Wanderings of Adventure Girl

Haystack Rock

2012-01-31T15:12:00.000-08:00

As I look at the massive basalt sea stack called Haystack Rock, I can't help but hear my co-workers joke about the plethora of images online of this iconic image of Cannon Beach. "Hey look! Another image of Haystack Rock. I was beginning to worry as we hadn't seen on in the past five minutes or so." But there is good reason for the amount of images of this feature. It sticks out of the waves like an intertidal Mt Denali. So massive it dwarfs the other sea stacks nearby. Add to this the fact that Cannon Beach is a popular tourist destination with thousands of people visiting each weekend, you end up with a lot of images online. So it is very hard to find a new & fresh look at Haystack Rock to photograph.

I was somewhat disappointed about heading to Cannon Beach on a recent photo trip. But as the other participants in the group were excited about going, I decided why not add one more image to the mix. I mean, look at how many pictures I've taken of Mt Rainier from all the overlooks & trail heads.

So here I was on Cannon Beach bouncing on my toes to stay warm on a January pre-dawn morning, looking at Haystack Rock and wondering how my co-workers would haze me about my subject choice. I evaluated the scene - including the moon would be nice, I also liked the rocks to the south. The reflection in the sand could be interesting. Just before the sun rose above the coastal mountains behind, the wispy clouds lit up.

The scenes had an other-worldly look to it - pink clouds in a purple sky, the moon shining through over a barren looking landscape. I loved it. So here is my addition to the numerous Haystack Rock images out there. I hope you enjoy at least one more.

A long time has passed

2012-01-29T14:59:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since I last posted on my blog & a lot has happened. The biggest would be that my husband & hiking partner split up to follow our own directions. I almost quit leading hikes . . . and at times almost quit most everything I enjoyed in my life. But through the love and support of my friends I regained the confidence in myself I once had and added to it. I am back!

I want to restart my blog, but add to it also. Not only do I want to share my experiences on the trail & through my adventures, I will add the background information for some of my photos - inspirations and technical details. I'll also include issues and trends in both the outdoor world and photography.

I welcome you back and hope you gain insight & inspiration from my blog.

Thank You!

Heidi "Adventure Girl" Walker

Looking for a Sign

2010-04-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Cowiche Mountain, 4/11/10, 6 miles, 1100 elevation

Sometimes it's a good idea to scout out an unfamiliar trail prior to leading a group of hikers into the vast wilderness. Never mind that my good friend told me that following the trail would be no problem as it is well signed. Ignore the fact that we were hiking in the steppe plateau near Yakima. Who can get lost? Me, it seems.

All seemed to start out all right. We found our way to the trailhead, but things began to go wrong almost from the start. The well-signed trail was not as well-signed as I would have hoped. We came to a junction and the only sign I saw was to the left so we followed that sign. We did get to see a Barred Owl high in a tree as we walked and a little later a coyote running through the scrub.

But we noticed a problem as we came to another junction - there were no signs. The trail heading left petered out as it reached the brush - the trail right was wide and looked well traveled. However, 1/4 mile into it this trail also disappeared. We backtracked but could not find where we lost the trail. The mountain top could be seen in the distance so we started cutting through the sage cross country, oblivious to private property.

At some point, while reading the terrain, we spotted other hikers coming down the mountain. A decision was made to head in their direction and hopefully pick up the trail from there. Sure enough, after crossing one last ravine and traversing the mountainside a while, we came across the trail with cairns and signs.

The wind picked up as we ate lunch and soon we were heading back down the hill on the same trail. I had to find out where we lost our way. Approaching one gated fence, we found a sign handily placed behind a bush. Soon we came to the junction with the wide trail and the petered out trail. Sure enough, the trail that "disappeared" was the trail we should have followed, yet there were no signs pointing the way. Finally coming to the 1st junction, we spotted another sign in the direction we should have followed.

But what is adventure without a little exploration?

The Grey Wolf

2010-04-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

Lower Grey Wolf River, 4/10/10, 7 miles, 600 elevation

I have always had a pull to the Olympic Peninsula. Ever since I was a child, my family's vacations in the rich dark forests were looked upon by me as an escape from everything that troubled a young child's mind. So when the opportunity to change the destination of our CHS hike because of poor scheduling on our part (note to self: read the tide tables PRIOR to scheduling the trip), I jumped at the chance to explore an area I had not yet explored - the Grey Wolf River.

Deep in the Buckhorn Wilderness flows the Grey Wolf River, not well known but no less beautiful than the more well known rivers of the Olympic peninsula. Protected by the thick forest in the rainshadow of the Olympics rushes over rocks and meanders around thick bends. In the spring, runoff from melting snows up high swells the waters to a raucous noise. But as we were hiking early in a late snow year, the river was a quiet companion whispering of its journey to the sea.

The trail is generally flat with a few hills to climb over but always the moss and fern covered forest floor awaits you as you descend back to the river's side. Sun sparkled through the heavy trees and you wonder with the thickness of moss, ferns and tree if this is truly a rainshadow forest. In comparison to the rainforests of the Hoh & Quinault there can be no doubt. Yet a comparison to even forests along the western Cascades, the lush life belies the thought.

We stopped at river's edge for lunch just prior to the washout before turning back towards home. And the life of the Olympics still thrives in my soul.

April Snows bring . . . ?

2010-04-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Big Creek Loop, 4/3/10, 4.5 miles, 600 elevation

Our plans were made in February - an unseasonably warm February where we hiked trails normally closed until April or May. Our excitement in getting to destinations early in the season was uncontained as we planned the hikes for this year's Conditioning Hike Series. Even so, Big Creek Loop is hikable in the early season - one of the reasons I enjoy the hike on the SE side of the Olympic Peninsula. The forest is filled with the new green of spring. But not this year. No, this year brought us snow - a lot of it.

Our merry little group started out at the Big Creek campground in a spotty dusting of snow, telling stories and getting to know each other, stopping to identify fox prints in the snow. A slight rain began to fall on us as we started our climb through the trees. It wasn't long before the rain showers turned into snow showers. Soon, it was just plain snowing and accumulating on the trail, ferns & trees.

Knowing I had a few newer hikers on the trip, I asked if anyone was uncomfortable. There waas still time to turn back, but this being a loop everyone opted to continue on. One of the features I love about this trail is that there are several different streams to cross as well as Big Creek. Big Creek is at the apex of the climb then the trail follows the other side of the drainage back down to the campground. By the time we crossed the bridge over Big Creek, we were hiking through 8 inches of snow - almost perfect for snowshoes.

I had hoped for lunch at a little bench tucked in the trees next to the creek. But the snow wasn't relenting so we traveled a little further until I could not postpone lunch any longer - my hikers needed to eat. So we huddled together under Alder swaying with the wind. Adding insult to injury, the wind knocked chunks of snow off the trees with well-aimed precision, splattering on our heads and down our jackets.

Soon we were down to the land of rain showers and a dusting of snow - ready to see what the rest of the season brings us.

Dust Storms and Blowing Snow

2010-03-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

Boundary Trail, 3/20/10, 8.5 miles, 800 elevation

Helen Thayer wrote in her account of Walking the Gobi about the endless wind carrying sand and rocks into every crack and crevice. I could almost sympathize after a hike along the Boundary Trail from the Hummocks to the Loowit Viewpoint on a particularly windy March day.

The volcanic landscape of Mt St Helens lends itself to this type of a comparison as life has barely taken root in the ash and pumice on the wind-swept slopes. As the winds whip around the tree-bare hills, it picks the tiny and not so tiny particles left from the last eruption 30 years ago.

The trail leads you through hummocks, mounds of ash and earth from inside the volcano deposited when the mountain blew out the north flanks. Then up the hill to Loowit Viewpoint - an perfectly unobstructed view. However the hiker will have magnificent views all along the trail. Along the way you will also find evidence of the forest's past when lumber was the primary industry - now industry belongs to tourism. From the Loowit Viewpoint, you can continue on the Boundary trail east into the Cascades.

Go before the Johnston Ridge Observatory is open in May and you are fairly guaranteed solitude.

Spring in Cowiche

2010-03-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

Cowiche Canyon, 3/13/10, 8 miles, 450 elevation

Spring in Washington brings images of grey skies and cold rain, but there is another Washington, a dry side, a warm side, a sunnier side on the other side of the mountains. Great hiking can be found here east of the Cascades when the weather hasn't calmed down on the "wet" side.

Outside of Yakima is a Conservation area known as Cowiche Canyon - an old railroad that once lead from the Cowiche area to Ellensburg and Wenatchee. After the railroad was no longer in need, the canyon became neglected until the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy decided to preserve the area.

A walk in the canyon along the creek that carved it's way through the volcanic rock, reveals a long geologic history when this landscape was created by the tumult of eruptions. Basalt in various stages of erosion makes up the walls of the canyon reminds me slightly of canyon in the southwest. The sandstone and basalt appear to have similar erosion patterns.

While the canyon floor was devoid of flowers this early in the season there were remnants of last year's floral display. A short hike to the rim of the canyon, reveals an amazing carpet of color: Grass Widows, Prairie Violets and Yellow Bells glimmering in the sun.

All it takes is a little willingness to drive a little farther and you'll enjoy a little bit of the joys of hiking the shoulder season.

To learn more about the Conservancy, go to their website: http://cowichecanyon.org/.

There be Ghost Towns here!

2010-03-01T10:18:00.001-08:00

Melmont & Manly Moore, 2/28/10, 10 miles, 100 elevation

Tucked away in the dense rainforest northwest of Mt Rainier hides a pice of Washington history un-noticed by the outdoor enthusiasts rushing to the many trails and camp sites closer to and inside the park. A history reflected in the names given to features and settlements in the area: Carbon River, Carbon Glacier, Carbonado. A history that supplied the nation with fuel at the turn of the 20th century. A history of a vibrant life, ending so suddenly remnants are still seen if one knows where to look and takes the time to slow down for a glance.

The towns of Melmont, Fairfax, and Manly Moore were once thriving coal mine towns serviced by a railroad and train arriving once a week. After more pure coal was found and mined elsewhere in the country, the town structures were dismantled and the railroad tracks pulled up. But even now, a walk along the old railroad bed will turn up treasures telling of a history not long in our past yet almost forgotten.

The foundation of the old Melmont schoolhouse still overlooks the level meadows where the town once resided. An old work trucks rests in the embrace of a vine maple where it was abandoned so long ago - moss and fern replacing the paint and hinges. A shack still stands along the trail and stories tell of explosives being kept there. And here and there along the way evidence of a once rich coal mining area spills from the hillsides.

I LOVE my Yak-Tracks

2010-02-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

Bearhead Mountain, 2/21/10, 3 miles, 1000 elevation

The invitation read "Join me on a strenuous hike up the winter route of Bearhead Mountain." Sounded like my kind of a hike. That the invitation came from my buddy Dave who hiked up to Camp Muir with me last summer, I knew I'd be in for an adventure. Two other friends met us in Orting for breakfast before we started the drive out to the trailhead. Dave proved to be an excellent tour guide as he pointed out features and remnants of towns along the road.

We reached snow just short of the trailhead but Dave just pushed right through to the parking area. We had originally thought we wouldn't need our snowshoes at first, but with the freezing temperatures ice lined the trail instead of secure snow. It didn't take us long of slipping and sliding before we called a truce and put on the snowshoes. From then our way became easier and we sped along to our first short break, Twin Lake. Yes that is singular.

From Twin Lake our climb began. The summer route is a moderate 4.5 mile climb. The winter route shortens this by 2 miles as we climb right up the spine of her back. We followed a cross-country route through the trees, using our bark-y friends to help us along. We came upon an open area and rapidly crossed to the next forested area to continue our climb. At some point through the trees, I looked up the hill ahead of me and froze. I would have to come down that in these conditions?

I love walking in my snowshoes and find them very comfortable in most conditions. However, on steep icy slopes, my confidence in my snowshoes falter. At this point one of our companions slipped and fell grabbing onto a sapling to stop her slide. I knew I wasn't going any further. Dave came back down to help me find a place to sit and wait for the group to return and I settled in for a cold stay. The sun hadn't yet reached my little stump and a breeze started blowing up over the ridge. I put on as many layers as I could and started to pace. Once my toes got cold I started swinging my feet and jumping up & down. Amazingly, my hands never got cold - my new double layer ragg wool mittens were working marvelously. Probably the best 12.00 I ever spent.

Finally Dave & the other returned making sure I knew I had made a good decision - the conditions only got worse above. But I still had to try to maneuver down steep slopes with my snowshoes. Dave recommended I put on my Yak Traks to see if they helped. All I can say is, they certainly did. Another wonderful investment for my outdoor life. We made fast time down the hill and I never slipped once. We gain stopped at Twin Lake for a few photo ops before making our way back out to the parking area - I in my Yak Traks and the rest in their snowshoes.

Old Dogs

2010-02-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

Greenwater Lakes, 2/15/10, 3.5 miles, 100 elevation

Over the years, I have watched with a heavy heart as my beloved Olympia has become lame. She had torn her ACLs and doesn't get around the house very easily. Every time we go on a hike, especially with Zillah, her big brown eyes watch with sadness as we head out the door without her. It breaks my heart each time we leave. She had been my hiking companion for years and now she stays home while I train another. But she is always there, happy to see me, when I return.

Today's hike would be a short one, only a couple of miles to the 1st lake and back. Since the girls had been locked up in the house for some time, we decided to bring them both along with us. My heart swelled as I watched Olympia, a grin on her face, lope after Zillah sniffing trees and ferns, marking their way. When we had to cross the creek on a high log bridge, Olympia led the way tail wagging. I left the trail to take pictures of a small waterfall, Olympia was right by my side as she had been for so many years.

But we knew when we got to the lake that Olympia had reached her limit. She began to walk more slowly and stayed closer to us than she had on the way in - a sure sign that she was hurting. At the car, she leaped into the back without hesitation but once we were home she barely moved. We had to carry her to bed when the time came. I nearly cried as I realized that this would be her last hike. It had to be, she is now longer the pup I brought home, but the old lady who will be at home to meet me.

Fabulous February

2010-02-09T09:51:00.001-08:00

Lime Kiln, 2/6/10, 6 miles

In an El Nino year, weather in the Puget Sound area just isn't right. February is a time for rain in the lowlands and snow in the mountains. Either we stay at home snug in a quilt reading a book or we're out snowshoeing in the gloriousness of Washington winter. However, this year, this El Nino year, snowshoeing has been sketchy at best so we're forced to look for hikes that are rewarding in both scenery and exertion. Luckily, also in this El Nino year, we are getting far more sunny days than normal - as we did this past weekend's Mountaineers hike along the Lime Kiln Trail.

Lime Kiln Trail starts from just outside Granite Falls and meanders along the Stillaguamish River through moss dripping forest. With the sun still at a low angle, the moss was aglow with fire as the sun stretched across the sky. Every now and then we'd come across some old artifact narrating the mining and logging past of the area. A rusted saw blade here, a speckled pot there until finally we reached the old Lime Kiln used to cook lime in a time not that far in the past.

We finally settled down for lunch near the river. As the water danced over the rocks, the light of a mid-winter day danced across the ripples. I could hardly make myself sit still - all that light dancing and rippling through our little world just made my eyes sparkle. We finally hiked out, carrying on conversations we had started earlier in the day with new friends and old.

Sometimes it's just fun to hike in a group on a bright day rare in the northwest.

Issaquah Alps

2010-02-09T09:50:00.001-08:00

Cougar Mtn Ramble, 1/30/10, 6 miles

When the snows aren't flying and the weather isn't raining, why not go for a hike with friends? And Cougar Mountain is a great place for a mid-winter hike with it's low elevation and criss-crossing trails. One could hike there all day and never see the same scenery more than once.

Our little gang of hardy hikers started out at the Red Town trail head and slowly made our way around old mining paraphernalia stopping to read about the mining history from the information kiosks set about along the trail and mining locations.

From there, we started up the hill to DeLeo Wall and a magnificent view of Mt Rainier. Well, on a less cloudy day, a hiker might be able to see Mt Rainier but today the clouds hung low so the view was minimized to the valley and the towns that are gobbling up the green.

From the wall, we meandered our way back down the hill following a different route to end up on the other side of the hill near a little stream and waterfall with mossy clumps. It was decided after one of our group commented that he likes mossy clumps that we'd eat lunch at the waterfall . . . and mossy clumps.

Our way back to the trail head took us along an old road past the Red Town townsite that is now being rehabilitated back to a woodland meadow. The way was wide enough for several of us to walk shoulder-to-shoulder telling stories and jokes and recited the occasional poem. What a great way to end a woodland ramble with friends.

New Year's Snowshoe

2010-01-04T19:52:00.000-08:00

Gold Creek - Snoqualmie Pass, 1/1/10

A simple way to ring in the New Year - snowshoe with friends at one of the few places we'd be guaranteed snow. We brought along a few newbies (friends who had not yet snowshoed) to show them the ropes. We didn't plan a long day, just long enough for our friends to get out and try a new sport.

The road started out crowded with other snowshoers and many young sledders. After getting the feel for the shoes, we had our friends treading through fresh snow - making their own trails, something I thinks is the most fun of snowshoeing.

And all too soon it was over, but warm drinks & hot food afterward just sealed our friendship and desire to head out again.

New Year's Visions

2009-12-31T20:59:00.001-08:00

As I look back over 2009, I am struck by all the adventures I went on.

Helped a friend get to safety during an extended snowshoe.

1st time rock climbing.

Survived a spring snow storm in Moab.

Getting my hike leader certificate for the Mountaineers.

Rode on a zip-line.

1st 3-day solo backpack combined w/ 1st backpack on the PCT.

Spent a night at Camp Muir.

Stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.

It was a good year, filled with good memories. Next year can only be better.

Inventory Trip #2

2009-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

Northern California, 12/14-12/18/09

My second trip for work in the DYNW Great Inventory Count was through Northern California with co-worker Amanda. We'd be heading to some of my favorite places in North Cali and meeting some great people who work with us.

