopped to take a photo, she felt a little vertigo, especially when the trail got more narrow. I would hold on to her belt loop or her hip to stabilize her while she captured her photo. In the photo below, where the trail was a bit wider on our way down the back side, I asked Linda & Julie to just look back at me. Take note of how firmly planted Linda's feet are! ;) Linda hikes at my speed and I think I've found another hiking buddy and we've all talked of getting together for hikes in the near future.

Linda & Julie on the way down, via a traverse on the west side of the hill.
I love how firmly planted Linda's feet are!

Me, Linda, Julie & Jeannie. I set the camera on a picnic table, set the
timer to 10 seconds and......Voila, we had a group photo.

The three of us were almost to the bottom and we noticed that Jeannie had gotten out of the car and was stopped on the trail. She went about 50' and decided it was too steep. She recalled that I said the trail was "flat"; if I did say that, I was WRONG! It was quite the steep trail; short but mighty! It would NOT be fun in the rainy weather. I do know that this park closes for the winter on October 15th and reopens in March, which makes sense. Don't let the short distance and small size of this state park fool you; some of these trails are narrow and steep! A fall off the side would not be fun. So, if you venture out to this little park off Highway 2 near the town of Cashmere, hang on to your kids, your dogs and your friends belt loops! And above all else, watch out for rattle snakes. It was a fun hike, we were the only ones there except for the car that came into the parking lot and left again. Perhaps that was due to it being a weekday, or hot; who knows the reason. I'd like to spend more time here and explore all the trails. I LOVED knowing that I wouldn't get lost. Next year on the way to the same conference, I'll be sure and stop here again. Enjoy!

My Rating: ***/5

Distance: 1.5 miles

Elevation Gain: 400'

Time: 55 minutes

Hike 4 of 47 - Yellow Aster Butte

2011-09-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

September 7, 2011

Yellow Aster Butte Summary

Julie, Jean and I left Mount Vernon just before 8:00 a.m. Until last evening, Julie & I were going up to Heliotrope Ridge, however the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier, WA was kind enough to give me some information about creeks that would have to be forded, how deep and swift they were running, etc. They let me know, in no uncertain terms, that the snow bridge was no longer a safe crossing. There was a low log crossing a little downstream, but they were not sure that it would still be above water for our return crossing due to our HOT weather and all the snow melt. Sooooooo, we opted to go up to Yellow Aster Butte instead. I must keep reminding myself that this adventure is supposed to be fun, not dangerous! Besides, I really didn't want to get my new hiking shoes wet, ;)

We left Mount Vernon just before 8 a.m. and headed north on Highway 9 (took the scenic route!) and then east on Highway 542. Wow, what a beautiful drive! We stopped at the Glacier Public Service Center which was built in the early 1900's. We stretched our legs, utilized the restrooms and gathered some trail info. Here there was a GIGANTIC slab of a tree that is estimated to be 730 years old and I HAD to get my picture taken with it...it was AMAZING!

Me & a big tree!

About 13 miles past the town of Glacier, we took a left on Forest Service Road 3065. Up we went, approximately 5 bumpy, dusty, washed out miles through the forest on a one lane road. When we reached the trail head right at 10 a.m., there were already about 6 cars there and it was WARM! Honestly, I'm surprised some of those little cars had the clearance to make it up that road. A word of caution: If you have a car that is low to the ground, head up this road with great caution. If we had continued on up this FS road, we would have come to the Twin Lakes trail head.

Once parked, we were immediately and viciously ATTACKED by black flys the moment we opened the car doors. What horrible, pesky little creatures! Thousands, maybe millions and billions and gazillions of them, all trying to attack us mercilessly. From the moment we stepped out of the car, if we stopped moving, or even just slowed down, they swarmed, attacking every bit of uncovered skin they could find. We all DEET'd ourselves up well in the parking lot and off we went. Jean signed us in at the trail register, we all made a pit stop at the pit toilet and we started our way up the trail, trying to escape being eaten alive by the little back flys. The sign at the trail head said that it was 3.6 miles to the Butte. The dusty trail starts out with some moderate switchbacks through tall brush. The trekking poles came in handy to keeping the brush off of your legs. About 1/2 mile in I think the black flys had succeeded in beginning to drive me utterly, completely crazy. I had taken to smacking my own shins repeatedly with my poles, just to get the fly's off of me. The pesky things grabbed hold of clothing and were hard to dislodge, but I found that they succumbed to a good smearing with my hands.... and I didn't even care! I am one who normally takes great lengths to avoid stepping on ants, feels badly if a squirrel runs in front of my car, but the flys.......I took great joy in smashing them while laughing maniacally.

