Old Dogs

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.

A little rain must fall

Denny Creek, 6 miles, 2/16/08

I had heard that Franklin Falls below Snoqualmie Pass can be enchanting in the wintertime - with ice covered canyon walls from the spray of the waterfall. This is a sweet little hike during the warmer months that has in the past been an easy stretch of the legs on a sunny afternoon. This would be my 1st trip in the heart of winter when the snows lay deep on the forest floor. My sister tagged along with me hoping for a relaxing day in the trees and snow.

A forest sure can look different between the seasons - dense undergrowth is covered by snow creating a deceptively open environment to explore. But after a while all the trees can look startlingly similar and someone not watching their direction could easily get turned around and lost. Branches that stretch out far above your head will often wetly smack a person in the face as they're weaving through the trunks. And so it went as we left the snow-covered road to tromp to the canyon and waterfall - weave through trees, dodge the snow and rain laden branches.

We paused several times to watch as the creek rushed past us seemingly bouncing off rocks and fallen logs. Icicles formed on the canyon walls as the upper part of the creek cut through the hill. We reached the spot where the trail normally heads down into the canyon to the base of the waterfall, however, we found that at this time of year the way is too steep to safely descend so after a little deliberation, we turned around to find a spot for our snacks and warming hot apple cider.

Even under the canopy of trees, we were not protected against the lightly falling rain and soon resumed our journey back to the car. We met a few other people along the way, but generally enjoyed the solitude a rainy day can give you. The only sounds were the muffled engines from nearby I-90 as skiers raced off the the pass and our sniffling noses.

Candy Canes and Waterfalls

Snoquera Falls 7/8/07 2.5 miles

What to do on a Sunday morning after spending a Saturday volunteering for your national parks? Why not take a short hike in the woods? Michael was on-call for the weekend so had to stay home. Instead, I took my best friend Olympia with me. And since Olympia can't go far, the short hike to Snoquera Falls was in order.

This is actually a fairly easy hike and is described in the book best Hikes with Dogs in Western Washington as not many hike this sweet little trail. The waterfall at the apex of the loop during early spring is a gushing cascade crashing down the steep cliff wall. However, this far into the season there's not much of a spray coming off the rocks. But who cares when you can have an enjoyable walk in lush green trees and carpets of moss?

We would have continued on the loop except that the last time I hiked this trail the loop is lost not too far beyond the waterfall. Also, when Olympia starts heading back to the car it means she's had enough and wants to go home. On the way back down, I made a little side trip to photograph a couple of Candystick flower stalks.

An Early Season Hike

Barclay Lake 4/29/07 4 miles

To round out my weekend of hikes, I took my friend M.M. on a short but sweet hike to Barclay Lake. Only a scant 2 miles in to the lake with a minimal elevation gain it's a wonderful way to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon. Barclay Lake is overlooked in many hiking guides, but it's not to be missed.

I first discovered this little alpine gem nestled in thick forest when my father died. After a week of funeral preparations and mourning, I was ready for a hike. However Michael, worried about my physical endurance after such an ordeal, limited our outing to no more than 5 miles round trip and as flat as possible. I stumbled across Barclay Lake on the forest service website and thought it fit the bill perfectly. And in more than one way it did.

My father was one of my greatest inspirations when it came to both my love of photography and my love of the outdoors. A hike to a little lake nestled amongst the trees at the base of towering monoliths of the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness Area gave me time to reflect on what all dad had left me with. I left there with a renewed sense of where I wanted to be in life and the desire to accomplish my goals.

As M.M. is one of my best friends, I wanted to share this special hike with her on this April Sunday afternoon. We meandered through the woods, over and past blow-downs from the previous winter's storms, stopping to examine a few wildflowers and admire the lush greenery around us. After crossing Barclay Creek, it's only a short climb to the lake shore, almost hidden in the thick greenery. Snow lingered here still, but we made our way to a little log that over looked the lake. The clouds were lying low on the mountains so we weren't able to gaze on immense Barclay Mountain. But that didn't matter to us - we quietly sat on our log, eating cheese and crackers admiring the view, the silence, and each other's company. It wasn't until a few raindrops splattered on our faces that we packed up and head back out to the trail head.