Our first day was spent on the "big loop" around Lassen National Park taking counts of our sites in Lassen National Forest. I love Lassen NP, has all the cool stuff of Yellowstone and none of the crowds. The gateway communities for the park sometimes forget it's there. While that's a shame for the splendid beauty of the park, it's a boon for people like me who enjoy a bit of solitude on the trail. It took us 13 hours to drive the circumference of Lassen hitting Falls River Mill, Susanville and Lake Almanor. By the time we left Lake Almanor it had been snowing for about an hour. As we reached the pass just south of the Park, we were getting warnings that chains were mandatory. As we were driving a rental, chains were not evident. We decided to try our luck anyway. The worst DOT could do was turn us around, making our day even longer. But we got through, just very slowly.

Our next couple of days would be spent driving to the various locations in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Shasta Dam. No more snow storms to drive through, we decided to try our luck with a couple of snowbound tourist destinations - McCloud River Falls and Castle Lake. I would have loved to have gotten closer to Mt Shasta, however the snow would have turned us back before we got to the tree line for an unobstructed view. We decided to be satisfied with the magnificent view from Castle Lake.

From there we drove out to the McCloud River and a series of waterfalls. Always a sucker for waterfalls, I drove along the beat up snow covered rutted road into the falls. and promptly got the car stuck. With much maneuvering and throwing out of ideas, Amanda & I got the car unstuck, grabbed a couple of pictures of the falls, then quickly got ourselves out of the mess we had gotten into.

I never get to spend enough time out in these other areas of our territory and feel I am missing some quality adventures.

Inventory Trip #1

2009-12-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

Eastern Oregon, 12/7-12/10/09

This year our company sent us out to all the corners of the northwest to count inventories. My first trip would be to the Northeast Oregon area - Bend to Enterprise. I was assigned this area because I don't mind driving in snow and there's several passes I would need to go over along my way.

I flew into Redmond/Bend airport late in the morning and stopped by to pick up my rental car. The customer service gal mentioned I'd be driving an H3 and I wondered if I was supposed to know what that code meant. It took me a few seconds to realize that what she meant was an H3 - Hummer. OH S***! I'd be driving a Hummer! My boss & I had been joking about my needing a Hummer for Michael to allow me to go but I really didn't expect to be driving one. But I was glad to have it. Bend had been hit with a snow storm the night before I arrived and then sub-zero temps. The roads were slick. I slipped a little in the H3 but generally the beast handled the conditions rather well. Our manager & I actually had a little fun tootling around town in it.

The next morning, as I stepped out to load the car, the snow crunched beneath my feet. The night had been so cold ice had formed a thick layer on top of the snow. As I tried my best to scrape the ice off my windshield (my arms are too short to reach enough to make a difference) I noticed the temp was -11 degrees. YIKES! Glad to be in a well-heated car. But the sun was coming up, a rosy sky greeted me as I drove to Prineville. It was promising to be a marvelous day. It was -5 when I stopped to take pictures of the steam coming off the lake - my finger quickly froze and I quickly retreated to the warmth of the Hummer.

After Prineville, I made my way to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Last time I was here was spring a couple of years ago. I wanted to see the painted hills unit with snow on them. Again I was happy to have been driving the H3 - the road over Ochoco Divide had several icy miles and the road leading into the Painted Hills unit was nothing but compact snow & ice. But the hills were as amazing in snow as I had hoped. I was having so much fun shooting the shapes & lines I almost didn't notice the cold. Almost. Next time I'm out here in the winter like this I need to stop at Blue Basin - if the painted hills look this cool, I can just imagine how the Blue Basin will look.

I stayed the night in John Day and the next morning made my way to one of my favorite areas in Eastern Oregon - the Wallowas. The day was so cold the cows standing out in the their fields had a bright shimmer of frost coating their hairs. The cold was becoming torturous. I was luxuriously warm in the Hummer. I toured around the Wollowa valley after the inventory count was finished. Drove to the end of Wallowa Lake and hoped for a sunset but there wasn't one happening for me. Explored a couple backroads and came across a stream with unusual ice formations - the ice had a rippled effect underneath the stream. Was so cool I had to get a couple of shots.

The next morning as I started my drive back to Bend and the airport I was stopped by steam coming off the Wallowa River hoarfrost forming on the branches and rocks, the sun streaming through to create a golden mist. I was enthralled. A To me, a marvelous send-off to my trip.

Haloweenies

2009-10-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Old Robe Valley & Big 4 Ice Caves, 10/31/09, 5 miles, 100 elevation

Forget the Trick-or-Treaters. Forget the parties. Give me a rainy Halloween in the woods.

A few years ago, a friend invited us on a Halloween hike. However, we had other plans and had to forego the fun. Another invitation came this year and we pushed aside all other invitations to go. The name our friends were giving to our day of hiking was the Tunnels of Terror. The only terror, was that I'd actually hike with an umbrella. Yes the rain was falling so heavily as we started out down the Robe Valley that I actually pulled out the umbrella. I'm a true Seattleite and hiking with an umbrella just seems wrong. But after a backpack in Mt Rainer a few years ago when it rained all 5 days of our outing, I decided getting soaked thru-and-thru may not be the most enjoyable way to spend a day.

We finished the Robe Valley hike without reaching the washed out section right before railroad tunnel. We then decided to head up to the Big Four Ice Caves for a quick picnic and another short hike. For lunch, we broke out our costumes and bags of candy to share. Then we were off on the trail to the ice caves. Rain continued to drench our boots from both the top and the bottom from the puddles accumulating in the trail. At points, the trail itself was a stream bed for a stream that had over run its banks.

We played a bit at the caves then returned to town for well deserved hot cocoa and dry socks and looking forward to another Halloween hike. You too can find fun places to hike on Halloween. But don't forget your costumes and don't leave behind the candy, Halloween is for the kid in all of us after all.

A Little Fall Color

2009-10-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hoh Rainforest, 10/23/09-10/25/09

When I was a young girl, my family would spend a week in the Hoh Rainforest every other summer. Some summers were wetter than others and I can remember hours spent inside our trailer reading as rain pattered on the roof and windows. There was something special in the rainforest. I knew it even then. So now when I want some time to feel the primal forces of life, I head to the rainforest. I love the rainforest in the summer, but began to appreciate what the forest had to offer in the autumn and will often take refuge in the cooler damper days of October.

This year I took a group of photographers with me to explore the old growth trees adorned with thick moss. We camped in the campground inside the park and woke to elk foraging through the undergrowth. A few of my fellow campers gathered at a safe distance to set up cameras as the elk settled in for a mid-morning nap. We took our leave of the dozing elk to meander through the Hall of Mosses nature trail.

We stopped to photograph a Pileated Woodpecker high on a snag. A stream then held our attention for a while before we started up the hill to the trail. Our group laughed and talked and photographed all morning and early afternoon. On our way out wee were stopped by the sighting of a Northern Pygmy Owl and we just couldn't seem to tear ourselves away. But we had to as the promise of a sunset at Ruby Beach was becoming more of a reality.

As we sat at Ruby Beach waiting for the sun to lower below the horizon we noticed our promise of color would be blocked by a fast approaching cloud bank. Not wanting to waste an opportunity, I began to photograph the waves as they came up the beach. Their foam trails heading back out to sea excited me and the rest of the group had to pull me away for dinner.

The next morning, the elk had moved on and so would we - onto Sol Duc Falls and more moss-covered forest. Each photographer that had joined me on my outing to my corner of living forest came away with great memories, photos and stories.

Colorado National Monument

2009-10-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

10/10/09

We were finally coming to an end. We had left Mesa Verde early in the morning, stopped to see the Black Canyon of the Gunnison then veered off the highway to one last little green spot on the map - Colorado National Monument. It took a little wheedling but I convinced Michael that we should at least see what this was all about. He wasn't too sure - how could anything interesting be found so close to Grand Junction. He was wrong.

Nestled into the hills are a network of canyons and mesas, needing to be explored. Not by us, at least not yet. Ute Canyon was the most intriguing for me and the creek wove its way through the cottonwoods just starting to turn. It seemed like a fabulous fantasy world and I wanted to follow the creek into another world. It was not to be - we needed to be on our way.

Add yet another treasure to the list of need to see more.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

2009-10-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

10/10/09

Talk about places we visited and didn't stay long enough, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park would be at the top of that list. One quick run into the visitor center then a short drive up the rim road was all the time we spared. How silly of us!

Here is a place of grand geologic proportions that an hour is far too little to even scratch the surface. All I could do was take a few snapshots and read the pamphlet to better understand what I was missing. Do not make the same mistake - find the time to explore this wonder.

Mesa Verde

2009-10-19T10:57:00.001-07:00

10/9/09

The alcove was filled with a sort of revered silence, the sort you "hear" in a cathedral or museum. The ancient masonry seemed to echo the silence all around, hushing our voices into a whisper. It was hard to imagine a lively bustling world here - children running, laughing around their mothers who ground grain gossiping about the latest romances, men bringing in their latest hunting successes. That was hundreds of years ago. Now it was a small group of tourists speaking in hushed tones in deference to the spirits that seemed to be watching us.

A little paranoid? Maybe. However, whenever I walk through an old ruin such as this, I have a sense that i am sharing this space with those who walked before. I first felt these other "souls" while visiting the castles of Germany. Late in the afternoon, when few people were around, I could almost sense the bustle of castle life around me.

here at Cliff Palace, early in the morning with only a dozen other tourists in our group, the effect was similar. Except there was no bustle just the answering tones of hushed voices in the shadows. It could have been a echo from our conversations, but I like the fantasy of a place so special it holds the essence of those who once lived there.

As the day wore on and we were surrounded by more tourists, the effect was lost. It wouldn't be lost on my memory - to have sensed the life a place once held.

Chaco Canyon

2009-10-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

10/7/09

Dark and lonely rural road late at night. No one else around as we drove along, static playing intermittently on the radio scanning for a station - any station. "Make a right up here." We turned just as another set of headlights appeared coming toward us. They turned to follow. They appeared to be catching up. I didn't say a word, but I knew what Michael was thinking. He had watched one too many horror movies. As the car following gained on us, Michael pushed the gas pedal closer to the floor. And he wonders why I don't watch those types of movies. "Our turn is coming up." I hoped the car wouldn't make this turn also - Michael's paranoia was rubbing off on me. We turned, the other car continued on. whew. But that would not be the last of our concerns. The last 20 miles to Chaco Canyon were on a heavily potholed and washboarded dirt road. If we broke an axle out here . . . I don't want to think about what would have happened. Sure, someone would have come along at some point.

As the next day dawned, we were rewarded with Chaco Canyon and its wondrous ruins. I saw my first pueblo ruins while in New Mexico several years ago and was enraptured by the story and the fantasy of it all. Walking through the ruins of the Chaco Culture only emboldened the images in my mind. Here was a valley filled with communities large and small of lives lived centuries ago.

There are 6 pueblos along the road through Chaco Canyon all within easy walking distance of each other. We meandered from one to the other, stopping to observe petroglyphs on the sandstone cliffs or watch the Cliff Sparrows flit in and out of their nests. We had a wonderful morning speculating what the drawings meant or how the ancient people lived. All the while we wondered when we could come back to explore the 6 backcountry ruins.

We both became fascinated with the different construction methods - how the bricks were laid, the wood supports. Including how these structures have been able to stand over the elements and the years. Time and weather have taken their toll and we watched as park employees worked on shoring up the crumbling walls. It may be race against inevitability,but while the structures last, we have a small window to view a past in all our lives.

Petrified Forest

2009-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

10/6/09

In the deserts of eastern Arizona is a magical colorful place - Petrified Forest National Park. We were hurtling down the interstate late in the day as we came upon the park that straddles the highway. Since we weere herre to explore, we decided to make a quick drive through as much of the park as we could with at least one stop for a nature hike.

Our first stop overlooked the painted desert unit of the park. I was immediately struck by how much the colors reminded me of the Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon. In the late afternoon sun, they seemed to radiate with color. We hastened our way along to our next stop, pueblan ruins and petroglyphs. Our view was of flat prairie extending seemingly forever. I felt uneasy the first time I had ever seen the prairie-lands in their immensity. I grew up in the forest-cloistered northwest where our next view was always obstructed by another tree. As I lived longer in the midwest and its prairies, I began to recognize the beauty in them. This afternoon, the extensive views were relaxing, a soothing presence to my soul.

Up to this point, we hadn't seen much of the petrified forest but as we drove along we began to see the ancient logs, the wood fibers replaced by silicone particles lying about the eroded hills. It was here we decided to get out of the car for a stroll along a pathway through eroded hills that slowly exposed the fallen trees. The lowering sun cast dramatic shadows along the hillsides highlighting the cracks and crevices, exposing trees still embedded in the sandstone. It was a fascinating place that deserves more than the little time we devoted to it. I can only hope we are able to return soon.

Walnut Canyon

2009-10-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

10/6/09

We love finding those little out of the way treasures while road-tripping. Sometimes it's a country road filled with bucolic scenes. Sometimes it's a little known national treasure. Sunset Canyon the day before was one of those. And now, just off interstate 40, we came across Walnut Canyon - a community of cliff dwellings in a quaint, colorful, bucolic canyon.

The native Americans who settled here came from closer to the volcano called Sunset Crater. Driven in fear of the earth to a better place with less fear. They found Walnut Canyon and as we walked around the cliff dwellings, we could understand why this seemed like an idyllic place to live. In fact, Michael began looking for a nice piece of real estate to build his own cliff dwelling.

Being near the interstate, people visited here more than Sunset Crater. Yet we had most of our hike to ourselves. The trail wound its way along the cliff walls and into alcoves perfect for building a home. Partial walls were left and fire blackened walls. We could look across the canyon to other dwellings built between the sandstone stria. We could have stayed there all day, but the open road called us along. So with hearts not sad but thoughtful, we left to find a picnic spot and then back to the interstate.

Sunset Crater

2009-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

10/5/09

Every now and then we stumble across a hidden gem while on a road trip. This trip we stumbled across two gems in the National Park Service that we never heard about. The first is Sunset Crater, a volcano that erupted centuries ago and disrupted the lives of the native peoples who lived in the area. The story of Sunset Crater still lives on in the narratives of local Indians.

Our stay would be overnight and it would be our coldest night on the road. We had a fabulous fire to warm ourselves before going to bed. I had hoped to stay up for star trails, but the temperatures were dipping into the low twenties. The fire and my sleeping bag sounded far more comforting that a chilly night beside the tripod.

In the morning, Michael & I explored the nature trail behind the volcano. We would have liked to make the climb, but the park service closed down climbing on the cinder hill when the trails created gaping scars in the slope. Thirty years later we could still see the scars in the hill.

It's a great little place to see and highly recommended a stop.

Flagstaff & Sedona

2009-10-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

10/5/09

While planning our trip, Michael & I decided we wanted to see the communities of Flagstaff and Sedona. Both were places we wanted to see as they were in our dreams of being places we might desire to live.

Flagstaff came first on our journey out of the Grand Canyon. I had been thinking a lot about this Arizona mountain town for several years. I was wholly disappointed. This was not the quaint mountain town I had been dreaming about, but an average place with sprawl and without personality. Needless to say, we didn't stay long.

To drive to Sedona, we went south through Oak Creek Canyon. From the rim as we started do to the end where we came out to Sedona I knew that this was the place for me. Close canyon walls, pine forest along oak creek, multi-colored sandstone. I was loving it and here I wanted to stay.

And then we entered Sedona. If there is a more perfect setting for a town I can't think of it. The sandstone formations surrounding town made this little piece of heaven feel as if we had driven into a faerie land. I was smitten.

Grand Canyon

2009-10-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

10/4-10/5/09

My hands rested lightly on the rail. In front of me a hole deep and wide filled with the colors of the ages. I was here. On the edge. The most famous hole in the world. A gash so wide, so long it takes days to travel the rim or to float down the Colorado River that tirelessly carved this masterpiece that we know as the Grand Canyon. I couldn't stop the smile from my lips or the satisfaction in my heart.

I wanted to drink in the scene in front of me - the color, the lines, the light. The mesas and ridges faded off into the distance as the sun faded in the sky. This was a moment of discovery and I wanted it to last. And I wanted to share it. The light finally faded from the sky and we made our way to find camp - to set up the tent in the dark and make a dinner I was glad we couldn't really see. At least it went down all right.

Predawn and I found myself walking along the road to the lookout closed to all vehicles except the shuttle which hadn't started its run. I was there alone. Surely there must be someone else here in the early morning cold and wind. No one. I wandered along the rim to see where I wanted to be as the sun rose above the horizon. It was the alpenglow on the mesas that stopped me in my tracks. They seemed to vibrate with color and light. I alone was its witness. A discovery for myself, a discovery to share.

Later, after a visit to the Kolb Studio, we rode the shuttle to Hermit's rest for a hike back. Glimpses of the river below made us yearn for a trip of a lifetime. What I would give for that trip. To see the canyon from such a view. To explore the side canyons. To explore the ages.

We took a side trail, the trail that was replaced by the new wider and paved trail that was farther from the rim. We wanted to be closer, to see over the edge. An amazing experience to see down into the canyon while hanging onto a tree clinging to the edge - your only support from falling in. Then below us a fox darted along the edge. Something we would never had seen if we had stayed on the paved trail. He darted into a crevasse then back out and around the corner. Now that was a great little experience.

As we soaked in the day's experience over lunch, a large dark shaped floated on the winds just above the canyon rim. A condor. How great! Condors drifting on the canyon's currents. I about jumped out of my seat to run for that shot. We saw them after lunch basking in the warmth of the sun, wings outstretched just below us. I was ready to stay longer, but our whirlwind trip spurred us on.

Zion

2009-10-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

10/4/09

I like Zion, but feel as if I hardly know her. What can a person expect if you never make the time. If you want someone to be your best friend, you don't stop to chat for a few seconds as you're moving on to somewhere else. You want to make the time, have a cup of coffee, go shopping, find the secrets and the love between you and your new friend. I haven't made the time to make friends with Zion . . . not yet.

We got in late after Cedar Breaks with the intention to stay all morning, hike through the narrows and get to know this beloved park better. It was a temperamental park we got to know. Winds thrashed through the canyon as I imagined a flash flood would - rattling leaves, bending trees, lifting sand into the air and carrying it along. Above us, the clouds raced across the sky, imitating my own history of stopping by to say hi and then moving on without a look back.