By this time, Julie was ahead and out of sight. Jean was in front of me, usually on the switchback above me, but I could spot her rounding the bends of the switchbacks. There were lots of big old trees that were down; they looked like left overs from the logging days.We then entered the coolness of the trees, crossed over several snow patches, tiny creeklets fueled by the melting snow and many muddy spots on the trail. The new hiking shoes gave excellent traction and kept my feet dry, too.

We entered the Mount Baker Wilderness area and the trail leveled out some. We crossed a few small snow patches and snow bridges, where it appeared that the snow that was left about about 15" deep.

In one direction we had great views of Mount Shuksan and the other gave Mount Baker a chance to shine!

Mount Shuksan

A peak at Mount Baker

Eventually we climbed a steeper part of the trail that opened up into a meadow filled with wildflowers. Beautiful yellows, whites, reds and purples filled the area, as did the buzzing of busy bees. Fortunately, we left the black flys behind. From here, we looked left and Mount Baker seemed to fill the sky. What an amazing sight that was!

Lupines

More lupines

Jean headed back across the traverse

Mount Baker in the background

When we got back to the parking area, it was 95 degrees in the car! The black flys continued to be relentless, although I was happy to see that there were many dead on my dash board. There were a couple of "Forest Rangers" in the parking lot, as well. I chatted with one of them for a moment, he asked me about our hike, I asked what he thought the temperature was and then he wandered off to speak with his buddy who was approaching in a Jeep. We loaded up into the car, tried to shoo out the flys that made it inside the car and headed down the dirt road, back to Highway 542. Upon leaving the parking area, we passed the "Forest Rangers", who turned out to be Border Patrol agents. They were apparently waiting for someone they were expecting in the area. Coming from southern California, the Border Patrol were a common sight where I'm from. I guess they knew who they were looking for!

On our way back home, we stopped at Grahams Store in Glacier and stocked up on some snacks. I opted for salty cashews and chips, while others had ice cream, a shake and other treats.

All in all it was a beautiful hike. It was quite a drive, 72 miles each way, so I wish we could have gotten two hikes done during that trip out Highway 542. I certainly could have done without the evil black fly's. The trekking poles were quite helpful, especially across the large snowfield, which I unfortunately did not get a picture of. I definitely recommend this hike. Try to get there on a day when the black fly's are in town doing their shopping or something else that takes them away from the trail. Did I mention that they were HORRENDOUS?

Miles: 6

Calories: 2,480

Time: 5 hours

Hike 3 of 47 - Oyster Dome

2011-09-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

September 5, 2011

Oyster Dome is a hike I hadn't done in the past, but I wanted to and everyone that had done it said that the views are AMAZING! So, off I went. Julie and I planned to meet up at Rhododendron Cafe at 8:30 on Labor Day so that I could get back home in time for work. The weather was supposed to be beautiful and I was looking forward to the hike!

This hike starts out on Highway 11 at about Mile Post 10, just about 5 miles south of the Fragrance Lake trail head. Another similarity....a few steep switchbacks from the get go. This 6.5 mile round trip boasts 1,900 feet of elevation gain and is a guaranteed cardio workout. About one mile into the trail, you are rewarded for your efforts at a small viewpoint. Once you wipe the sweat from your eyes, there are views of Lummi, Samish, Guemes, Cypress, Fidalgo, Orcas and several other islands of the San Juan Archipelago. On a clear day, one can see all the way out to the Olympics. Just amazing...Here is one critter that was enjoying the view from the viewpoint.

Admiring the view

At the bottom you are greeted by a couple of signs for the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), and you continue on the PNT for about 1.5 miles before parting ways. The PNT, which goes from Glacier National Park in Montana to the Olympic Coast, seemed to be well marked in this area, complete with the white blazes painted on trees, which is more than can be said for other trails leading off the main trail. Some signs are what people have written with a Magic Marker or by hanging a rubber glove on a branch with a finger pointing to what you HOPE is the right way. On a scale of 1 to 10, for signage I would give this trail a 2. In fact, on the way back down, we did get lost for about 1/3 of a mile, and we weren't the only ones.

Sign at trail head

An informative rock

White blazes indicating the
Pacific Northwest Trail

There were about 4 creeks along the trail to Oyster Dome and 3 of them were dry on Labor Day. I would have loved for them to be wet so that I could soak my bandanna to cool my neck off! At about 2 miles, we started a pretty significant climb that required grabbing on to some branches, rocks and whatever else was handy. Some trail reports that I had read said that "this isn't much of a workout", "not a very difficult hike", however it's enough climb for the entire route up to the top to be rated a Category 1 climb....not too shabby!

The trail was cleaner than some and dirtier than others. There were several small trash items, including a burned up pair of jeans, the remnants of a sweater, cigarette butts (how someone can smoke while climbing those hills is beyond me) and, worst of all......the left overs from an illegal fire. The smoke smell was strong, but I went over and stuck my hand in it to make sure the ashes were cool, and they were. How sad that someone felt it was okay to start a camp fire in a forest. That could have turned ugly.

Just below Oyster Dome are the Amphitheater Bat Caves. They are reached by taking a marked side trail before reaching Oyster Dome. We didn't venture here; I'll leave that one to the bats.

The trail itself was ankle-twisting rocky and rooty. Roots are generally easy for me to negotiate as they stay mostly still. I found that I spent 80% of my time looking down rather that at the beautiful surroundings. The forest itself didn't boast as much of the BIG trees as the hike on the Fragrance Lake trail, nor does it have much in the way of interesting foliage. But, what this hike lacks for trail side beauty, it makes up with the views from the top. The top is no place for little kids or dogs who aren't leashed or under strict voice control. Oyster Dome is really just a big, bare rock and I personally wouldn't venture out onto the rock if it were rainy or snowy. It would be very easy to fall off the side.

Looking northwest

Julie & I at the top

Anacortes & it's refineries in the middle of the picture,
Olympic Mountains in the distance

After spending some time at the top and snapping a few photos, it was time to head down to get home in time to go to work. About 1/4 mile from the top, we got onto the wrong trail. Almost immediately I began questioning whether we were on the right trail....the creek to the left didn't look familiar, some blow downs didn't look familiar, I didn't remember passing certain pieces of trash on the way up and there was a lot of old cable (which I found very interesting....possibly left over from long-ago logging??), about 1.5 to 2" thick that was laying around, mostly buried. We did pass a small amount of the old cable on the way up, but we were now passing A LOT of it on the way down. My suspicions were confirmed when we reached a large creek that we did not cross on the way to the top. We turned back and ran into some guys who made the same mistake that we did. I got a little worried, because I was cutting it close with the time I needed to get home and get cleaned up for work. Of all the days to forget my GPS in my car... UGH, that will NEVER happen again!

It took us about 2.5 hours to get to the top and about 2.25 hours to come back down. On our way up, we passed a few other hikers, but on the way down, the trail was darn right busy. While we were coming down, we passed a young couple holding hands, with the guy leading the way and the girl walking behind him. After they passed I remarked "Well, THAT won't last long". I cannot imagine hiking up all 1,900 plus feet of that trail while holding hands with someone. No sense dragging someone else down with me when I fall!

When we passed the viewpoint that was 1 mile from the trail head, it was crowded....standing room only! What a difference a few hours makes. If you are going to do this hike, start early. Parking is very limited and the trail gets quite busy. The trail was dry and dusty from there on down.

This cute little "mailbox" greeted us at the bottom. We didn't even notice it when we started out.

Interesting "mailbox" at the trail head

All in all, it was a nice hike. Am I glad I did it? YES. Would I do it again? Probably not, unless I had someone visiting the area and wanted to show them the view. While the view was fantastic, the trail condition wasn't great, nor was their much to look at while on the trail. I would probably like it more when there was some moisture on the trail, to help embed some of those ankle-twisting rocks and keep the dust at bay. But, it was a great workout, at least for me anyway.

Oyster Dome Summary - September 5, 2011

Miles: 6.5
Calories: 1,850
Time: 4.75 hours (which includes getting a little lost)

Gear!

2011-09-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

Gear......to sum it up, it's important! Sore feet, lack of water, hypothermia....these can all ruin a hike....or take your life, if you aren't prepared. Some people feel like they need to have the best of the best; well, that's pretty subjective to a point. I say "Buy the very best that you can afford." Seriously, why go into debt or have to eat Top Ramen for a month, all because you bought what you thought you HAD to have, or what someone else told you that you HAD to have, only to find out it wasn't really the right purchase for YOU?