It would be Zion's wind that would make us leave a little earlier than had planned. It wasn't Zion's fault. She just wanted to let me know there is more to her than what I've allowed myself to know. Our hike up along the Virgin River although enjoyable, was wrought with efforts to keep my camera clean and dirt out of my eyes. During a short walk along a more protected area we came across several deer grazing in the trees. A pleasant surprise, especially after seeing a couple of wild turkeys earlier during our ride on the shuttle. Just one of those little secrets I so needed to know.

Driving out from the valley to the upper reaches of Zion, we'd see little arroyos running off along the side of the road and we had to fight the urge to stop to explore them. Again, I had somewhere else to go. Some other place calling. A trip ahead that needed to be finished. When will I make the time to make Zion the trip and not another pace? Soon, as I would love to have Zion as a friend,to be able to stop and have a cup of coffee and learn her secrets.

Cedar Breaks

2009-10-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

10/3/09

I was quiet here. No sound except the crunch of leaves under my feet, the twitter of small birds and the wind through the trees. It was easy to lose myself in the solitude. No-one was here. We had nodded at a few people at the overlooks, watched as kids finished their Jr Ranger badges with one of only two rangers on duty at the visitor center. But it was late, in the day and in the year. A beautiful place such as Cedar Breaks must attract attention during the height of tourist season. Right now I was enjoying the fact that tourist season was definitely over.

A break in the trees beckoned me closer. I gingerly stepped to the edge of the amphitheater walls to admire the sandstone colors and formations spreading out below my toes. Clouds raced overhead hurried along by autumn winds carrying the cold of winter. The "canyon" or amphitheater of Cedar Breaks has eroded over the centuries from the same formation that has given us Bryce Canyon. They are sister canyons; Bryce faces east, Cedar Breaks faces west. Both are breathtaking. But I fear Cedar Breaks does not get the attention her more famous sister gets just a few miles away. Standing on the edge of the cliff right then, I was selfishly happy for that.

Thinking of Michael waiting for me in the car, I turned to continue along the trail the sun at my back. I knew he'd be napping, but the shadows were getting long and I didn't want to give him undue worries. As the trail turned up the hill away from the rim, I stopped to admire the autumn forest with it's browns and golds and spotted my first bit company of company on my journey - a young stag resting at the base of a tree. I said hello, he chewed. I thanked him for the photo opportunity, he watched me leave.

The pond was there at the top of the hill - a pretty little tarn filled with algae and reflections. I stopped to contemplate the color of light bouncing from the leafless trees to the pond to me. The sounds around didn't change; the wind rattled the high limbs of the trees around the pond as I left, my feet stepping on the dried undergrowth fallen across the trail. My heart jumped when my footsteps multiplied off to my right. I looked up the hill to see a pair of doe eyes staring back at me. We had startled each other. I excused myself and walked up the trail a few yards before turning around to watch as she and her fawn came out to the meadow.

Alone again on the trail, my spirits rose with the knowledge I alone saw these beauties. The last little bit of the trail passed before I was ready for it to end. I met Michael in the parking lot as the sun started to make its last dash to the horizon. Sure enough he had been napping, but that's what vacation is for. We drove to the northern overlook for sunset. Unprotected by a ridge as I had been on the trail, the wind was bitter and cold and sent me flying as the clouds back to the warmth of the car.

Fall Road Trip 2009

2009-10-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Four Corners, 10/2-10/9/09

There is a fabled land of strange yet beautiful landscapes. A place I visit every so often. Not nearly enough. Each image reminds me of what I love about the southwest and why I desire to return. I come from a land that is green and moist. I dream of a land that is brown and dry. The grass is always greener? For me it's either brown I desire or no grass at all.

Michael & I decided to hit a few places on this road trip that were either old favorites or something one or the both of us had never seen. Makes for a long list and an exhaustive trip, so we slimmed it down a bit and still almost tried to put too much in to our trip. We ended up cutting a few things out along the way and added a special place or two.

Read on and you'll visit four amazing states and places that mark them as extra special.

Around the Volcano

2009-10-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

MSH Road Trip, 9/26/-9/27/09

I had been needing to collect a few images from a few of my favorite places in Washington for a project at work. This late in the season, heading to the North Cascades was out of the question - access would be limited. My next choice, Mt St Helens would be perfect for such a weekend. Although as we were heading out, what kind of weekend we weren't sure of for clouds obscured the hoped for clear autumn skies.

We rolled into Silver Lake in the late morning only to have the mountain view I was wanting hidden behind a layer of grey. Disappointed and losing faith in the weather, we quickly adjusted our plans and moved to the south side of the mountain not really expecting much. However, the farther we drove south, the clearer the skies became and when we swung around to the south side of the volcano blue skies with small wisps of clouds framed Mt St Helens. I was elated.

I wanted to stop at the Lahar Viewpoint and Ape Canyon. The trail through Ape Canyon had been closed since the 2006 floods but with diligent crews, some of them finishing up as I hiked, the trail re-opened with a bit of fanfare that same day. We later rested at Lahar Viewpoint and had lunch. Olympia & Zillah sniffing the elk tracks or begging some chips from us. We drove away from this area, happy with the images collected. Our next stops would be along the road to Windy Ridge.

I had not planned on being here in the afternoon as the sun would be in the wrong place for the best light. But I made do with what I had - grabbing a few shots here and there. Finally the sun began to set but the hoped for glorious sky would not be happening. The clouds that hovered to the west blocked much of the light show. We camped near Windy Ridge that night in hopes the sunrise would give us something better. The color may not have been the best, but the wildlife but on a concert for us. Elk just a few hundred feet away bugled and whistled. Beyond them in the valley could be heard coyotes and owls. Michael & I stood alone on the viewpoint soaking up the experience.

On our way home, we decided to drive a road neither of us had been on and found a pretty lake that the Forest Service is allowing to rehabilitate itself from the 1980 eruption. Later we passed a waterfall tucked away from the road. Its waters tumbling down the slope to a deep crystal pool. One last stop at Mt Rainier's Grove of the Patriarchs rounded out our whirlwind tour of Washington's most active volcano.

Beachy Keen

2009-09-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

Shi Shi Beach, 9/19/09-9/20/09, 8 miles, 50 elevation

Remoteness. Very few beaches in America offer this kind of remoteness. Yet even on a beautiful summer day Shi Shi Beach can be extremely crowded. Wait until after Labor Day when the crowds lessen and the sun highlights the sea stacks with a beautiful light.

I took a group of photographers out to the south end of the beach called Point of Arches at the end of September. I wanted to be there when the sun would pass through a certain arch. I had yet to capture this magical moment, so wanted another try. I began to worry as we drove out that we may not see the sun at all. But the clouds started to break up as we hiked the short trail out to the beach. The sun warmed our faces during our beach walk - the trail drops us off at the north end of the beach and it's another 2 miles to Point of Arches. We passed a few other campsites along the way. Point of Arches was empty - perfect.

Once we set up camp, we all separated to explore the beach, sea stacks and tide pools. We shared ideas and pointed out great photo ops finally pulling ourselves away from our activity once the sun was down & we were ready for dinner. A campfire was built and we sat around sharing stories & laughter. Interspersed with our stories moments of silence as we stopped to gaze at the stars above us, jewels in the night sky. A few campfires along the beach seemed to reflect the show in the sky.

The next morning, the air gleamed fresh. We quickly ate breakfast before grabbing our cameras to take advantage of the marvelous morning light. It was a chore to tear ourselves away to break camp and get to the north end of the beach before we lost the light. We made it though and got a few more pictures before heading back home.

Friends of all Sizes

2009-08-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Divide Camp Trail, 8/29/09, 10 miles, 1800 elevation

My friend Anna is going through a difficult time in her life. Her second bout with Breast Cancer took both of her breasts. At this point, she is going through reconstruction - the painful part - where they have to stretch your tissue to make room for the implants. Always upbeat about life and her predicament, and yet constant pain does start to wear a person down. When she asked if she could go on a hike with me, I jumped at the chance. Nature has a way of restoring even the weariest of us.

She wanted to go somewhere new & I wanted to take her somewhere that wouldn't tax her strength or resolve too much. She was also bringing along her 4-month-old Puppy Niko. For all the energy puppies have, they do tire out so easily. I decided to give Niko some company, Zillah should come along too. As for the trail, I decided on either Killeen Creek or Divide Camp trails on Mt Adams. Anna said she had never been to Mt Adams and would love to see it. These trails give you quick access to the upper meadows without too much work. They also connect with the Pacific Crest Trail so once you get to the meadows you can wander along as far as you want to go.

Even though we had a great plan, the weather decided to make its own decisions. We both woke to pouring rain. But we are Northwest folks and a little rain rarely deters us. Good thing to - it barely sprinkled on us throughout our day and the clouds even broke up in the afternoon to shine a little warmth onto us and Adams.

This late in the season, I wasn't expecting much in the way of wildflowers. Yet lupine were still making a slight show. Indian Paintbrush and Cascade Daisies were still going strong. Monkey flowers brightened the grey rocks along streams. Even the marmots came out to admire (or eat) the pretties.

As we were on the PCT, we did meet up with at least one thru-hiker who stopped to chat with us. I neglected to get his name, but do know he's from Israel. I told him it was too bad that My Adams decided to hide today as walking along his flanks at this altitude gives you the most spectacular views. He asked about the Goat Rocks. I told him the Goat Rocks is where God goes to hike. This is when he mentioned he was from Israel and he guessed God needed a vacation too once in a while. We laughed at his joke and shared some more information then Anna & I waved good-bye and wished him luck on the rest of his journey. Anna asked after he left where he was hiking from - I told her Mexico. She asked "You can do that? That's a long way!"

We meandered south along the PCT looking at flowers, watching marmots, gazing longingly toward the cloud shrouded mountain. Zillah & Niko pranced side by side, never discerning where the whistling marmots were hiding. We stopped for lunch at the lava fields. Poor Niko was already getting tired - he plopped down and barely moved even for a treat. I figured we all could keep going but Niko was just too tired to go on. Anna & I decided this would be our turn-around point and made our way back to the parking lot.

Once there, the sun broke through the clouds. Ahh, the warmth. We chatted a bit with a gentleman waiting for his wife and her companions. He was a Forest Service retiree and told us wonderful places to go - I wish I wrote them down. We made a quick detour to Tahklahk Lake to finally see Mt Adams in his beauty - basking in the afternoon sun with the lake below. How perfect an end to our day. We agreed before heading out on the road again that next time we'd spend the night next July up with the flowers, the marmots and the views.

A Grand Hike

2009-08-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

Grand Ridge/Grand Valley, 8/22/09, 12 miles, 2500 elevation

Starting from Obstruction Point in the Olympics can make for a long day, but the trails leading from the end of the road there are marvelous to behold. And when you link several together in a large loop, you come away with a very satisfying hike. I've been wanting to share this special place with others and my opportunity came when we began looking at hikes for the Mountaineers' Conditioning Hike Series.

I was first introduced to this area many years ago by my sister. She was intrigued with this road that our family always seemed to avoid when we were children. After our steep descent on the road, we understood. Mother was afraid of heights, and to get out to the trails the road wound along some very steep cliffs. At least they would have seemed that way to her. We found a loop on the map and decided that Badger Valley to Grand Lake and over Grand Ridge would be a wonderful way to spend the day. So we toughed out the road, toughed out the trail, and toughed out the drive. In the end we were both taken by the beauty and it became one of our favorites.

I later did sections of the trip with Michael. He too became so enamored with the area that a fifteen hour day to get there and back was never questioned. We had met one of the biggest marmots ever while hiking these trails along with exquisite flower displays. (No wonder the marmot was so huge.) But we would run into several obstacles when thinking who we could introduce this trail to - not the least of which was the difficulty of the primitive trail from Elk Mountain to Badger Valley. Finally, we decided to give the CHS class a chance. Students jumped at the opportunity.

To start off on our route, we had to traverse what is called the head-wall along a narrow path of flattened talus. We took it slow to make sure our hikers had their feet under them. But the hesitation some felt gave way to delight as we crested the ridge to views of Mt Baker, Vancouver Island and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We would have stayed on the ridge a little longer, however autumn was felt in the wind and we again took refuge on the trail behind the ridge. Not long after we met up with a fat-butt marmot walking on our trail. He stopped to pose a while then waddled off the trail to let us pass.

The way down to Badger Meadows from here is along an almost abandoned primitive trail - no longer maintained by the park, just the few dozen hiking boots that dare follow the little dotted line on the map. This was the section that made Michael & I hesitate about bringing others with us. The way is full of loose rock and dirt, steep inclines and frightening drop-offs. Everyone seemed ready if not a little reticent, so with Michael in the rear to help anyone along and to chat with them to keep their minds off what they were walking on, we slowly started downward. It took us longer than I expected but we kept the pace slow and I would coach people down the rougher spots as Michael offered reassuring words from behind. And soon we were walking through the meadows that in July are filled with flowers and marmots. Some of our hikers were ecstatic - they would never have thought they could have hiked a trail as forgotten as that one. And yet they did - smiles were shared all around.

We stopped in a wide meadow surrounded by mountains for lunch. We ate as we gazed upward at these mighty structures. The Olympics may not be as grand as the Sierras or the Rockies, but they never seem to fail to impress. A little more downhill and we were on our way to climbing up along Grand Creek to the lake. The afternoon was moving along to the sounds of laughter as we shared stories on the lake shore. One of our members even decided a swim would be just the thing before climbing out of the valley. And a climb it was going to be.

My first hike with Kristi left us both sweaty, exhausted and defeated. So much so that we vowed to make our impression on the "mountain" as soon as we reached the top. Our impression was in the form of posing victoriously topless. We made no such vows this time except what we'd be ordering at the Mexican restaurant when we got to town. A slow and steady climb got us to the top and along the ridge to the parking lot. Along the way are views of the interior of the the park and Mt Olympus sitting grandly in the center as if holding court. I marvel at the fact that no matter how tired a woman is when she gets to the trailhead, she still has enough energy to run to the outhouse. As we drove away, the resident buck came out to watch us leave before sniffing around looking for hand-outs.

For some, this was their toughest hike yet. As I looked around the table during our late dinner and saw the smiles and listened to the laughter, I knew that these hikers were as proud of themselves as I was that first trip so long ago. The milestones and accomplishments were different for each of us and we knew we had done something good with our day.

Birthday Wishes

2009-08-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Camp Muir, 8/15-8/16/09, 5 miles, 4500 elevation

A few years ago on her birthday my sister jumped out of a plane. It had been a dream of hers for several years and she finally made plans for her birthday. I sat and watched her as she slowly floated through the sky, landing safely with a smile extending ear to ear, inspiring me to pursue my own birthday dream - sleeping overnight at Camp Muir. So I made my reservations for the weekend and watched with growing horror as the weather warmed, snow melted, and crevasses became exposed in the snow field below Muir. I have no experience in crevasse travel and wasn't sure I wanted my special birthday trip to be my first experience. The ranger at the climbing desk reassured us that as long as we had ice axes, crampons and the knowledge to use them then we were prepared well enough. Slight assurance, but I was with Michael & David and knew that they would not push our luck.

Michael had been suffering from an illness all summer, so had not been able to go hiking with me much. nor had he been able to train in other ways. As we climbed up through the clouds getting closer to clear skies, Michael fell further and further behind. My concern for him began to mount as I eyed our route up the mountain. I decided that I would head back if that was what he wanted. Barring eruption, Mt Rainier would be there another year.

We stopped for lunch at Pebble Creek, our halfway point in mileage. Michael broke the news to us; he would have to turn back. But he would hear nothing of Dave & I turning back with him. I looked up the mountain. How was I supposed to make it without him? The route, the fear, the experience - I needed Michael to b there to help get me through it. We traded equipment and supplies - he took anything I would not need and made sure I had the lighter equipment. With a tear in my eye, I followed Dave up the hill as Michael waved to us from the creek.

It took us 4 hours to climb the last 2 miles. Climbing on snow is not bad, rather easy compared to climbing over rocks. It was the elevation gain that slowed us down. And then we got to the ice. At first I thought we were walking on marble, but then I realized that it was ice embedded with gravel. An interesting phenomenon that kept my mind occupied as I stepped over one crack and the another. Finally I stopped as I realized I was walking over crevasses. My heart skipped a beat. I watched as Dave kept climbing. I sucked in a breathe or two . . . or three before willing my feet t continue. Geez! Once I get up there would I have the courage to go back down? The largest crevasse still lay ahead of us - several feet wide, an over-used snowbridge spanning the gulf. Was that a foot hole where someone passed through? My first response was "Oh Hell No!" But Dave coaxed me across as soon we were stumbling into Camp Muir.

We set about quickly building camp; Dave digging the tent platform and I started melting water for dinner and to refill our bottles. All the while I sat amazed - I was at Camp Muir. I made it. And look at that view! Clouds covered the valleys to the south, but eastward the mountains peaked through. The temperature dropped as quickly as the sun lowered below the horizon. We took refuge in the tent and I warmed up, but for some reason couldn't stop shivering. That and the cold would keep me up most the night. I stepped out of the tent at one point to a sky filled with stars; the Milky Way seemed close enough to touch. A few climbing parties were already making their way up the mountain - their headlamps bobbing in the darkness.

The next morning, I roamed through camp - a community of people laughing and sharing stories. There was a great sense of camaraderie and I found myself accepted as one of their own. Even as I told them that I had only come to spend the night at the camp, they welcomed me warmly and shared some of their favorite climbs.

As the morning warmed, Dave & I strapped on our crampons next to a pair of ladies also preparing to head back down. Like us, they had only spent the night in Muir. They were planning on roping up - one of the gals had fallen through the crevasse, the one with the foot hole. Even though I was nervous, I was going to trust that I would make it down the mountain safely. Sure enough, without incident we were through the crevasses, down the snowfield and walking through the alpine meadows of Paradise. Michael was waiting for us at the Visitor Center with open arms and bottles of water. As proud as I was at fulfilling my birthday wish.