SHOES
Shoes are important. You won't know just HOW important until you've hiked a few miles in the wrong shoes! I've hiked in my regular walking shoes which are the Brooks Addiction 9 shoes. I love these shoes for putting on the miles during training for the Susan G Komen 3 Day for the Cure and I wear them during the 60 miles of the event, too. In fact, I LOVE these so much, I wear them exclusively to work, as well. They have worked well for me on a very smooth, level trail. Can I stress anymore how much I love these shoes? When they have run their lifespan, they then become my "working out in the yard" shoes.

Once I started on the more technical trails such as in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, I found myself falling more often than I'd like. It's not so much the falling that worries me, because bruises and scrapes will heal. It's the bumping my head on a rock or rolling off of a cliff that frighten me! I knew I needed to invest in some trail shoes.When researching trail shoes, I naturally thought I'd go with the Brooks Cascadia trail shoes, since I love their Addiction 9 running shoes so much. I went up to Fairhaven Runners in Bellingham, WA to spend the gift certificate the hubster had gotten me for our anniversary, and imagine my surprise when I found that I liked another brand of shoes much better. I ended up getting the Adidas Supernova Riots, which have pretty much eliminated my falling, except for the occasional tree root or boulder that jumps out at me. So, I'm 100% pleased with these shoes. BTW, I'm usually a major bargain shopper, like I don't want to pay retail price for anything. Imagine my surprise to find that the Adidas Riots, which were more expensive than the Brooks, were ON CLEARANCE at Fairhaven Runners! Whoo Hoo! Score!!!

Adidas Supernova Riot 3

I bought myself a little gift for my birthday. I figured it was time for some hiking shoes. Trail running shoes have a lot of flexibility, while hiking shoes are a bit more sturdy. So, in true Liz form, I did some research and found some hiking shoes I liked; the Garmont Amica hiking shoes. They have a wonderful Vibram sole and lots of built-in stability features, which apparently I need. They are light-weight with water-repellent suede and abrasion-resistant mesh. They have a thicker tongue for a better fit, and a toe kick so your little tootsies don't get demolished and a higher side on the inside of the shoe for added support. Oh, and they are dark grey and aubergine. Aubergine? I never thought I'd wear anything aubergine. Oh well.....I'm excited to give them a try this week. Best news??? 1/2 price at REI!! PS Sale ends September 5th......go on, click the link, you know you want to buy something!! So, here they are!

Garmont Amica hiking shoe

SOCKS

Avoid cotton like the plague! Buy performance socks, made for the activity you are undertaking. Change your socks when your feet are sweaty. Be kind to your socks and they will be kind to you.. 'Nuf said....

HYDRATION
Carrying your water while hiking is must, must, must! Unless.....you have a water filtering system (i.e.pump filter, purifier or tablets) that you are carrying along with you. Water is essential. If you are trudging through the snow or hiking in the sun, you will probably need even more water than you think. There are many options for carrying water; water bottles, vests, base layers, hydration packs, etc. I drink A LOT and I mean A LOT of water, so I carry 3L of water with me in my CamelBak L.U.X.E, regardless of how long I'll be out on a day hike. I figure you can always bring water home, but being lost somewhere without water could be disastrous. And besides, you might get thirsty.

If you are a women, be sure to get a hydration pack specifically designed for women. We need a sternum strap that goes above the girls, not one that squishes them flat....we'll let our sports bras do that. I love that my CamelBak has lots of room for a day hike. I carry snacks, first aid kit, flashlights (2), more snacks, extra socks, camera, emergency Mylar blanket, maps, visor, sunscreen, more snacks, ChapStick, emergency whistle, a trash bag, phone, keys, a waterproof layer, hat & gloves, lunch and much more along with me. My pack, when fully loaded, weighs about 14 lbs. I also take extra precautions and use a carabiner just to keep the zipper pulls together, in case a pocket tries to get jostled open accidentally. Wouldn't want to lose any of my snacks!! I'm convinced that I'm going to get lost and if I do, I'll be able to feed everyone with me....or hog all of the snacks for myself, depending on the kind of mood I'm in.