Heidi's Adventures on the PCT

2009-07-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

White Pass to Chinook Pass, 7/25/09-7/27/09, 27 miles, 2500 elevation

I have a pretty big dream. Several of them actually. I want to hike a long trail - you know, like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest. Really I'd like to do them both - thru hike them and several others. Getting the time off to do them though is a bit of an issue. My best bet right now is to take a long weekend and do a section at a time of the trail closest to home - the Pacific Crest, or the PCT - the Washington sections. After a little research, I figured the best section to start with would be the nice short 27 mile trip between White Pass and Chinook Pass.

Three days, 8 miles a day. It would be wonderful. But then I picked the hottest weekend of the year and Michael got sick and I was looking at three days in the wilderness by myself, sweating and overheating and being lonely. I don't backpack well alone. I'd much rather have someone to go with, but I have few friends who backpack and those that do can't always drop their plans on the spur as I would have to. I resolved to go on my own. I have an iPod for the lonely hours. And there's always Zillah.

Michael insisted I take Zillah along, to be my guard dog and to keep me company. I didn't really hesitate much, I knew I would need something to talk to other than the imagined bear chewing off my leg. She, however didn't understand why "the papa" wasn't coming with us, or why she had to carry a pack on her back or why I kept slapping mosquitoes off her head. And there were plenty of mosquitoes to slap. Before I stopped for lunch I think I ate about 5 of them just by breathing through my mouth. I would have breathed through my nose except snorting a mosquito is worse than swallowing one. Plainly said, the bugs were miserable.

It didn't take long for me to lose track of both time and mileage and I reached my planned 1st night campsite well before I was ready to camp. It was a pretty little lake alongside the trail and I made note to return another time and camp here. I decided to try and make Fish Lake believing it was only a twelve mile day I'd be hiking that day. Later I would find out that my guesstimate had no basis in truth - it was 15 miles from my starting point to Fish Lake. As I was still going strong, I figured there'd be little trouble. Which there wasn't. I found our campsite, set up the tent then both Zillah & I dove in to gain a little refuge from the bugs.

A nap seemed like a great way to spend the rest of the afternoon, but I was soon awakened by rumbling in the sky and a dog trying to burrow her way into my sleeping bag. I wondered, as Zillah curled into a ball next to me inside the bag, how Michael would feel knowing both his dog and his wife fit inside his sleeping bag. I listened and watched as the storm passed over us, comforting Zillah as best I could - some brave watch dog she turned out to be. As the last of the storm drifted past and with the sky beginning to dim, Zillah and I uncurled ourselves from the tent for a bite to eat and sit near the lake to watch the fish jump. We were the only ones out here that night. The mosquitoes had even gone home to bed.

I let Zillah romp through the meadow. She seemed so happy running up and down the marshy shore stopping every so often to roll in the grass then leap up to romp a bit more. Night was rapidly approaching so I called Zillah back into the tent and I settled down with my headlamp and book. All of a sudden we heard a KASHUMP, KASHUMP, KASHUMP, SPLASH, SPLASH in the darkness. Zillah was on her feet, nose pressed against the mosquito netting. A low warning growl issued from her throat. My heart skipped a beat. I turned off the headlamp. Then I saw what was making all the noise. A small heard of elk were playing in the lake on the other shore. I shushed Zillah and watched until darkness obscured them from my site. I listened to them bugle at each other for the rest of the night - secure in the thought that they would not be there if danger approached.

The next morning we got up bright and early knowing our toughest climb of the trip would be right out of the starting gate. The day before was tiring, the last mile whipped my butt. Now I would have to start a climb right out of bed. Yet I was happy with my decision to stay at Fish Lake and get this climb out of my way so I could enjoy the day. A lone elk grazed on the far side of the lake as we left and I smiled to myself for the comfort seeing her brought. Slowly we made our way up the hill. First through thick forest, then it started thinning out breaking open to meadows. Soon I could see the open air above me and the trail continuing its climb through meadows and talus. The sun was higher and hotter and my head began to bake in its confines. I had to rest more often, drink more water, eat another snack. Zillah slurped all the water I gave her and looked to me for more. And just when I thought I'd never see the end of the climb, I crested the ridge to see Mt Rainier filling the valley and the sky.

It was a perfect spot to rest, rehydrate and refuel. Plus pull out the camera for a few quick shots. Soon two Washington thru-hikers showed up, iPods in their ears. One stopped to chat for a minute, asked if he'd be seeing the mountain soon. I casually pointed to the massive mound in the distance. He followed my gesture with surprise. I guess you kind of forget to look around when you're listening to hiking music. I bring my iPod along, but I listen to it in camp, during the slow lonely hours between set-up and sleep. From here on, it was one fabulous view after another. To my west stood Mt Rainier in all her glory. To my East, the hills and valleys of the east Cascades.

As the day wore on and the heat increased, I could feel myself melt. I grew over-fatigued but wanted so much to get to Dewey Lake, my next camp, before resting. After one short but brutal hill, I lost my will to go on. In fact I lost my will to hike, camp, and photograph. I found the 1st shady spot on the trail, dropped my pack, laid on top of it and slept for about an hour. Both Zillah and I woke refreshed and had a little lunch to get us through the rest of the day. Before long, we were down the hill and meandering through meadows and ponds to meet up with Dewey Lake. A brief chat with a ranger informed us of several campsites at the other end of the lake. Ah, to take off the boots put on my camp sandals. Too bad I had lost one of them on the trail about 1/2 mile back and was not willing to head back to retrieve it. I know exactly where it was as it was the only time I got up without looking behind me before moving on. I managed - hurray for extra socks.

There were actually tents set up around Dewey Lake making me feel a little more secure about staying. I watched day-hikers dry off their feet before heading out. I watched campers romped in the shallows. Zillah and I both ventured into the lake - mud squishing between our toes, the sun warmed water soothing aching feet. This was nice. I could relax here.

Another climb awaited me in the morning and I was rather nervous after the previous day's climb. So I broke camp early and started up. I was supposed to meet Michael at 2 and I figured with the climb I'd need an early start. However, I crested the ridge in about an hour and hardly felt it. I was flabbergasted. And I also realized I would be at the picnic area way early . . . and no cell. The hill I had been climbing led up to Naches Peak on the eastern edge of Mt Rainier National Park. The peak is famous in the summer for the acres of wildflower meadows. I was not disappointed: lupine, asters, paintbrush, louseworts, rosy spirea, avalanche lilies blanketed the slopes.

I slowed our pace, rested by the side of a tarn and still we were at the picnic area by 10. I found the one picnic table in the shade and watched the day-hikers come and go, sweltering in the heat. And I reflected on my accomplishment - 3-days, solo in the wilderness. Maybe I could do a long hike after all.

One of our Favorites

2009-07-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

Marmot Pass, 7/19/09, 11 miles, 3700 elevation

After hiking this trail last year, Michael & I had to add it to our favorite hikes list. The trail is a steady climb along the Quilcene River, through old growth forests and wildflower filled meadows to magnificent views of the Olympic Mountains. Hikes just can't get better than this.

Clouds passed overhead, promising a cool climb through the trees. Other groups passed us as we passed them on rest stops. Marmot Pass is a popular destination as it's a start to other adventures in the Park and Buckhorn Wilderness. Our plan was to just head to the pass for lunch and admire the view before heading back.

The flowers were a little lackluster this year - a disappointment from my high hopes after seeing the beargrass the previous weekends and the flowers from last season. But the views were as amazing as ever - especially with the clouds blowing in and around the peaks. I left Michael near the pass as I climbed higher for better views and a little more adventure. I ended at a plateau filled with lichens and alpine wildflowers - and a stiff cold wind. I didn't stay long before heading back down to Michael and relative warmth of less wind.

On the way back down, we stopped near the river to watch the sun sparkle off the moss hanging from the trees and the ripples in the river. Marmot Pass will stay on our favorite hikes list.

A Walk in the Rain

2009-07-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

Island Lake Day Hike, 7/12/09, 12 miles, 2500 elevation

After our relaxing backpack to Island Lake, it was time to take a group of Conditioning Hike members up for their own view. However, the fabulous weather we had last weekend did not hold for this week. We would not be deterred by the threat of rain. Nor would we turn back when thunder rolled through the air. As northwest hikers, we were prepared for any weather contingency.

We easily crossed streams and waterfalls as we hiked up the hill. Stopped on occasion to laugh at a joke or look at a plant. When we came across the opening for our view of Mt Rainier, the mountain was obscured by the cloud-laden sky. The beargrass, however was as plentiful and beautiful as last week. A few trail runners passed us heading to Pratt Lake. We lost our way about a quarter mile from the lake - snow had hidden the trail last week and marshy ponds covered them this week. A bit of bush-whacking through the shrubs and trees got us through.

As our group made our way to the lake shore, low lying clouds hid the lake from view. Soon though, a breeze swept the clouds away and everyone ate their lunches with smiles. Even though we didn't have sunny skies, the lake was still just as pretty - with a bit more solitude to boot.

Bear Grass Everywhere

2009-07-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

Island Lake, 7/4-7/5/09, 12 miles, 2000 elevation

I needed a backpack. Get out in nature, climb a mountain, sleep next to an alpine lake. It has been far too long. And a nice long holiday weekend is the perfect time for a getaway. And as we would be leading a hike to Island Lake the following weekend, our destination was set. What wasn't set was our trailhead. The winter storms over the past few years had left the forest road to our trail damaged almost to the point of no repair. I hope they will be able to fix the road, as this trail lead to one of my favorite late season hikes - Talapus and Ollalie Lakes. But an alternative trailhead would only add a mile to our trip each way on this trip. That was easy enough.

A steady climb through the forest greeted us as we started out on the first couple of miles. About 2 1/2 miles in, the trees opened up to a jaw-dropping view of the valley below us, Lake Ollalie glistening in the sun, Mt Rainier over-powering the sky. And beargrass filling every crevice in the rocks. It had been years since I had seen so much beargrass. Beargrass is cyclical in that a plant blooms every couple of years, some years they bloom in a high concentration. Looks as if this is the year for beargrass. I look forward to what the rest of the year has in store for me flower-wise. If it is even half as beautiful as this, I will be happy.

After the junction with Pratt Lake, we found ourselves almost lonely on the trail. Most hikers turned off to head to the more popular lake in the area. We prided ourselves in the idea that maybe we'd not have to share "our" lake with many people. Not so. We arrived at the lake just after the ranger and he mentioned we might be able to squeeze in somewhere but all the established sites were taken or snow covered and he was heading to Rainbow Lake for the night. We did find a place to squeeze in, and settled in for a relaxing afternoon by a lovely little alpine lake. Just what I needed to get the season off to a start.

Mountains to Meadow

2009-06-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

Lolo Pass, 6/27/09

The Camas is in bloom again. The Beargrass too. It was a setting we dared not hope for twice in a row. Last year's Camas bloom coincided with the Fun Run perfectly - the season was late with a late snow melt. This year heavy rains fell on the Bitterroot Mountains again stalling the Camas for this year's run. The racers would again be able to end their run with a lope through a field of blue. How lucky. And that is after they ran 14 miles along Forest Service roads through the best Beargrass bloom in years. Beargrass is cyclical and this seems to be the year for it. The creamy flower clusters coated the hillsides along the race course.

I heard several racers as they walked off the race comment that this course kicked butt, but they couldn't wait to see what nature had in store for next year.

ZIIIIIIIIIIP!!!!

2009-06-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Island, 6/13-6/15/09

We took 3 days off from work to take a little backpacking trip. However, this early in the season and Michael's propensity towards alpine hikes we could really find a place to go. We could have done a nice river hike in the Olympics. I looked at Oregon. Montana was still too snowy. What we ended up deciding on was a road trip on Vancouver Island. Explore as much of the island in three days with enough time for me to take pictures.

Taking the 1st ferry out of Port Angeles, we arrived in Victoria early enough for a relaxing drive through town and out Highway 1. With the island so rugged on the West Coast, the main highway is on the East Side. But so much of what we wanted to see was along the West Coast, so we'd have to zigzag back & forth. During our weekend we would see Bamfield, Uclulet, and Tofino. We'd spend a day in Stathcona Park and an evening camping in a marina with Blue Herons, Bald Eagles, and Sea Lions.

Day 3 found us zipping through the treetops on a zip-line tour, playing tourist in Victoria, and planning our next trip. A lovely trip full of new and exciting places, imaginations and dreams.

A Guidebook Complaint?

2009-06-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Pete Lake, 6/7/09, 9 miles, 400 elevation

When I read a guidebook, I expect just a few things. Accuracy in mileage and elevation; a detailed description are basically what I want. Over the years I have been able to decipher the author and that they may be leaving out information. If an author glosses over a section of a trail then they either don't want to tell you something or they have never been there. I often wonder about this last. I know that with the older books by Ira Spring, he leaves out details because he didn't find them necessary - other things were important. But a few of the newer authors I'm wondering if they are leaving information out because they are writing the trail description from a map.

Take a recent hike to Pete Lake in Eastern Washington. The author of the guidebook tells you of all the animals you could see while hiking, but never really talks about the trail. The hiker will pass a swampy area (that can be seen on a map) and hike through trees (no duh, since we are in the mountains of Washington then you come out into a mountain bowl with a lake (well since we are in the mountains hiking to a lake I would think so.

What was left out were the 6 major stream crossings without bridges. Were there bridges and they washed away? Just mentioning bridges and stream crossings would tell us. The forest here does have a habit of taking out bridges on some stream crossings so they won't be washed away - if they do that wouldn't it be a good idea to mention that in the guidebook? To me a guidebook is there to give you as much necessary information to stay found and unhurt. leaving information out does the hiking community a dis-service.

Oh, and the hike to Pete Lake? A lovely stretch of the legs through the woods along a river. And you should go if you get the chance.

Hanging from a Rope

2009-06-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

Vertical World, 6/6/09

I'm not afraid of heights. No, really I'm not. I'm afraid of falling to my death from a great height. There's a difference. So that being said, one would think that I'd have no desire to hang from a rope off the side of a cliff. However, I've been wanting to give rock climbing a try for quite some time. To my aid came Joannie a friend with some experience, confidence and a lot of support.

I met her early on a Saturday morning at Vertical World in Redmond to try my hand at a little bouldering and rock climbing. I have to admit, I'm hooked and can't wait to play again. Luckily Joannie is wiling whenever I am.

Sole-less

2009-06-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Black Canyon, 5/31/09, 8.5 miles, 1730 elevation

Ushani sat on the side of the trail duct tape in one hand, a shoelace in the other staring at her boot. The sole had begun flapping and we were only 2 miles into the hike. There really was no to reattach the sole with what we had on hand. Worse yet, the other sole had begun to flap also. What to do? wee had only begun the hike. One of us could turn around and head back with her, but she said no. It would be ok and she ripped the vibram sole from each boot exposing the soft cushion underneath. We would continue on.

As Michael and Ushani discussed the plans, a young rattlesnake crossed our paths. We tried to give the poor thing a wide berth although a few stepped too close and she rattled a warning. A quick step backward and she was fine. It wasn't long before we reached the top of the ridge to experience the beautiful views of Mt Rainier, the Stuarts and the valley below. Different wildflowers were in bloom than when we first came 2 weeks earlier. But the views were just as stunning.

Up to this point, Ushani's boots were holding up ok. The soft undersole was a lot softer than we expected and was starting to tear away from her boots exposing the plastic boot form. By now we were halfway through the hike so there was no where to go except onward. With each step downhill, a little more of the soft sole came away from her boots. She kept going, slowly but without complaint until finally we reached the cars - just in time for her toes were about to slide out the ends.

Even afterward, she said that her feet were fine. And I get to tell people I hiked someone right out of her boots.

Not Forgotten

2009-05-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

Nez Perce National Historical Park, Memorial Day Weekend 2009

There is a segment in our history that is shameful - a past we would like to forget about. And for that very reason we must not hide our faces from it nor can we forget it. In our greed, arrogance and ignorance, we tried our best to destroy the nations that inhabited this land before. Those we could not destroy, we rounded up those left behind and forced them onto lands often not of their home. As pale reconciliation, several locations have been set aside to commemorate the people who were here before us. One such place is the Nez Perce National Historical Park in Idaho.

I visited there recently on a photo shoot for the park - documenting aspects of their culture and history on land where they fought battles, raised families, and called home. I met with several rangers, natives who had their own stories to tell. I watched their dances. And explored their land.

In the end, I knew this was a place for remembering.

Sunshine and Wild Flowers

2009-05-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

Black Canyon, 5/17/09, 9 1/5 miles, 1700 elevation

We needed to scout a trail for an upcoming Conditioning Hike, a trail I had wanted to explore for a couple of years but it being on the hot side of the mountains deterred my adventures. The upcoming CHS hike was a perfect excuse to get out and give the trail a try. We invited our buddy Dave along and picked him up early to try & beat the heat.

The drive to the trail head showed a bit of promise as the hills outside of Ellensburg were covered in Balsamroot and Lupine. My internal tail was a'waggin'. The drive also revealed many varieties of birds including Western Meadowlark and Mourning Dove.

The day was already starting to warm up as we started our climb through the black volcanic rock and yellow balsamroot of the canyon. Willows and ponderosa pine lined the road rapidly reverting back into a trail. At about a mile, we came across an old cabin near a stream in a glade of aspen and cottonwood. A perfect place for a rest before continuing up the hill.

Each small elevation gain presented new flowers and more views. Mt Rainier could be seen in the west as we climbed. The flowers changed from balsamroot to lupine to shooting stars to bitteroot. And as we crested the ridge, views of the valley stretched below us. It was here we stopped for lunch under a pine tree with the meadowlarks singing to our meal.

After our fine meal and stories, we continued on along the ridge stopping to admire flowers and views. The Stuarts could be seen in the distance. Bighead clover sprouted at trailside. We also had to watch our step as horned toads scurried across the dirt & rocks. All too soon we were heading back down the hill. Dave & I explored a short side trail to another viewpoint while Michael continued on to the cabin to wait for us. There we found him taking a nap beside the stream in the shade of the cottonwoods.

From there it was a very hot walk out, but we were able to find a bar & grill in Yakima that served delicious food and cold drinks.

A Friend in the Prairie

2009-05-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Mima Mounds, 5/16/09

There's a prairie south of Olympia. A prairie with golden grasses wagging in the autumn breezes, wildflowers in the spring. A prairie with geological formations that have had scientists scratching their heads for years; perfectly formed mounds all about 3 meters high and evenly spaced along the prairie. A prairie of quiet - and on this afternoon almost pure solitude.

It had been a while since I visited Mima Mounds and thought I might be due. The wildflowers are abundant in May during prairie day festivities. And I had a vision in my head. The vision never quite played out, but the walk in the late spring afternoon was refreshing. I was pretty much alone to meander through the mounds exploring the strange landscape and playing with my camera.

As the sun set, I heard in the muted wail of a coyote. Looking around I saw the little guy atop a mound, voicing his farewell to the day.

Last Snowshoe of the Season

2009-05-11T07:31:00.001-07:00

Mt Baker NRA, 3/10/09, 5.5 miles, 1600 elevation

The snows are hanging around in the mountains a little longer this year . Even though, snowshoeing opportunities had been getting smaller. Spring snow is just sloppy and not much fun. But Mt Baker is a winter wonderland into July so a trek through Heather Meadows on the north side of the mountain to Artist's Point would be a perfect destination for us and our friends Heather & Dave. One last snowshoe before the spring thaws melt all the snow.

For several years, Michael & I had been attempting to make it to Artist's Pint by snowshoe, but had been turned around for one reason or another every time. We hoped that we'd be able to make it with Heather & Dave. We had all day and the enjoyment of good friends buoyed us all up the hill to Pan Dome - the height of the sky resorts - for a lunch under the eye of Mt Shucksan.

Our afternoon was spent retracing our steps to the trail junction with Artist's Point. With another climb up to Artist's Point for the beauty of Mt Baker. As a child I always though Mt Baker was a national park just like Mt Rainier, now as an adult, I wonder how this beauty ever got passed over for national park status. I always love looking at this mountain from every side.

We finished off our day at Milano's in Glacier - some of the best Italian around.

Now the snowshoes are hung to dry and the hiking boots are set by the door.

A perfect naturalist spot

2009-05-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

Nolte State Park, 5/9/09, 1 .5 miles

As Michael & I walked the trail around Deep Lake with the girls, Michael stated that he felt this was a forest where he should be able to identify all of the plants. And really he was right. The forest surrounding Deep Lake at Nolte State Park is the stereotypical coastal forest of Washington - a perfect place for a new naturalist to hone their skills or just bone-up on what they already knew.

Along he way we spotted the three coastal forest conifers, plus vine maple, salal, oregon grape and a couple of ferns. A few wildflowers were blooming and the birds twittered. So much fun we were having walking in this little naturalist treasure that the daylight began to slip away more quickly than we were walking. We arrived back at the car at dusk and the awaiting rangers ready to give us a parking ticket for being in the park too late. We talked or way out of the ticket much to our relief since it would have been $137.00 naturalist trip. Yikes! and I started this partly because it was a cheaper hobby to accompany my photography.

Just another day at the Mountain

2009-04-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Pan Point, 4/26/09, 3 1/2 miles, 1400 elevation

We joined our friend Dave and a group he was leading on a snowshoe trip out at the mountain. I almost didn't head out - I spend so much time on Rainier as it's in my backyard that I get just a little bored with her. But the night before, I convinced myself to go get a day in the snow and fresh air even if it would be the same old boring area at Paradise.

The day started out normally, climbing through the snowfields behind the visitor's center. Fields that in just a few months will be covered in wildflowers, tourists and even bears. Then we got to the bottom of the hill climbing up to Panorama Point. The plan was that anyone who wanted to go up the hill would continue on with Dave - anyone who didn't want to attempt it would make a shorter loop wit Michael & I. Everyone decided to head up the hill, with Michael & I following behind to coach anyone who needed it.

It was a triumph for everyone as several of our trip members were pretty new to snowshoeing. The views were perfect - behind us stood Mt Rainier in all her glory, off to the east stretched the snowy cascades, to our south the Tatoosh Range were gnarled teeth across the valley. After resting at the top and picking up a new member for the group we circled around through the moraine areas below Muir Snowfield.

Then it was time to head back, but the snow was sloppy and hard. Going downhill would be treacherous, so came a quick lesson in glissading. And we began to slide our way back to the parking lot on our butts. Again a triumph for almost everyone as nobody had glissaded before. I personally had so much fun coming down that I was ever so happy to have changed my mind.

Pedaling in the Tulips

2009-04-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Skagit Valley, 4/25/09

Let me tell you. If at any time you want to see the tulip fields in the Skagit County, go by bike. A small illustration; It took us (me, Jamie, & Andy) a full hour to get off the highway in Mt Vernon, go through town and park our cars at the park on the other side of the river. Now continue with that traffic all through the tulip fields. ugh! Why not ride past all that traffic waiting to pull into the parking lots?

We spent the afternoon lazily riding from field to field, walking our bikes through the rows, catching the beauty of the fields from different perspectives. Most of the fields are free to roam through and some require a fee. So we stayed with the free fields which are in abundance.

Jamie & Andy who had never seen the tulip fields were amazed by the expanse and colors they contained. They were like children in a candy store snapping pictures here and there of every type and color of tulip and daffodil. And are looking forward to bicycling through the tulips next year.

Our Little Corner of the Planet

2009-04-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Washington Coastal Clean-up, 4/18/09

Another Earth Day and another beach clean-up. This year a few more of my co-workers joined us at Kalaloch for a fun day of taking care of our little corner of the planet. A couple of years ago Discover Your Northwest teamed up with Olympia National Park and a few other organizations to create the Washington Clean Coast Alliance to rid Washington's beaches of the marine debris that washes ashore every year.

It only takes everyone making small contributions to do our parts to take care of our little corners of the world.

To learn more go to the Alliance's website: http://www.coastsavers.org/index.html

Winter Storm Advisory

2009-04-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

4/4/09

The radio warned throughout the day that a winter storm was coming. And it hit Olympia and I as we hiked the rim trail. How bad it would get would only be discovered in the morning.

Wind buffeted our tent all through the night, even though the forecast was that the winds and storm would subside by midnight. To sty warm, I stuffed several hand-warmers into my sleeping bag and curled up with Olympia, covering her with the extra blanket I had brought along. Occasionally during the night I would wake up to snow drifting through the bug mesh - blown under the rainfly by the winds. We would awake to a desert winter wonderland.

The winds had not stopped at midnight, and with all the blowing snow I wasn't certain that the snow had stopped falling. I packed up as fast as I could, but first had to empty my boots of snow that I had left in the vestibule of the tent. Both the tent and rainfly were coated with snow. Six inch drifts formed against the tent and the tires of the car. I had to stomp around in the snow to find Olympia's water dish buried.

Our drive out was eventful. Winds shoved snow into drifts in the road. The bumper of the Subaru played snow plow through the drifts. The wind tried pushing the car around. And even in all this misery, the Moab Marathon was about to begin as I drove past the starting line.

Next year I'm going at the end of April.

Big Horn View & Rim Trail

2009-04-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

4/3/09

I woke in the morning excited about hiking along the rim of Dead Horse Point. Clouds drifted through but there was enough sucker-holes to make me want to get on with it. So I grabbed my pack and the dog to explore the rim views and formations - hoping to see potholes and maybe a few animals.

We first went north from the campground to Big Horn View to see the potholes and at least get a couple of miles in just in case the weather turned yucky as it was predicted to do. Hiking in the desert is a lot different than hiking here in the northwest. The trail isn't always obvious and is often marked with little stone cairns which are easy to miss if you're not paying attention. I got side-tracked several ties where needed to stop take stock of the "trail" and turnaround for the real one. Even though the country is so open, I could easily see how I could get lost.

I let Olympia's leash drop so she could explore a little wider scope. But I held her close as we approached the cliff walls. I could also quickly grab it when people came by to both give the others a sense of security that my dog wouldn't jump all over them and give them kisses, plus the added sense that we were following the rules of the park. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but come-on - it's Olympia, you know, Ole-Gimpy? All she wants to do is get belly rubs from anyone willing. And wildlife? chasing them is out of the question. She couldn't even chase her own tail with the legs she's got right now. So if letting her drag her lash behind her in the sand is evil, then I am sorry for you poor state of judgement.

We got back to camp for lunch and I downloaded the images I had so far taken on my trip. Then the sky cleared and Olympia jumped on the trail heading southward to the point. I figured we could hike that and be back in camp in time for dinner, relax a bit, get up early for sunrise then mosey on home. Yeah, I noticed that, I was already stretching beyond the day in my plans. Remember I mentioned the weather report? That the weather would take a turn for the worse? Well, what we had was the largest sucker-hole I'd seen in a long time. We were out for 2 hours enjoying the warmth and the views when the wind kicked up. Followed by rain, which in turn was followed by snow. and wee weren't even o the point yet.

The image above illustrates the drama a storm has as it slowly moves across the canyonlands. By the time wee made the point, both Olympia & I had had about enough but we still had a couple of miles to go before it was over. We hurried through the second half of the hike. I kept note of some of the views I wanted to see again but mostly wee just walked as fast as we could through the wind and snow.

Olympia went straight into the tent as I quickly heated up a can of chili and we ate in the pseudo-comfort of the tent. Winter was not quite over in the canyonlands.

6th Stop - Dead Horse Point

2009-04-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

4/2/09

How this little section of Utah's canyonlands didn't become part of the National Park system is beyond comprehension. Utah definitely got the better end of the deal. The scenery from the rim all around the state park is jaw-dropping. I honestly believe that Dead Horse Point State Park contains better views than Canyonlands National Park. Michael was right, I was going to enjoy my stay in this little park.

Dead Horse Point got its name from an unfortunate incident back in the pioneer days. Cowboys would round up wild horses on the "point" of the mesa which with its narrow neck made a natural corral. The cowboys would then pull out the horses they wanted and release the ones they didn't. However, they didn't always release the horses and the captive horses would soon succumb to death from dehydration. Sickening, really. But that was the way they thought back then. So glad we know better now.

Still, the views are well worth any effort to see them.

5th Stop - Canyonlands National Park

2009-04-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

4/2/09

After my drive through Arches, and a quick stop to set up camp at Dead Horse Point State Park, Olympia and I ventured into Canyonlands National Park. I hoped to catch sunset at one of the many overlooks. The late afternoon sun made the spring growth glow with color and light. And I saw many opportunities for hiking at a later date. We parked at an overlook and had dinner in the back of the car. Cold wind blasted us every now and then - and to think, earlier in the day I had contemplated putting on my shorts.

There is a certain beauty in the desert. I had fallen in love with it a few years earlier on my first trip here. It's almost a sense of complex simplicity. The colors and textures of the land elicit both a tension in your sight and a calming presence in your soul. And then there's the ability to see for miles. In western Washington, trees get in the way of the views. That's one of the reasons I love hiking in the alpine zone - no trees. I love the trees, the green, the moisture of life. But the desert tugs my heart to a different view of life.

4th Stop - Arches National Park

2009-04-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

4/2/09

It was cold when I woke up. Cold pains shot through my fingers as I pulled down the tent. But I had to keep going, a reservation at Dead Horse Point awaited me. I kept thinking about a luke-warm shower would also await me after I packed up the car. Disappointment instead was my reality - the rangers had turned off the water during the cold snap. I almost cried and in fact did when I finally talked to Michael on the phone. The loneliness hit me hard and I was ready to head home. But Michael convinced me that I would enjoy my stay at Dead Horse Point.

There are two national parks near Dead Horse Point: Arches and Canyonlands. Even though Olympia was with me, I could not pass up the opportunity to visit either. So I turned off the road just before entering Moab into Arches.

I am often disappointed if I just drive through a park without getting out of the car for a hike or two. Although I enjoyed seeing the new scenery, I wished I could walk through some of the sandstone canyons and features. Too bad the Park Service has such a negative view on dogs. I understand their reasoning but Olympia is practically lame so wouldn't be chasing after anything - except maybe a tumbleweed - and I do pick up after her. I will just have to come back at some point for more exploration.

Temple Mountain and South Temple Wash

2009-04-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

4/1/09

With satisfied appetites, I looked at the map for an adventure close to the park. An 8-mile canyon hike looked promising except for Olympia's inability to walk farther than just a few miles. As I was contemplating how to get Olympia through the canyon another nearby land formation caught my eye - Temple Mountain.

The guidebook stated that Temple Mountain is the highest point along the San Rafael Swell. This was something I just had to see. After getting warned of the old uranium mines in the area - highly radioactive, lots of radon . . . and bats - Olympia and I set off to explore the area leading to Temple Mountain. We wouldn't be able to reach the top as most of the upper trail had been destroyed by erosion, but I wanted to get a good view and get a little more walking in.

Along the way, we stopped to look at some ancient pictographs. chunks of sandstone with the paintings had fallen away either by erosion or stupidity. If it was stupidity, I'd like to kick a few chunks off the idiots who thought it would be fun to destroy this ancient art.

Olympia and I walked up old roads past abandoned mines and equipment. At one point this area was a thriving community of uranium miners. Then the bottom fell out of the market - odd thinking that since nuclear power had been the ideal power source for so long and is still highly recommended in some circles. We turned around after a good look at Temple Mountain, thinking this would be a great place to come for sunset.

On the way to Temple Mountain, I had noticed white rounded sandstone hills that looked like they might be fun to explore. And explore them we did. Little pockets of vegetation and expansive views of the prairie were what awaited us. Olympia even tried her paws at rock climbing when I climbed up a rock for a better view. She must have thought I was leaving her behind because I heard the scrabbling of claws on rock and turned around to see her hoist herself up the same incline I had just scrambled up myself. The determination of a dog, even a gimpy one.

By the time we ate dinner the wind had died down quite a bit and I was able to clean out the tent before heading back for sunset. Still, I would be shaking out sand even after I got home.

Carmel Canyon & the Valley of the Goblins

2009-04-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

4/1/09

The wind continued to blow throughout the night, showering sand and grit through the bug-mesh on my tent. There was no escaping the grit. When I would leave the next day, I was still eating grit that found it's way into the cracks and crevasses of my gear. I was still cleaning grit out of my ears two days after I returned home. Just because it was the morning, the wind didn't let up. In fact it brought a little snow with it. Olympia & I huddled in the car, warming up a little and letting the band of snow pass before heading to the valley and one of the trails I wanted to scout - Carmel Canyon.

Desert hiking for a Northwesterner is a little disturbing. there are no easy trails to follow - in fact there are at times no trail at all. Just rock cairns spaced along the general route you want to follow. Several times along the Carmel Canyon trail, I had to stop to look back the direction I had just come from to make sure I hadn't somehow missed a pile of rocks. Olympia was happy just to roam from one sage to the next, smelling what had passed before. After we got through the open sandstone section of the trail, the cairns were easier to follow and we soon found ourselves meandering along with an arroyo.

There were distant views of sandstone mesas and the openness of the land made me want to run free or spread my wings and fly. Which could have been very easy as the wind still hadn't relented. Soon Olympia & I turned up in the canyon and followed the narrow channel as it twisted through the steep cliffs, becoming even narrower turning into a slot canyon. The last time I visited the Southwest, I spent much of my time in the slot canyons of Arizona - I fell in love. That love was one of the reasons I wanted to return to the Southwest. I feel as if cradled by my mother when I walk through the dark reaches of the earth.

We came back out into the parking lot, again buffeted by winds - the canyon walls had shielded us from the blowing onslaught. I figured this would be an opportune moment to explore the bizarre sandstone formations which give Goblin Valley its name. There are three sections to the valley, I stayed in the 1st one. Next time though I will spend far more time exploring them to the end. The variations of erosion on the land make for amazing shapes and shadows. I spent only a couple of hours weaving through the formations but could easily spend a whole day. As my stomach started rumbling and lunch still in camp, Olympia & I made our way back shielding our eyes from the sand carried by the gusting wind looking forward to our afternoon adventures.

3rd Stop - Goblin Valley

2009-04-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

3/31/09

Such an ominous name - Goblin Valley. Brings up fairy tales of lost little girls in the wilderness besieged by monsters in the shadows. But no frightening creatures were there awaiting me and Olympia. What did great us were prairies, bluffs, sandstone cliffs . . . and wind.

This time I was ready. I staked down the tent to hold it still while I set up and grew quite envious of the campers tucked away behind sandstone outcrops - the wind didn't seem to buffet them around as much. I am sure the grit in their tents was considerably less.

Olympia and I scouted out the campground and wandered to the entrance station admiring the late afternoon light on the prairie. we snuggled into our tent when we returned. The winds coming across the prairie brought with them sand and grit that found their way under my rainfly and through the bug mesh on my tent. There is just something nasty about eating grit in the middle of the night. I began to understand just a little of what Helen Thayer went through in the Gobi.

The next day we would explore the goblins.

2nd Stop - Bruneau Sand Dunes

2009-04-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

3/30/09

I had driven through most of the night and snow storms in the mountains of Idaho - a little hairy at 2am when I was practically the only one travelling on the highway. After sleeping in the car in Riggins, we were off again heading to Bruneau Sand Dunes near Mountain Home. Winter was still in existence in the mountains but spring seemed to be right around the corner in the valleys. At Bruneau it seemed as if spring was being swept in by the wind.

Setting up my tent was an exercise in creativity as I sorted out the pieces and chased down stray bits as they darted across the campground. Finally, I staked down the ground cloth and tent and got the poles positioned. Everything after that was fairly easy. With the tent set up, Olympia and I went on a hike along the lake and through one of the smaller dunes. One of the reasons I like Bruneau so much is the sense of solitude that can be experienced as you walk though the dunes large and small. Although people were having a picnic in the sand I felt as if I had the place to myself.

Coots swam through the water, skimming just under the surface for algae. Wind kicked up the loose sand carrying it across the surface in a fine dust. Jack rabbits darted from shrub to shrub. A hawk floated on thermals overhead. Birds flitted through the winter-bare trees. All of a sudden, Olympia stood at attention hackles raised a low grumble escaped from the throat - I steeled myself for what I believed would have to be a dog tackle before she chased off after some poor critter. Instead Olympia darted after a tumbleweed. Yes, my big brave puppy felt the need to protect me from a vicious attack of tumbleweeds.