When shopping for a pack, take your time, try it one, have the clerk load it down, adjust the straps, jog around with it if that's how you will be using it. Be sure to get a good feel for how it fits on your body. That being said, I love my CamelBak. It keeps my hands free to take pictures, put on ChapStick, eat a snack, and most importantly, to catch myself if I fall! Drink, drink, drink!!! Busy kidneys are happy kidneys.

PS Hillary reminded me that I forgot to list "pepper spray". It's always in my packs front pocket or my vest pocket in the winter. I've only had to bust it out once when two loose big dogs, (one Lab and one Rottweiler) were circling me on my bike. Fortunately, they ran off with just my yelling "Get, go home!" and waving my jacket at them.

CamelBak L.U.X.E 3L

TREKKING POLES
I have some New Balance Expert trekking poles that I received for Mothers Day. I haven't used them yet, but I will be using them this coming week. I can imagine how helpful they will be (especially to someone with a falling habit), when fording any creeks or rivers. Mine have adjustable height and built-in shock absorbers. They are supposed to give your arms a good workout, too. I imagine they'd be pretty good for fighting off any misbehaving dogs or wildlife or even naughty people, too. I'll keep you posted.

New Balance Expert trekking poles

Don't forget a hat and sun glasses! Protect your eyes, you've only got two and they need to last you a long, long time. Especially important around snow and water, which reflect the sun.

That's about all for now. I'm sure that I have forgotten something. Remember, buy what works for YOU, don't give in to peer pressure. I'd also love to hear what YOUR favorite gear is.

Happy Hiking!

Hike 2 of 47 - Fragrance Lake

2011-08-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Fragrance Lake (elev. 1,100') is located in the Chuckanut Mountains, which are reached via Route 11. The Chuckanuts are foothills of the Cascades and the only place where the mountains meet the ocean. The views can be amazing, looking out over Samish Bay, with the San Juan Islands on the horizon.

Sunday morning came a bit too early for me! I knew it would....and it did. Being an evening shift worker, I'm usually just getting tired around 2:00, falling asleep around 3:00 a.m., and my best sleep occurs between 4:00 and 8:00 a.m., so the thought of getting up and out of the house by 8:00 is enough to make me cringe....and it did. However, I really wanted to be on this trail long before the crowds on what was going to be a beautiful, warm summer day. So, I set my alarm for 7:15 and woke up at 7:10. Most of my gear was waiting by the door, so I got dressed, downed a cup of coffee, loaded up Jack and I was on the road by 7:55. I headed north on I-5 for about 5 miles, and exited at Exit 231 (Route 11-Chuckanut Drive). Within one mile of exiting the freeway, the farm lands were enveloped in a fairly thick fog. As I headed north, the fog seemed to be getting thicker. Naturally, I was hoping it would burn off by the time I trudged my way to the viewpoint on the way to Fragrance Lake.

I was the first car at the small parking lot at the trail head, located just after the entrance to Larrabee State Park. The trail head parking is on the right and holds about 6 or 7 cars. I backed in to make leaving that much easier. Route 11 is a narrow, winding road and backing out onto it on a busy summer weekend could be difficult. I hung my Discover Pass on my rear view mirror, put on my pack and we were off.

My GPS listed this trail head at about 170' elevation. This trail starts with couple steep switchbacks, meets up with the Interurban Trail, I turned right and after about 25' I picked up the Fragrance Lake trail on my left. I climbed and climbed up a series of switchbacks passing a tipped-over tree. It always amazes me how big the root ball is on these trees. Although this tree was only about 3 feet in diameter, look at how big across the roots are. It's difficult to put into words for others, so I sat Jack in front of it for comparison sake. He's a good size dog, over 90 lbs and about 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall. Quite impressive...

Jack in front of a tipped-over tree

From the trail head, I climbed for about 40 minutes before reaching a well-marked turn off to a Viewpoint. That's what the sign said "Viewpoint .2 mi". On this trail, there was one blow-down that took a big step over. Initially I thought that one could prove challenging for little kids, but if they made it up those switchbacks, then that toppled over tree won't be much of a hindrance. Out at the viewpoint was a nice log to rest on, and a split rail fence to (hopefully) keep anyone from falling back down to the roadway. Unfortunately, the marine layer was still resting over Samish Bay. Although beautiful in its own way, I wanted to see the islands and the water. I could see the tip top of some islands poking through the white cloud layer.

Looking west over Samish Bay

We headed back down the Viewpoint trail and turned left on the main trail making our way toward Fragrance Lake. As I came to the main trail, I could hear some women talking, and so did Jack. The trail then began another series of steep switchbacks and the we took a break on a log bench, to let the women catch up and pass us. We passed these amazing "nurse trees"....I just love these trees!

At least 3 trees growing on top of this downed tree. Isn't nature amazing?

And one tree growing right on top of what's left of what was a GIGANTIC tree.

The lake is another 1.1 miles from the Viewpoint trail. It may just be my imagination, but the second set of switchbacks seems harder than the first set, although the elevation gain is very similar. Perhaps there are fewer switchbacks, I don't know and I didn't have the energy to count them!

Just before reaching the lake we passed through a bike barricade. Fragrance Lake trail is open to hikers only while other trails allow horses and/or mountain bikers. I saw none of either of those. When we reached the lake, Jack walked into the very clear water and took several long, cool drinks. After he finished quenching his thirst and cooling off, we headed counter-clockwise around the 7/10 mile loop around lake, crossing over several boardwalks and bridges that were part of someones Eagle Scout project in 1999. Presently there is not any water passing under them, but some areas were muddy. There are lots of benches placed at waters edge all around the lake. Around the back side of the lake there are some interesting rock formations, that look to be a hangout spot for some people. I saw evidence of a camp fire that was built under a rock overhang. Lots of skimming bugs flying over the lake, too.

Beautiful spot for a picnic!

As we approached what I thought was the completion of our orbit around the lake, we headed off to the right to pick up the next leg of our hike. After about 1/10 of a mile, I realized that this area did not look familiar, so I turned around to see what I would have seen on my way up....nope, definitely did not look familiar at all. I must admit there was a very brief moment of panic; am I lost? How could I be lost? Then I realized that the bridge we just crossed looked similar to the one at the beginning of the loop had we gone clockwise instead...similar, but not the same bridge. So, we walked back to the trail junction we just left, and finished our loop around the trail. Occasionally looking back while hiking is a good way of "staying found"; it gives you another perspective.

We went back to, but not through, the bike barricade and took a left. We passed a lady with her little dog, who was off-leash. It was the first time we've ever passed a little dog who didn't snarl and growl, I was impressed and thought about them for the next several minutes. Within 1/10th of a mile, we got to another bike barricade and out on to what I now know is Fragrance Lake Road. It's an old road, just gravel, trees on both sides. We headed right which was somewhat south, and passed a sign on the left for Lost Lake Trail. Someday we'll do that hike. After stopping to chat with a man and his son, giving them some directions about how to get to Lost Lake Trail, about 1/2 way down this 2 mile road we passed a small waterfall. Jack hopped in and got a drink and I stared at it, somewhat mesmerized by the sight and sounds of the waterfall. It was a small one, maybe a foot wide and falling 15 feet or so, but there is something soothing about the sound of water.

We passed another woman who stopped to pet Jack, and a family with one small child and a dog hell bent on meeting Jack. Soon, I could hear the traffic noise and the trail ended in the Clayton Beach parking lot. Crossing the parking lot, we picked up the Interurban Trail and headed north. One half mile later, were were back at those first few steep switchbacks that started our adventure. The trail itself is excellent condition, rooty in parts, is completely mud-free and downright dusty in parts. I saw many more people who were just headed up the trail as I came back down. I was glad that I made the effort to get up and out of the house "early" to beat the crowds!

Heading back south on Route 11, the traffic was quite a bit heavier and the fog was gone. Many people were pulled off to the turnouts to catch of glimpse of the amazing views of Puget Sound. Next time I'll This was a good hike, an excellent workout and close to home, and I'll certainly be back to explore more of what the Chuckanuts have to offer as part of my 47 Hikes.

Sunshine and Shadows!

The elevation profile pretty much says it all!

Fragrance Lake Summary - 8/28/2011

Miles: 6
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Calories: 1,450

Hike 1 of 47 - Little Mountain

2011-08-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today I was all set to hike in the Chuckanuts; trail map printed out, dog collar and leash by the door, CamelBak filled, stocked and ready to go.....and then the clouds rolled in. I decided to go more local just in case it started to rain. There are amazing views to be had from the Chuckanut trails, and I didn't want to miss them. I know most of you from other parts of the country probably think it rains "ALL THE TIME" in Washington, but it really doesn't. Sssssh, just don't tell anyone that I told you. We have many days of heavy mist, which count as rainy days. For the record, parts of Florida and Hawaii have more rain than Seattle does, it just happens to fall all at once in those places.