After a beautiful sunset, we settled into the tent for the evening serenaded to sleep by an owl or two.

1st stop - The Palouse

2009-04-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

3/29/09

The forecast called for snow again over the weekend proving that spring was still far away, yet the vibrant colors in the flower stalls in the market prior to my departure rallied my hopes that spring would indeed be right around the corner. Furthering my hopes that spring would be quickly on its way, the drive over the pass to Spokane revealed more land as the snows receded, the ice in the waterfalls replaced by flowing water. Yet this morning we woke to snow falling on the hills of the Palouse - winter was refusing to release its hold on the northwest.

However, I had been looking for this up close look at the Palouse by people who lived in the area, I was not going to let it pass. We did pass planned photo-op after photo-op as the falling snow made distant views non-existent. At breakfast we were joined by a local farmer turned historian, Glen Leitz, who shared with us bits and pieces of the history of the Palouse. I always enjoy listening to oral history and this gentleman had a lot to tell, so much in fact that we had to leave before he even finished his stories.

We continued on our journey as the snows started slacking off so we were able to stop at more places - museums, barns, mills, churches and cemeteries. All unique in their photographic qualities. I began to realize I would need to come back for several days to truly capture this rare and beautiful place. Finally, the clouds started breaking apart in the late afternoon and the sun highlighted the hills in the distance. Just in time too, our final stop near sunset would be Steptoe Butte.

Never seeing Steptoe before, I was extremely excited as I drove up the winding road to the top. Each turn revealed more of the scenery - rolling hills touched with snow stretching in every direction. I decided to leave before sunset - eager to be on my way and hoping to be someplace really cool for sunset. I was in a gully at the best color, but a not too disappointed because I knew my trip had started off great - even if spring was reticent in its appearance.

Spring Road Trip 2009

2009-04-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

3/28/09-4/4/09

Another Spring and another road trip - and boy was I ready for this one. Early in the winter I learned that Frans Lanting would be speaking in Spokane for the PSA conference held there at the end of March. This time I would not miss the conference for Frans is one of my photography idols. I decided to plan this trip around going to Spokane and kicking off a fabulous photo vacation for myself.

This year I had the strongest desire to head back down to Utah planning 4 days near the Moab area: Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Goblin Valley, and Dead Horse Point. There would also be a slight layover at Bruneau Sand Dunes as I had been wanting to visit there again.

Olympia would be my traveling companion. I enjoy this time by myself but I really do like having someone with me. Olympia's conversations aren't the best but she good company never the less.

So continue reading the stories are adventuresome and I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I had experiencing them.

An Unexpected Starlit Trip

2009-03-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

Reflection Lakes, 3/22/09, 8 miles

It was supposed to be an easy afternoon snowshoeing. We were supposed to be back home by dinner. It was supposed to be an enjoyable scouting trip on a well known trail. But things don't always turn out how they're supposed to, especially in the outdoors.

Michael & I have been to Reflection Lakes several times during the winter and know the route well, so when our friends Heather & Dave asked if we would scout out the trail with them we happily agreed. A bad day snowshoeing is far better than a good day doing yard-work. Because of prior commitments, we didn't leave the windswept parking lot at Paradise until 2:30. But we weren't too concerned as we knew the afternoon was longer than the trail. Silly us.

We made it to the snow covered lake with plenty of time to spare by going up and over Mazama Ridge. Then after a stroll around the lake we decided to head back to the cars by way of the road. Even though there is a steep avalanche slope along the road, Michael & I have never had any trouble navigating past the slope. We also wanted to show Dave & Heather an alternative direction to take their group later.

Part way along the road, Heather realized she didn't have her camera any longer and must have dropped it back near the lake. Dave, our leader, gallantly went back to find it for her and said he would meet us not back where we could wait for him but at the cars thus splitting our group for the rest of the day. As we were all comfortable with each others skills, Michael & I didn't think we'd have problems doing just that. Once we saw the avalanche slope and it's steepness, we knew we'd never be able to traverse to the other side. We immediately turned around and started back he way we had come, hoping maybe we could catch up with Dave.

Once we got back to the lake though we knew we wouldn't catch up with him and stopped for a snack. However, Dave had taken off with the pack and Heather's extra food and water and equipment. Michael & I shared what we had, dug out our headlamps, sandwiched her between us and made our way back over Mazama Ridge. Then we had the decision of returning to Paradise by the trail or by the avalanche sloped road. Michael's legs were beginning to cramp - probably from the cold and dehydration - so we chose what we believed to be the gentler slope.

The day was fading fast and soon the wisdom of our choice was in question - avalanche after avalanche had obscured the path. I knew I needed to keep us going for turning around and heading the other way would take too long and put undue strain upon Michael. I kept trudging, following the intermittent ski tracks through the darkening twilight. The wind continued to blow obscuring those same tracks. I began to feel the pressure of getting us out safely through cold, avalanche slopes, and darkness.

Finally we followed the curve of the road over the creek at the head of Paradise Valley to find ruts in the snow. All of us breathed a communal sigh of relief. A light beacon shone through the wind swept snows guiding us home. Stars glistened in the velvety night sky as we crested the hill to the parking lot. Dave had gotten there hours before us asking for help when he realized we were far later than we should be. It was the rangers who gave our beacon.

Looking back, we were nervous but at least we were prepared - even the rangers remarked about that. But it was a good experience to have under my belt. And the stars were marvelous.

Can't count on the weather

2009-03-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Ebey's Landing, 3/14/09, 5 miles, 250 elevation

Finally the day came when Michael and I were to lead our mentored hike for the Mountaineers. But as the weekend approached the weather forecast got worse. We were expecting high winds and rain for the morning of our hike. Our group began to dwindle until there were just two on the list the night before our adventure. I learned several years ago that you never cancel a trip because you don't know what will happen. And it's a good thing we didn't.

Rain may have been falling in Seattle when we left, but the grey skies held off their threat of a deluge until after our hike. The wind however was stiff and cold as we started up the bluff. We all bundled up as we set off for our little journey.

Ebey's Landing is a hike full of history and we detoured to view a piece of that history - an old blockhouse used in the Indian Wars of the 1850's. The settlers would take refuge in these smallish structures. They would fire rifles through holes in the thick walls at their attackers. When the attack was over, the settlers would return to their homes - one of which is replicated nearby.

We continued our hike along the bluff and once past the ridge the wind died down so we were able to enjoy our walk much better. Without the wind freezing our exposed skin, we could stop every now and then to admire the view - and notice a cactus or two just below us on the bluff. Yes, you read that right, cactus. There are several cacti making their home in the sandy soils of the Ebey's Landing trail. It's quite a sight.

Once we hit the beach the wind had again picked up - no longer blocked by the ridge. So our walk trek back to the cars was quick - just so we could get ourselves out of the cold. It wasn't until our drive back to Seattle that the rains started falling. Like I said, you don't always know how a day will turn out.

The Snows Fall

2009-03-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Blewett Pass, 3/8/09, 4 miles, 500 elevation

After a cold but fun weekend in Winthrop, Michael & I with our friends Dave & Heather, decided to stop at Blewett Pass for a quick snowshoe up the hill to see what we can see. We parked along the highway at the snowpark because the parking lot hadn't been plowed for a while, but that wouldn't deter us hardy snowshoeing folks.

Dave & Heather were testing out their new MSR snowshoes by traversing hills and climbing steep slopes. They were quite happy with the performance of these lighter weight snowshoes - they don't slip nearly as much as the larger Tubbs and Atlas snowshoes do. That's the main reason I love them, that and they are so light-weight.

The snow started falling almost immediately, a light pellety snow. We made our way past the creek and started climbing, hoping to reach the lookout 2 miles beyond. As we started our climb the snowflakes became larger and started falling more heavily, covering everything from trees to our hats. We began to blend in with our surroundings.

We never made it to the lookout, stopping about a 1/2 mile from the top to head back to the cars. A good thing really, if we had stayed out any longer than that our cars may have been just mounds along the highway. As it was, our footprints in the parking were completely covered.

A Natural Setting

2009-03-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Early Winters Creek, 3/7/09, 1 mile

On a recent trip to Winthrop with our friends Dave & Heather to photograph the balloonfest, we arranged a trip with a local naturalist along the Early Winters Creek near Mazama.

He showed us several types of plant life that sometimes goes un-noticed in the summer and is usually covered during the winter. Marten tracks could be seen hopping through the snow. We also followed some coyote tracks to a fresh (within the day) kill site.

He also gave us a nice lecture on the arrogance of man in trying to "correct" nature - the creek had been straightened out long ago with the thought that is would ease flooding. What was neglected was that the turns, eddies, and dams are needed for a healthy stream and healthy stream-life. To correct the correction new dams and log jams were built. More work than really needed to be done. If only we could learn to live with the cycles of nature, maybe we wouldn't need to "correct" nature at all.

Running around with a well-educated naturalist can be truly eye-opening.

Scouting Trip

2009-03-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ebey's Landing, 3/1/09, 4 miles, 250 elevation

On a blustery type of a day, Michael & I went to scout a trail we'd be leading a hike on later in the month - Ebey's Landing. I had often read about this little trail and the bounty of flowers in the spring. March is a little early for flowers, but we scheduled the trip anyway to accommodate our Mountaineers Hike Mentor. To become hike leaders for the Mountaineers, we had to lead a hike under the supervision of a certified hike leader.

We packed extra layers expecting a bone-chilling wind and made sure the dogs had their coats, but those were not needed. e were peeling off layers barely a mile into the hike. The sun even glowed brightly behind a thin veil of clouds. The wind never materialized - amazing as we hiked along a high bluff over-looking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Inlet.

The hike itself is a leisurely paced trail along the bluff and completes a loop along the beach. Even though flowers were not yet blooming, we saw quite a bit of wildlife including a sea lion swimming through the kelp just off the shore.

And now that we have scouted the trip, we feel comfortable enough to lead the hike later on.

Strolls along 410

2009-02-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

Greenwater

Michael & I recently went looking for some close activities to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. However, both times our plans had to be altered.

We first hoped to take the dogs on a nice hike through the Federation Forest. Olympia's legs are getting worse and we figured the level walk wouldn't tax her mobility too much. Snow and a closed gate greeted us upon our arrival. What to do? The solution was easy enough.

Parking at the end of a forest road, we meandered along through the woods, clear-cuts and re-plantings above highway 410. We did run into snow, but we had the road to ourselves except for one little critter (I think it was a fox) dashing through the trees above us. The dogs were able to run free and chase each other and generally tucker themselves out. We managed 3 miles round trip with only slight limping from Olympia. Still breaks my heart that she can't join us on all our adventures.

Our next trip was to be a snowshoe with friends along the Skookum Flats trail. Let me tell you, the snow is not all it's cracked up to be right now. If you want to get some good snowshoeing in, my recommendation would be to head high up into the mountains. The snow was hard and crusty and littered with tree debris from all the recent storms. Not fun at all to navigate through.
Instead, we returned to Greenwater to ask around about a good place to head. The best answer was to head out into the forest and fields behind the community center where we could freely tromp with the dogs and possibly even see elk. No elk but we meandered through the trees and along the roads for 3 hours before deciding to head back into town for some well deserved lunch.

So even though our original plans didn't work out, we still got to enjoy life along highway 410.

Three Days at the Beach

2009-02-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

Grayland, 2/14-2/16/09

Every once in a while we get the chance to spend the weekend at the beach in Michael's boss' cabin near Grayland. We were extremely fortunate to get the cabin for a romantic Valentine's Weekend this year, so we packed up the dogs and went to enjoy three days at the beach.

We slept, walked on the beach, got up early for sunrise, had a romantic dinner in Westport, watched the crabbers at Tokeland, toured the cranberry bogs and generally had a relaxing weekend. Except for one slight problem. Michael's allergies reared their ugly congestion and plugged up not only his nose but his lungs as well. Saturday night, our romantic Valentine's night, was interrupted with a trip to Hoqium and the emergency room there.

But all was well after they hooked Michael up to some oxygen and monitored his oxygen levels for a little over an hour. They found no evidence of pneumonia and gave him some antibiotics to fight any infections.

The rest of the weekend went back to the schedule above - sleeping, relaxing and sleeping some more.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2009-01-26T15:23:00.000-08:00

Mt Rainier, 1/25/09, 3 miles, 500 elevation

There are few things better in this world than sharing an outdoor adventure with your friends. We were able to do this recently on Mt Rainier at Paradise. In the summer, the meadows above Paradise become a calliope of color as wildflowers fill the scenery. When winter comes, snows blanket the meadows in a thick carpet of white. Trails become irrelevant as seems time when you're wandering through the snow.

I was practicing my leadership skills as I explained to our group the route we'd take through the meadows and trees and then started off up the hill. Flurries obscured most of our views throughout the day, but added an air of mystery and fun. We roamed up the hill and down another direction, followed the winter nature trail and fox prints as the snows became heavier.

Finally we made our way back to the visitor center and some semblance of warmth to laugh about and share our adventures. We didn't wait long before heading back down the mountain because we knew that blackberry pie awaited us at the Copper Creek Inn.

Conspiracy Theory

2009-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Memories - Death Valley

Close your eyes and imagine. You’re riding in the passenger seat of a fast moving SUV through the moonless desert night. The only light visible on the dark stretch of highway is coming from the high beams of your own car. You hope, as you hurtle through the black, that no stray nightlife, or cows stray onto the road.

Just as the sun was setting, several hours before, your driver motions out to the great expanse of desert beyond to low-lying hills and informs you that this is where Area 51 is. The same Area 51 that holds the remains of aliens and spaceships. You find the thought interesting and watch as the hills become more inky in the darkening light. Soon the only movement you see is the jostling desert weeds as they are pushed to and fro by the gusty evening winds.

A few more hours pass and the only thing you can find in the radio is some conspiracy nut-job and his theories about extra-terrestrial life. Time and movement seem to halt, as your eyelids get heavier. You hope that your destination soon arrives, for you know you can’t stay awake much longer to help look for obstacles in the road. Then it appears. You think it is only a reflection from a light in your car. Then it disappears. You glance around the dash to see if you can distinguish which light was momentarily reflected in your window. You look out again and there it is; a tiny spot of light at eye level traveling through the darkness at the exact speed you car is traveling. Then it flicks out again only to reappear a few seconds later.

Your heart starts to race. You are now wide awake, searching the darkness for any clues to this hovering light, listening to the static-y talk radio and alien cover-ups. You look out the driver’s side window and there’s another light! You start to panic. Holy **** you’re surrounded! Another appears. And another! And, wow, that one looks like a four-pane window.

That’s when you realize, that you’re driving through ranch country. The floating lights in the darkness are no more than lights from a ranch house or barn. You feel kind of silly but you let out a long calming breathe and laugh a little at yourself. At least you’re awake now. Your destination, a campground inside Death Valley National Park, is getting closer. You’ll have a few hours of sleep before sunrise.

There's a big hole in the tire

2009-01-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

Memory - Crater Lake

Early in our relationship, Michael & I started road-tripping. We both enjoy the open road and find you see so much of the world while exploring the roads throughout the countryside. Our first weekend together was spent driving the North Cascades Loop. A few weeks later we drove to Alaska & back in three days - but that's another story. And that is in fact one of the things we collect while on road trips - stories.

This story begins on a Labor Day weekend. We had 3 days to play and the open road before us. The Oregon Coast sounded like a good place to head, but wait, I had never been to Crater Lake before and Michael hadn't been there for years. We had the time - no schedule actually - and turned off the highway to drive into the South Cascades towards this wonder created by nature.

As we drove along the road around the crater, oohing and aahing at the scenery, Michael forgot to mind where he was going and for a brief second drove off the road. He quickly recovered but the damage was already done - volcanic rocks are very sharp and they cut right through the tire. The sun was setting and I wanted to be up at the overlook for the color show. Michael pulled out the donut tire and jack while I grabbed the dog and camera to head up the road to the overlook, hopefully making it before sunset.

I made it and just as the sun was setting, so did Michael. But there was another problem - the donut tire had very little air in it. The best wee could do was drive 5 miles an hour around the rest of the crater and hope , just hope, that the gas station at the park village had air. Time and dark scenery seemed to go on forever. We were saved at the park village as they did have air, plus we were able to get sandwich fixin's for the trip to Medford. Hopefully we could get our tire fixed there.

Ever try and get a tire fixed in a smallish town on a Sunday? Forget it. We had to continue the rest of our road-trip on the donut. Stay tuned for that great story.

Memories

2009-01-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

With all the wet and unusual weather here in the northwest lately, I've taken to the indoors. Not that I like it all that much but hey, what can you do? To occupy my time, I've started scanning my very large collection of slides. What wonderful memories of great places and adventurous explorations. To fill in the gaps for the time and between adventures for the rest of the year. I've decided to tell the memories that are brought about by the tedious work of scanning.

I hope you enjoy!

A New Year, and Snow!

2009-01-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

Longmire, Mt Rainier

Nothing beats a fresh coating of powder for the 1st winter outing. Skiers in the Rockies understand the beauty of powder. Here on the wet side of the cascades, powder is a gift we rarely receive. So imagine our surprise as my sister and I made our first few steps around Longmire Meadow. The snow had drifted into nice large piles of powdery snow - perfect for a pair of juvenile middle-ages women to start making snow angels and finding any excuse to "trip" and fall into it.

So much fun! After a loop around the meadow, we decided to head over to the Nisqually River through the forest. We had to play around down in the fresh unbroken snow along the river banks. I broke trail first and sank up to my knees. Then Kristi broke trail; I had to laugh at how much snow her snowshoes were kicking up onto her back - she looked like an abominable snow-woman heading up the river.

Not ready to quit yet, we then crossed over the river on the bridge to make a loop through the old campground. Never knew why the park stopped using this campground, but we played and laughed and stood silent amongst the trees before returning for some much needed hot chocolate.

Snow season has begun.