I headed out to drive the 2 miles to Little Mountain Road, here in Mount Vernon. Now, before you "glass half empty" kind of people ask me what kind of hike could it possibly be on a mountain called Little Mountain; let me assure you it's a hike!

Little Mountain Park is part of the City of Mount Vernon Parks & Rec Department It's at an elevation of 934' and mostly all beautiful forest. There is a paved road up to the top, for those who'd prefer not to walk. There are approximately 8 miles of trails of varying difficulty and 18 different single-track trails. Many trails are designated for hikers only, but some do allow mountain bikers. Up at the summit are two viewpoints; one looking southwest and the other looking north. Both viewpoints offer beautiful sights, especially on clear days. From the south viewpoint, one can see the Puget Sound, the farmlands of Mount Vernon, the tulips and daffodils in full bloom in April, Mount Erie and Sugarloaf (another two of my 47 hikes). From the north viewpoint you can see our house, the Skagit River, some of the San Juan Islands, the refinery's of Anacortes, Skagit Valley Hospital and much more. Certainly worth a hike, walk, run, pedal or drive to the top.

For today's hike we parked on the side of the paved road and walked up and around the locked gates. Normally the gates are unlocked for vehicle passage around 10:00 a.m. Today I chatted with one of the Parks Depts workers who said they were building a kiosk just inside the gate and were blocking the road with their trucks. Yep...there it is...the new kiosk. Awesome! I saw a total of 3 new kiosks on my hike today. So, that makes a grand total of......3 kiosks!

One of the new kiosks

Another trail, Upper Surfers Way

I generally start walking up the road to see how the asthma is going to behave. Once I was sure it was going to be a good breathing day, I walked up the road for about 1/2 mile to the hairpin turn where I veered left and picked up the trail called "Up Quick"...that should tell you a little bit that trail. Another new thing that the awesome Trail Builders are doing is replacing the wood plank signs that are nailed to trees with these fancy new things that you see here...I think they are made of a synthetic material, similar to Trex decking, that will probably last forever.

New trail signs

After a short jaunt on Up Quick, I took a slight right onto Julienne Trail. A sharp right would have put me on Ridge Trail which I've taken many times. I'd only been on Julienne Trail once before and I distinctly remember crawling up one portion on my hands and knees. My doc, who is one of the trail building regulars on Little Mountain, told me that they put some "steps" on this trail....I was looking forward to seeing what that meant. Now,after a short while on this trail I felt like I was climbing up, only to descend, then up again. I started watching the elevation on my Garmin, and I was right, this trail undulates as it goes along the side of Little Mountain 750'.... 734'.....693'....710'....722'....680'....725' finally I quit watching it because it was irritating me! Although, I must admit, I do LOVE my Garmin Forerunner 305. I love being able to see where I've been, calories, elevation, distance, etc. I love it all!

This trail is marked as "difficult" on the trail map, so I was expecting it to be a good workout. I unleashed Jack since I hadn't seen any other people besides the guys working on the kiosk. It's safer for him and me if I'm not hanging on to his leash when I trip and fall, as I've been known to do. I was enjoying the sights and sounds of the forest when I felt a couple of drops and wondered if it was going to rain, then instantly realized it was sweat dripping into my now-burning eyes. Yep, this trail is a GREAT workout! A few minutes later I heard some thunder boomers and wondered if being on the highest point in town, amongst the tall trees was the best decision I'd made today. The wind was blowing, the trees were creaking and small branches were falling from above. As sheltered as I was in the trees, I still got wet. Although, I must admit, it did feel good!

Here my patient hiking partner, Jack, waits for me. He always waits, never runs off unless it's to the swimming hole. Any turns in the trail where he can't see me, I can always count on him to wait there for me and to come running back to me as soon as I call him. I'm sure he always puts in 3 times the miles that I do, with all the running back and forth. I think he feels it's his duty to watch out for me.

I followed Julienne Trail up past an old car....the only bit of trash that's left, thanks to the Trail Builders. I don't know what kind of car it is, but something from the 1930's or 1940's, I'm sure my hubby Bruce or my brother-in-law Bud will tell me as soon as they see this picture.