Sure Sign of Winter

2008-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Phelps Creek Trail, 11/16/08, 7 miles, 1000 elevation

Brrrr! We went east today. East of the mountains to the Chiwawa River near Lake Wenatchee. Neither of us had done much hiking here and since it wasn't a brilliant day on the west-side of the mountains, we figured it would be a perfect day to explore over there. Let me tell you though, we hit snow before we even got to the trail-head.

Snowshoes had been left behind since our elevation last week had been higher with no snow - who'd have believed we'd run into snow here? We decided to see how far we could get without snowshoes. I really had hoped we could get all the way to Spider Meadow but no such luck.

It was a pleasant hike and we got as far as Leroy Creek before needing to turn around. We were hiking in six inches of snow and the bridge over the creek had been pulled out. If we crossed in our regular hiking boots we might have a problem keeping my feet warm. Michael thought he might have a problem staying warm too. And we knew Zillah would be shivering all over the place. So we decided to head back to the car after a quick lunch under a large tree dripping melting snow onto our heads.

I had really wanted to see the valley and snow-covered meadows, but there's always next year.

Autumn Solitude, Part II

2008-11-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

West Cady Ridge, 11/8/08, 8 miles, 2200 elevation

Talk about solitude. Michael & I took Zillah to West Cady Ridge in the new Wild Sky Wilderness and saw not another person - except for the two people in their car at the trail-head possibly wondering if they were going to brave the weather. I've mentioned this before, if you want solitude on a popular Washington trail, head out after September with the threat of rain.

On this day there was no threat. No the rain was a reality, but being prepared we zipped on our rain gear and started out on the trail. So wet was the day, a stream rushed down the hillside in the trail just after we passed the wilderness boundary. A little rain nor a little trail mud were going to deter us. A friend had mentioned this was on of his favorite hikes and we were bound and determined to discover why.

Steadily we climbed up the hill through thick forest with salal and ferns for undergrowth giving lush autumn nourishment to the dozens of varieties of mushrooms growing along the trail. We soon came to forest without much undergrowth and meandered on a traverse, climbing slowly and gently. Several bridges along this section were rather treacherous having twisted during their slow rot. Then the climb became steeper again but we were soon catching glimpses of the fabulous view - or what we could only image was the fabulous view. Clouds clung to the mountainsides obscuring everything in a grey blanket.

The rain had stopped and we found an outcropping for a quick lunch. We didn't want to stay long for fear of catching a chill. The sun peaked through the clouds every now and then, teasing us with a hope of warmth and mountain views, but quickly hid again behind the clouds. We noticed Zillah was shivering so packed up the lunch to head back down the hill. In my mind, I could understand why our friend would love this hike, but I am hoping to see it again soon when the views don't have to be imagined. Except then, we won't have the absolute solitude we experienced on this trip.

Blustery Days

2008-11-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

Snow Lake, 11/1/08, 7 miles, 1300 elevation

If you are a Seattleite looking for a little hiking solitude during the summer, Snow Lake is not the place to go. However, if you want to go hiking with about 500 or more new found friends, Snow Lake is where you will find them. Michael & I found the solitude secret to hiking the Snow Lake trail with only 30 relative strangers.

Friends had often extolled the wonders of the Snow Lake trail - relatively short, not very steep, and in no time at all you are in the beauty of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. But the reputation of being a hiker super-highway left me just a little turned off by the whole thing. I'm afraid of getting hiker-herpes on Mt Si, what could I get on the way to Snow Lake? A bit of solitude on an otherwise blustery day.

We took Zillah along with us and left the Alpental parking lot early. The amount of cars left in the lot prepared us for the worst, but we soon realized those cars must be there for the lodge and had nothing to do with our day on the trail. The rain held off through most of our hike into the lake and the sun even showed itself while we adventured along a side trail to the Source Lake overlook. But once we got over the saddle to the Snow Lake valley, the wind blasted us with a winter chill as it rushed through the valley and over the lake. Hurray for fleece. But poor little Zillah started shivering as we ate lunch by the lake. Time to get her some cold weather gear.

As we felt the first few drops hit or faces, we gathered up our layers and quickly gained the saddle to cross to the other side to block the wind. It wasn't too long after that the rain became heavier. Zillah thankfully let us towel her off when we got back to the car. Pretty Snow Lake even as cold as the wind became, had given us warm welcome.

Fall into Autumn

2008-10-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

Punchbowl Falls, 10/25/08, 4 miles, 300 elevation

What a wonderful weekend. I was able to spend 3 days with a very good friend and about 20 other of her friends to celebrate the 70th anniversary of her birth and continued good health along the Columbia River. We had hoped for glorious fall color and although the colors weren't as far along as we had hoped, they were nothing to guffaw at.

We are all photo-geeks so we spent each day exploring the waterfalls and apple orchards in the gorge and the Hood River valley. I think came away with almost 300 shots - gotta love the digital age.

The one hike a few of us took was along Eagle Creek to Punchbowl Falls. The trail continues further to Tunnel Falls - that famous cascade where the trail cuts under the waterfall along the cliff. We didn't have the time to go that far, but it's on my list.

The trail hugs the cliff even in the first 2 miles to Punchbowl Falls, with a few ramblings through the woods as it slowly climbs to a vantage point over-looking the falls. Before the vantage point, a side trail takes off down the hill. This will take you to the falls and a sweet little waterfall below punchbowl. Most photo-geeks lament about the log that has fallen across the chasm leading into the falls for it blocks a perfect view. I instead playing with the log - after all, nature is nature and you must work with what she gives you.

We all met afterward for dinner and birthday cake in Hood River and made plans on where to go on our friend's 80th birthday.

Autumn Solitude

2008-10-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Grand Park - Mt Rainier, 10/18/08, 8.6 miles, 1600 elevation

I have mentioned before that Grand Park on the north side of Mt Rainier is one of my favorite places. And the hike up to the park past Lake Eleanor is a pleasant stroll through the forest and meadows. During the spring, flowers cover the meadows. The last time we made our way up to Grand Park we were thwarted by snows. This time the autumn sun smiled upon us through cloud breaks and trees. As we passed into the lower meadow, the clouds parted around the mountain to remind me why I love this hike so much - the grand volcano's presence is always felt, like a watchful parent.

But the lower meadow only teases you as to the views above. Grand Park is a mile long flat meadow stretching out below Mount Fremont. The views of the mountain are unobscured. And on a glorious day, it shines like a beacon in the sky. There were a few flowers still hanging on, but autumn is in full swing on the mountain. The Gray Jays fluttered about as we reached the meadow but left us alone as we continued up the meadow to or lunch spot in full view of Mt Rainier. Until lunch not a single person hiked past us. Our only company was each other and the looming mountain ahead.

I love Grand Park for it's beauty and quiet solitude. Not many people seem to know about the trail past Lake Eleanor and the trail from Sunrise is too long for most casual hikers. So a hike here is guaranteed to bring you quiet reprise no matter what time of year.

Washington's Yosemite

2008-10-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Methow Valley Exploration 10/10/08-10/13/08

Normally, Michael and I take our vacation the week prior to Columbus Day. We load up the car and set out to explore the western US and Canada, but not this year. Instead we took a week to finish off the Wonderland Trail. So when my travel bug hit just as the calendar rolled from Sept to Oct we set off to explore a portion of Washington we had only driven through and always wanted to see more of - The Methow Valley.

Friends had been telling me for years the wonders of the Methow and I believed them. I just never got a chance to hike or ski or camp in this marvelous place. Michael was so excited to get going that the car was packed by the time I got home Friday night and we decided to drive all night until we reached Winthrop. Luckily, Pearrygin State Park was still open and we set up camp in the moonlight along the banks of the lake. Although we didn't get to sleep until well after 1am, I was up at sunrise to catch the 1st glimmer of the day on the lake.

For the rest of the 3 day weekend, we drove along forest roads to scenic viewpoints and trails to be noted at a later date. We drove through stands of burned out trees from the 30-mile fire and stopped by the memorial honoring the fire fighters who tragically died fighting the blaze. We watched as hunters drove past looking for deer and then deer walk across the road as they passed. Above all, we admired the land of the Methow and Chewuch rivers.

On the Edge of Seasons

2008-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Beverly Creek/Tooth Saddle, 10/5/08, 9 miles, 2800 elevation

I was on the hunt for Larches, the oddity of the coniferous tree family. Their needles turn golden in the fall and are shed by winter and the trees seem to glisten on east slope hillsides shining brightly against the dark greens of the rest of the coniferous forest. I wanted to capture that quintessential image and although that image didn't materialize this trip (or this year) the hike up to Tooth Saddle will remain a highlight of this year's hiking season.

Snows had already fallen by the time our merry little band of Mountaineer hikers left for the Teanaway, but that wouldn't deter us from alpine views and autumn color. The trail along Beverly Creek is an easy saunter slowly gaining altitude through forest and talus fields. Autumn leaves filtered the sunlight to a ruddy glow on the occasion it made an appearance from behind the clouds. We stopped for a short break before climbing to the ridge and joining the County Line trail for a wonderful traverse with views of the Enchantments across the valley.

Along the way to our next climb, pockets of snow still lingered amongst the shrubs and fallen logs. But the sky by now had cleared to shine blue on the mountains surrounding the valley. Here also we found our first larches, some a greenish gold, a few a dazzling gold. Soon we were up in the saddle just below the tooth and watching as dark clouds rolled over the Enchantments bringing with them flurries that fluttered all around us. As soon as the snow brushed us the flurries were gone and we made our final push up to Tooth Saddle.

We were heavily rewarded by sparkling views all around but it was the Enchantments and their crown Mt Stuart that snatched our breathe. Well, maybe it was also the bitter wind blowing through the saddle. Our larch hunt may not have been very fruitful, our quest for views bountifully rewarding.

National Public Lands Day

2008-09-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Mt Pilchuck Work Party, 9/27/08

As Discover Your Northwest, the organization I work for, expands and tries on new hats we come across opportunities too good to pass up. One such opportunity is partnering with the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to develop a series of volunteer events in needful areas. Not necessarily trail maintenance and repair (as this past weekend's was) but eradicating invasive plant species, building picnic tables and birdhouses, or anything else the forest finds a need to do. We affectionately call the series of events Earth Day Every Day.

This weekend, we sponsored an event at Mt Pilchuck to repair some trail damage. A portion of the trail has been the drainage of melting snows and hikers trying to avoid getting their made-for-the-mud expensive boots dirty have walked around making new trails. This can get me onto a soapbox, but I'll spare you from that at the moment.

Our workday, was a blast! We lopped brush from the trails around the picnic area. Did you know Mt Pilchuck has a picnic area - just off to the right at the start of the trail - check it out. We moved rocks along the muddiest parts of the trail for stepping stones. We applied erosion control matting and posted signs to warn hikers that this was a habitat rehabilitation area. Two of us gathered seeds to germinate in the greenhouse for transplanting later. It was a good day and we all left the trail feeling good about all the work we had accomplished.

For more information on volunteer events visit the Discover Your Northwest website at http://www.discovernw.org/get_involved.htm

What not to do with the Stomach Flu

2008-09-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Cascade River Rd, 9/20/08, 6 miles, 1500 elevation

There I was, in the midst of low-lying clouds and autumn colors, hunched over my arms holding my stomach as if I hugged harder I could hold the few contents of my stomach in place. "Oh please, not here" I thought. I couldn't imagine coming across someone else's sick along a trail (or in this case roadside) while hiking and had no desire to subject anyone to mine. And it was a matter of pride. I had been wanting to hike to Cascade Pass for several years and here was my opportunity. I was NOT going to let a little thing like a frail body subjected to a stomach bug ruin my outing. Plus this was to be my graduation hike for the Mountaineers' Conditioning Hike Series.

I had been dealing with my stomach bug for 2 weeks prior to the hike, which I kept reminding my sick stomach was scheduled long before it felt ill. But on Friday I was feeling better - maybe not 100% but better and looked forward to this fabled journey to Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm. We got to the rendezvous point to meet the rest of the group and found out that the road had been closed 3 miles from the trailhead, so our hike would not reach Sahale Arm but would be able to make Cascade Pass. Either that or we could hike another trail in the area. As the clouds drifted through the valley, we decided to do the road walk then continue up to Cascade Pass and decide from there to go on or turn back.

Autumn was just touching the leaves of the forest as our group started up the Cascade River Road. The clouds hanging low on the hillsides. I had warned our leader that I would taking it slow, but even I was surprised how leaden my feet were. Sweat was dripping off my brow at our first break and we hadn't even started climbing yet. At a mile and a half the stomach cramps started and my feet were more sluggish - I was constantly wiping the sweat off my face. By mile 2, I knew what Michael had known an half mile back, I was finished. Both he and the leader agreed to allow me to continue at least to the actual trailhead to discuss our carpooling options before heading back down the hill.

By mile 2 1/2 I was doubled over praying I could make to the pit-toilet at the trailhead. I finally met up with Michael, who hurried ahead to talk to the group, and the rest of our companions and apologized for being so slow. After hugs and goodbyes all around, Michael and I watched as the group disappeared into the trees and clouds. I did stop by the toitie, but luckily my sickness urges had subsided. Michael grabbed my cold hand and we walked side-by-side back to our car.

On the way down, I began to notice the colors in the growth next to the road and the spiderwebs strung with dew. I was disappointed that I had to turn back on this trip, but relieved that at least I had Michael to walk home with.

3 Days for Boobs

2008-09-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Susan G Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day.

For the last couple of years, I have followed my sister on her journey to try and end breast cancer. Her journey involves walking 60 miles over 3 days in the Seattle area, raising funds to go towards research an prevention of this devastating disease.

I usually follow her and her teammates around with my camera recording their efforts, their joys, their pains and feel somewhat touched by the event and those who dedicate so much to it's cause. This year I joined the crew as the photographer, to create images of the event that may be used in future marketing materials. It was 3 long days of exhaustive work, something I would do again if given the opportunity.

And for any who would like to help with the eradication of breast cancer, please check out events and opportunities during Breast Cancer awareness month of October.

Westside, Part V

2008-09-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

Wonderland Trail, 8/26-30, 32 miles

Maybe we should have called this the "wetside" of the Wonderland. After several years of failed attempts on the westside of Rainier, we finally made it to Lake Mowich. Two years ago, we trekked from Longmire to Klapatche Park. Our plan had been to go all the way to Lake Mowich, but were chased off the mountain by snow still lingering in the trees and clinging on the slopes. Last year we were thwarted by the floods the winter before. So this year we planned to head up the Westside Road and hike into Klapatche Park from there to continue along our northward route.

Because of continued road repair, our trip started in the Glacier View Wilderness outside the park. It was a beautiful day as we made our way past Goat Lake and over Gobbler's Knob to Lake George. Amazingly, we were the only campers at the lake so we decided to take over the shelter and a good thing too. The weather began to turn and before the sun was completely down it started raining. It continued to rain off and on for the next 3 days. We were soaked, our gear was soaked, and our mood was soggy. I remembered stories from a friend who had attempted to hike the Wonderland but hiked out after he opened a ramen package and it was already wet.

As the rains settled in the 4th night, and after talking to the ranger who informed us that the freezing level would be dropping over the weekend, Michael & I came to the decision to call my sister for a pick-up at Lake Mowich. We had hoped to hike over to the Carbon River and back in a loop on days 6 & 7, but the fact that I was already sleeping in the emergency blanket in side the sleeping bag made it clear that wee should have come prepared for winter camping instead.

But that's not to say it was all misery. A break in the rain at Klapatche Park let us wander around the flower garden around Aurora Lake. We spotted moving white dots on the cliff face over the North Puyallup River and surmised they were Mountain Goats. During a patch of sun, I stepped over a fresh pile of purple bear poo only to have Michael stop me dead in my tracks by saying "Bear! On your right." She was just 30 feet away grazing on the plentiful berries and paying us no mind. And the relief as we finally gazed at Lake Mowich knowing we had finished our task.

And then there was this hill . . .

2008-09-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Tatoosh Lakes, 8/24/08, 5 miles, 2700 elevation

This may sound blasphemous to some, but sometimes I really don't like Ira Spring or Harvey Manning (God rest their souls). These two icons of northwest hiking wrote the book on writing hiking guides and luckily there are a few hiking guide authors who have thrown away that book. Short and/or flat hikes were generally ignored by this writing team as were realistic descriptions and hiking times. In a nutshell, here is the description for Tatoosh Peak out of "100 Hikes in the South Cascades and Olympics": rapidly climb a hill, star walking through meadows, climb 3 short switchbacks, and easily follow the trail to the peak and beautiful views. Oh come on! By the time we got past the 3 short switchbacks even the dog was tired - so much so that she missed the deer standing in the meadow 100 feet away!

With our big backpacking trip just days away, Michael & I figured we could do a little warm-up hike to Tatoosh. I had wanted to do this hike the week before, but with the heat that struck us that week and my reaction to it, we decided to postpone this hike and rest in some A/C on my birthday. Add were we glad we waited. Even with cloud cover and cooler temps, it didn't take long before sweat was dripping of the both of us.

We climbed steeply through the forest along 15 switchbacks and met a pair of llamas along the way. Zillah was immediately intrigued by these strange creatures but didn't bark or growl. We felt like such proud parents as we watched the llamas pass and we continued uphill. As we finished the switchbacks we hoped for a little break in the climb but got no such reward - the hill was unrelenting. The flower-filled meadows came into view and still we climbed. The 3 short switchbacks were short and sweet and gave Zillah her 1st chance at water (we crossed a stream all 3 times). We stopped for a rest while the deer looked down at us, Zillah obliviously panting at our feet.

As we finally reached the junction with Tatoosh Lakes, we decided that the storm that had been brewing all morning would likely hit us while we took in the views from Tatoosh Peak. Michael, having grown up in Colorado, has an aversion to being on mountaintops when storms roll in and my thigh muscles were screaming. So we cut the trip short by heading over the hill to the lakes and rested a bit there with Mt Rainier watching over us.

My description of the trail? Tough climb through the woods and meadows, but worth every step to get those views and to see the abundant flowers. You might even get to see something new along the way.

Attack of the Grasshoppers

2008-08-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Harry's Ridge, 8/16/08, 7 miles, 1000 elevation

Summer (in the eyes of most of the nation) arrived this weekend. I, on the other hand, had been enjoying the cooler temps of the typical northwest summer. But as the temps rose this past week, my ability to function as a normal human being decreased. I'm a Seattle girl - I don't like hot - and anything above 80 is hot. The temps at Mt St Helens were in the mid-90s.

But I wanted to go on this CHS hike, my buddy Steve raved about the beauty on Coldwater Peak. So I packed extra liquids and a couple of neck-coolers and my ventilated sun hat and met the rest of the group at Johnston Ridge. By the time we traversed Devil's Elbow, my body was feeling the heat, and without any shade I knew it would only get worse. Michael noticed it before I did, it's a good thing he watches me closely in hot weather and cold. He's saved my temps on more than one occasion when I thought I was doing fine. While standing in a small grove of willows trying to rest in whatever shade we could get, he had me drink some electrolytes and put on a neck -cooler. It helped for a little while.

Again we were in the direct sun, climbing up a small hill that I just had no ability to climb. Each footstep was harder to make until I had to rest on a bridge while the others in the group continued on. I drank more after the urge to vomit subsided and then followed the group up the hill. But still, each step was a task my body wouldn't cooperate committing. We finally found shade beneath a tree for lunch as the group ate lunch on the ridge above Spirit Lake with Mt St Helens looking on and Mt Adams a hill on the horizon.

After a discussion with Steve, Michael & I said good-bye to the rest of the group. Continuing on, for me, would prove harmful if not deadly. We watched them as they rapidly ascended the next hill - a steeper, more barren climb. I wanted so much to continue on, but knew in reality that with this heat there was no way I could. Michael & I turned back to wait for them at the trail-head. As the day wore on and the temperature increased, I could feel my body try to shut down. Frequent rests to suck down more liquid and allow my body to readjust along with the sheer determination to power through to the car are the only things that got me there.

The rest of the group came out about an hour or so after we made it out. They never did reach Coldwater Peak - they all voted to leave the hike for a day with a more mellow disposition. And where does the title come from you ask? On our way back, each step sent a cloud of grasshoppers leaping through the air. Michael at one point said, "It is really telling of a place where the only living creatures are a plague of locusts."

In the Clouds, Naturally

2008-08-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

Eunice Lake, 8/10/08, 5.5 miles, 500 Elevation

My first official trip as hike leader for the naturalist class. Luckily it was a short hike and I had a co-leader.

My small band of naturalist students met me at Lake Mowich where, in the midst of August, snow was still piled up next to the road and snow banks still lined the shoreline. But our way through the woods was snow free if a little cold. Being naturalists, we stopped often along the way to examine this plant or discuss that one. However, with the winter still clinging to Mt Rainier the plants weren't as plentiful as I had hoped.

We came back into the snow and entered low-lying clouds at the lake, but that wasn't going to deter us from a casual lunch. And for my first official trip, it went rather well.

Sweat and Flowers

2008-08-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Marmot Pass, 8/2/08, 10.5 miles, 3500 elevation

Is that yet another variety of Paintbrush? How many had I seen by now? I was looking down at a pale pink Indian Paintbrush in the meadows below Marmot Pass. Already I had spotted a Common Paintbrush and Scarlett Paintbrush and possibly another one or two. And that wasn't counting the myriad other wildflowers along the trek up to Marmot Pass. Along the way there were Twinflowers, Tiger Lilies, Red Columbine, Fireweed, False Solomon's Seal, Penstemon, Nootka Roses - the list goes on and on. But it was the variety of Paintbrushes that stood out on this trip.

It's a long hill to climb to Marmot Pass and even on this chilled and cloudy summer day, we were all sweating to make the top. The forest gave us glimpses of the chaos nature can bring when thrashed with a storm. As we quickly climbed through the forest along the Quilcene River, deadfall littered each bank and the forest floor. Flowers peeked out from around stumps and greenery. As the way became steeper, the forest started opening up to grander views topped by low hanging clouds. I could only imagine the splendor we'd have seen if the sky had been clear - the view was beautiful as it was.

We came across a meadow filled with color, followed by another one and another. Soon we reached the meadow below the pass filled with pinks and yellows - all I wanted to do was stop and spend an hour or more shooting. But the color didn't stop there. All along the final climb to the pass were more varieties of flowers and more colors until we reached our destination looking to the interior of the Olympic Mountains. The clouds thinned a bit and the views for lunch makes me want to return, again and again.

The Reason for it All

2008-07-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Kendall Katwalk, 7/26/08, 14.6 miles, 3100 elevation

Every now and then, everything comes together for the perfect hike - weather, trail, companionship, views. We got that this past weekend when we hiked up from Snoqualmie Pass to Kendall Katwalk and Ridge and Gravel lakes beyond.

We started out climbing steadily through the forest admiring the lush green and forest wildflowers. After crossing a few streams, we came out to meadows clinging to the slopes between large rocks and boulders. Rosy Spirea, Paintbrush, Lupine and Penstemon dotted the meadows. We looked down upon I-90, a grey ribbon threading its way through the mountains and over the pass. Red Mountain stood out against the blue and green of the surrounding scenery.

But it was after rounding the ridge where the real views came into sight. Kendall Peak looked down upon us as we traversed through wildflowers and snow not yet ready to melt away. It took no time before wee were at the catwalk - a trail carved out of the cliff face and views looking into the heart of the Cascades. Beyond the catwalk, the stubborn snow came in greater frequency. I could have sat on a rock overlooking the snow patches and the views all day, it was so peaceful and beautiful.

The lakes, by the time we got to them, were still mostly covered in ice and we had little time to enjoy them before heading back out. This by far is my favorite hike of the season.

Hot, Dry, and Dusty

2008-07-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Koppen Mtn Loop Attempt, 7/20/08, 10 miles, 2000 elevation

Admittedly, we shouldn't have been over east of the mountains after July 4th. The heat is just too much for. However, the hike we signed up for was actually near Mt Rainier - a much cooler destination, temperature-wise. But our original destination had to change due to impassable road conditions. So we found ourselves on the eastside of the mountains, hiking in the middle of July. I'm a westside girl, anything above 78 degrees and I'd rather sit in the A/C contributing to global warming.

Here I found myself in the Teanaway. I had been told there would be great views. I had been told there would be wildflowers. I had been told there would be water along the way. The reality of the situation was there were water and flowers along the 1st mile but beyond that, heat and dust dominated our day. We had a few good views, but along with those views came treacherous trails along precipitous traverses.

Some time after lunch, as we scrambled up rocks and talus, we the leaders stopped to discuss our options. One of our member was not in the least pleased in the trail conditions -especially the heights and requested he be allowed to turn back. A few offered to turn back with him as the rest let it be known that they would like to continue on the loop.

In the end wee stayed together as a group and turned back. It was on the way back that the heat finally took it's toll on my system. I started to get a bit incoherent, my feet didn't want to work, and my electrolyte drink seemed so far away in my pack. Luckily Michael was able to get me revitalized before the final push to the cars.

Then as a final slap in the face, the burger joint we stopped at in CleElum for milkshakes didn't accept debit cards and with no cash what were we to do?

Gorge Games 2008

2008-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

7/18/08

A stiff wind courses through the Columbia River Gorge making it a great place for windsurfing and kiteboarding. Combine that with Mt Hood and the Mt Hood National Forest covering the hills and you have the Eden of outdoor sports. And what comes with sports? Competitive sporting events, such as the 3-day Gorge Games that combine the different sports enjoyed in the area to one adrenaline filled event.

This year I had the pleasure of participating somewhat in the Gorge Games by judging their 24-hour photo race where photographers head out to document the best the games have to offer. I was there for a couple of hours before I had to judge and watched a kiteboarding race. The athletes tacked their way through the course and the wind - a mass of rope, boards and spray.

And while they raced, a group practiced their aerobatics on the side. It was a fun day that I hope to repeat next year.

All in NW Hiker's Day

2008-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

White River Area, 7/13/08, 9 miles, 1000 elevation

Wildflowers and Snow. Waterfalls and Meadows. Forests and Frogs. A Lake and a River. A lost route. Two trails. Eight Friends. And one very large mountain. Yep. It's all in a NW Hiker's Day. At least in July of 2008. The snows that had hindered us on most trip planning had struck again as we attempted to hike into Grand Park on the north side of Mt Rainier.

I love Grand Park with its great unforested expanses of wildflower meadows that lead your feet and your attention to the hulking massive of Mt Rainier. It's a fantastical place that is a favorite of many hikers I know (including myself) and several naturalist friends. So when they offered it in the Mountaineer's Conditioning Hike Series, we signed up. However, this year nature had other plans - the trail reports coming from the National Park Service did not bode well. The report for the week prior to our trip stated the trail was still 100% under snow. But we decided to attempt it anyway.

Several hours later after spending half our time unsuccessfully route-finding in large snow fields insulated by the forest and tramping through the ankle-deep mud of the lower meadow, we sat on the banks of Lake Eleanor contemplating our next move. After all, we had only accomplished a small portion of our desired mileage and elevation. And it was still early enough in the afternoon to get some more trail under our feet. We settled on Skookumchuck Flats along the White River to the falls. Although that wouldn't add elevation to our day, we would be able to get in another 5 miles.

I had often thought about hiking along the White River past the falls but had yet to check the trail off the list. It's a nice trail frequented by mountain bikers out for a rolling pedal through the woods. But we met few on the trail this afternoon as we easily passed over the meadows through thick stands of Douglas Fir and twin-flowers. I left the trail much happier than when we left the Grand Park trail earlier - we were able to hike with a faster trek and I was able to feel the burn in my calves and hips as I stretched before heading off to dinner. But smiled a bit about hiking in the northwest and how sometimes you just have to stay flexible and have an alternate plan in mind.

Can't I Stay Here, Forever?

2008-07-07T07:56:00.001-07:00

Esmerelda Basin, 7/6/08, 7 miles,

The valley stretched out before me, green tones for miles, ending with the still snowy mountain rising up from the forest green to balance together the earth and sky. Somewhere behind me, Michael was curled up in the shade of a few alpine-sparse trees taking a nap on this perfect day. Zillah trotted around the pass searching out new and different smells looking up every now and then to make sure I haven't left her.

Here would be our turn-around point - Fortune Cookie Pass - but I had no desire to return. The valley and mountains beyond called to me. The barely-visible trail leading up to the peak through the snow banks whispered my name and promises of an even more enticing view from above. Yet even those calls to my inner thoughts couldn't move me. At the pass I was happy, standing in the sun and wind. This view was the view I had been hoping for all summer and the snows had kept me from for so long. It was a view of open air where a person could see for miles without obstruction from a vantage point that is tundra-like in its sparseness of vegetation. And my soul had ached for it throughout the wintry June on the wet-side.

As Michael rumbled awake, stretching out the kinks and knots, I hoped he would want to sit for the afternoon on the fallen tree overlooking the valley. Zillah bounded up to him as he sat next to me and commented on the chill wind. I paid the wind no mind; I called Michael a wimp. But I knew it was time to leave. To head back down the talus field to the flower-filled meadows below, past the waterfalls and pine trees, to the car waiting below to take us home again.

But couldn't I just stay here?

Well Worth a Sprinkle, or Two

2008-07-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

De Rouex Creek, 7/5/08, 8.2 miles,

4th of July weekend and wee had 3 days to play, but with snow still hanging out in all of primary choices on the westside of the mountains we decided that heading east would be the better of the bargain. There are a couple of trails in the Teanaway we wanted to explore and with a base camp somewhere along the river, we could easily head to each.

First on the list was DeRouex Creek. I had been up this trail previously with the Mountaineer's Naturalist Class and wanted to head further into the mountains than the naturalists had gotten. With spotty clouds overhead Michael, Zillah and I crossed the North Fork of the Teanaway and started out on the day's adventure. Almost immediately the wildflowers lined the trail - Lomatium, Jeffrey's Shooting Star, Red Columbine, Vanilla Leaf and Violets.

As we climbed higher, we came across Penstemon, Arnica, Liuna, and Asters in greaterr abundance. And then the trees opened up to meadow with more Shooting Stars and our first Avalanche Lilies, but the clouds that had been building throughout the morning started to let loose in spurts. We were prepared and threw on our rain coats before continuing on up to Gallagher Head Lake. Along the way we saw more Columbine, Arnica, Shooting Stars, Lupine and Avalanche Lilies.

There were only a few people at the lake when we reached its shores and clouds obscured the peaks enough that all we got were teasing glimpses of what stood beyond. However, there is an old jeep road leading up to the lake and some 4-wheelers had played too often and too close to the shore and deep ruts had been created and left for the rest of the world to look upon in disgust.

A Vision of Blue

2008-07-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lolo Pass, ID

The assignment was to head out to Lolo Pass on the Montana/Idaho border to document our first annual half-marathon and 5K fun run. The race is the brain-child of our Manager at the Visitor Center who often runs the forest service roads around the pass. She at times would admire the view of the Bitteroots and think that here would be a beautiful place to run a race. So she made it happen and NWIA flew me out to cover the event.

The day of the race was beautiful and hot; the racers were excited to get moving. And soon the musket was fired and they were off. The winner of the 5K crossed the finish line just 20 minutes after he started. Then the wait was on for the rest of the racers to return. I decided to walk to Packer Meadow just a mile up the road and with the promise of Camas filling the meadow.

I was rewarded with a sea of blue as the flowers covered the vast meadow. I was there to photograph runners, which I did, but kept getting distracted by the flowers that surrounded me. The Camas kept calling me further into the meadow and I found it hard to resist. The only thing that chased me off the meadow was the sun beating down. I eventually had to take refuge in my air-conditioned car, but will forever have visions of blue in the mountains of Idaho.

Rangers Lie

2008-06-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Glacier Lake, 6/21/08, 4.5 miles, 800 elevation

Every year Michael & I travel south to Randle. Sandwiched between Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens, Randle was my uncle's favorite vacation spot and at times the family vacation became an epic adventure filled with friends and family. The family vacation was one of the traditions we kept intact after he died years ago. So every year, during the same weekend in June family and friends still gather together to fish, boat, hike, sightsee, and just sit around exchanging BS.

Michael & I are the hikers of the family, my sis will often join us and this year another friend and our cousin joined us. Now first, we had talked with the ranger at the Cowlitz Station to find out, in this late snow year, what trails are open for a nice little day-hike. The second thing to understand is the cousin does one hike a year and that is generally the extent of her exercise.

The trail, we were told, follows along a creek for about 2 miles and is a nice stroll through the forest. Yeah, right. Normally, this hike wouldn't have been a problem, but with our cousin along for the walk it became a fearful trek. We were all concerned for her well-being as she trudged 1st down one hill and then up the next. I could imagine her cursing me under her breathe as she slowly moved her feet up the hill as it grew steeper and steeper as we progressed.

But we finally made it to the lake and my cousin turned to me and said, "I forgive you." After that, we trundled back down the hill. Back in camp, the family listened while she told them the reason why they should never go hiking with us - at least not on a new trail.

Two Lakes in a Day

2008-06-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Fragrance and Lost Lakes, 6/15/08, 10 Miles, 1700 Elevation

On the way to Bellingham, between I-5 and the Puget Sound, stands a mountain. Not a great mountain by any measure in Washington, but a significant hill none the less. large enough in size to house two little lakes and a 10-mile hike between the two. So on this day, a bright day over Washington, the CHS hikers made their way up the mountain to first Fragrance Lake then to Lost Lake.

Fragrance Lake is a small-ish lake set in a divot in the sandstone hill. The interesting thing about this area, is that there is a vein of sandstone that runs along the Puget Sound from the Northwest to the Southeast through Chuckanut Mountain. Sandstone is not seen in Washington very much - if you want to see it up-close and personal come to Chuckanut Mountain. The cliffs that surround Fragrance Lake show this vein nicely.

After leaving Fragrance Lake we climbed up over a hill to a long trough cut into the mountain cradling Lost Lake. We sat above the lake for lunch with views from one end to the other. Across the lake stood a snag that none of us took much notice of until someone pointed out movement on one of the branches - a bald eagle sat there perfectly camouflaged against the dark forest behind.

So although this little mountain doesn't look like much compared to the greater mountains in the cascades, its flanks still hold the beauty we expect to see in what wee'd consider "true wilderness."

In June, a Little Snow will Fall

2008-06-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Stuart Lake, 6/7/08, 8 miles, 1500 elevation

Snow was forecast for the Cascade passes for the 1st weekend in June. Snow! In June! Unbelievable! But our CHS hike leader was one jump ahead of the forecast by planning a hike to Lake Stuart in eastern Washington. We could go farther and higher as the snow was rapidly melting from the mountainous areas outside of Leavenworth. Lake Stuart would be our destination.

Even as we started out, we noticed that the snow had not been long from even the trailhead. Ferns and shrubs were just beginning to spring back from the oppressive weight of the winter snows. But there along the trail sprouting happily in preparation of blossoms were Queen's Cup leaves. A short way further tender pink Lady Slippers gleamed in the filtered sunlight.

The trail follows the creek all the way to the lake and we stopped for a short breathe where the trail crosses it on a nice sturdy bridge. Later we stopped again at the trail junction with Colchuck Lake. We seemed to be going at a more casual pace this trip and were able to enjoy each other's company more than on a few of the other trips I had been on.

It was just beyond the junction when the forest opened up into a wide meadow with Dragontail Peak and breaking clouds just beyond. Cameras were pulled out so we could each capture this lovely scene before continuing on. Snow still clinging to winter and the trail slowed our progress just before we reached Stuart Lake and our lunch spot. And it was here that our day became interesting.

Although we had been hiking in the sun for most of the way, in the lake basin clouds gathered and a cold stiff wind swept off the lake. It felt like winter. Just as we finished up lunch and were pulling out our remaining layers to bundle up more, the snow started fluttering down around us. It was definitely time to head back. Then, sure enough, 1/4 mile down the trail the clouds broke apart and we had to peel off the layers as we heated up.

I think the latest I had ever been snowed upon was the year I spent my birthday (August) on the top of Mt Evans in Colorado (a 14er). While this definitely won't be the latest, it will be a trip I won't easily forget - and not just because of the weather.