What's left of the old car. Can anyone identify it?

We kept on going, up Julienne Trail until we got to those "steps" that Doc mentioned to me. Don't get me wrong, I love these steps! This is the exact spot that had me on my hands and knees, and Jack looking at me like I'd lost my marbles, the that last time I was on this trail. They are BIG steps, for someone vertically challenged like me. Here they are!

Looking UP!!

Looking DOWN!

This park is kept in such great condition by the trail builders and Parks and Rec employees, but they've worked hard at it and pulled out a lot of trash and debris left behind by some thoughtless folks. Julienne Trail was a tad overgrown in parts, but nothing to where I couldn't find the trail itself. I'm sure it's not the most used trail in the park!

We made it to the top, covered in rain and sweat....well, just I was covered in sweat. You can tell by the pictures at the beginning of our hike and the pictures from the top just how much the weather had changed.

When we got to the top, we were much more exposed so I snapped a couple of pictures from underneath the covered viewpoint, then stashed my camera in the unused doggy poop bag I'd been carrying. Here are the shots from the top. The view is much better when it isn't raining.

Southwest view from the summit of Little Mountain. On a clear day you can see the Olympic Mountain range.

Farmlands in south Mount Vernon. That's I-5 in the middle of the picture and part of Puget Sound in the background.

Before heading down, I stood on the grass at the summit and turned my sweaty face skyward. I was thankful for the rain that made my hike much cooler than it would have been otherwise. I opted to head down the paved road, just in case there was anymore thunder and lightening.

All in all, I can always count on Little Mountain as a great local hike. It's close, it's beautiful and it's doable before work. What more can Jack & I ask for?

If you are interested in trail building, visit Mount Vernon Trail Builders. No experience necessary and it looks like they always have a good time! I will be getting out there to help soon. Next work day is September 10th. Check it out!

Little Mountain Park Summary
Miles: 3
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Calories: 1,450

That concludes Hike 1 of 47. Stay tuned for more!

A new adventure!

2011-08-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

Today I'm starting a new adventure.

I will turn 47 in a couple of weeks and I was trying to think of something big, something unforgettable to remember this year by. Something that I will look back upon and be proud. Let's see....what can it be? So, I started thinking of things I'd like to do. I'd like to spend 47 days hanging out at the beach with my daughter...I'd like to take 47 road trips....I'd like to send 47 underpriviledged kids to college....I'd like to see my mom 47 times this year....I'd like to spend 47 days in Ireland. Yeah, I'd love to do all of those, but come on, be real Liz, none of those are going to happen this year.

It's got to be something that I can actually accomplish, but also something that will challenge me. Something that won't be easy, but something that won't be so hard that I quit. Something I have to work for, something that is attainable yet still be proud of myself when I'm done. Something I enjoy doing, that doesn't cost a lot of money, that I can do on my own, that I can drag Jack, my German Shepherd, along with me, that will be a challenge, that will be fun, that will be healthy, that will enable me to see new places, it's got to be something I already love to do....then it hits me...HIKING! I'll do 47 hikes in my 47th year!

Jack

So many hikes pop into my mind. I'm fortunate enough to be smack dab between the North Cascades and the Olympic Mountains. Hundreds and hundreds of hiking trails are right outside my back door. The hardest part will be choosing which hikes to take. Some will be easy while others will challenge the heck out of me. Some will be very close to home, others may be a couple hundred miles away, but all will be in the beautiful Pacific Northwest that I call home. Having grown up in the desert of southern California, the clean air, the deep, cold Puget Sound and the gigantic trees still amaze me.

Being in the great Pacific Northwest, winters in the North Cascades are brutal. It's mid-August and many trails are still under many feet of snow. Who knows if they will even melt out this year. Snow can occur during any of the 12 months here, not to mention avalanches, bears, volcanos..... It's an amazingly beautiful place to live yet Mother Nature let's us know that she rules the roost. So, hiking season is short if you aren't inclined to take along snow shoes or crampons and an ice ax, therefore I'm getting an early start to get as many hikes in before winter strikes again.

There....I've done it. I have set a goal and said it out loud. That makes me accountable to you all. I want to accomplish that goal while seeing some of the most amazing country on this Earth. I'll share my adventure through words and pictures. I invite you to come along with me; either in person or in spirit. Come along with me on my journey. I'm going to have the time of my life and I hope that you will too.