Cooper

I've always been a bit of a sucker for big brown puppy-dog eyes. My dad was a dog person so we always had dogs around. My first real friend was Lady, a German Shepherd with a taste for rubber squeaky mice. Oh how she loved to gnaw on them until the squeak was gone. She was my playmate, confidant and protector.

As a child, I would have most likely identified with being a cat person. I couldn't wait until we moved to the farm to get a cat (or several - it was a farm, you need lots of barn cats, right?) But dogs were always present.

Now I would consider myself an animal person. I would have a menagerie if I could. In the meantime, I will love on the critters I meet.

That is how I got to go for a walk with my friend's Golden Retriever Cooper. I had gone to Cle Elum for a business meeting, staying in Michelle's vacation home at the Suncadia Resort. Cooper was there too, keeping his favorite human company.

While she worked on a few things before our meeting, I decided to go for a walk to stretch my legs after my drive. I coaxed Cooper to come with me. A little reluctant at first, he soon became enthusiastic for the adventure. He trotted off ahead of me on the trail, a very large doggy smile on his face.

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.

Friends of all Sizes

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.

Strolls along 410

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.

Washington's Yosemite

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.

Visions of Big Horn Sheep

Umtanum Canyon, 5/10/08, 5 miles, 1500 ft elevation

Today was the day we were supposed to climb Mt St Helens with our friends. But after last week's reconnaissance trip and finding far too much snow with the added danger of weekend rains, Michael and I decided to instead head eastward to the Yakima Canyon and the fabled wildflowers of Umtanum.

I had on several occasions read about the variety of wildflowers that could be found on the hills surrounding the canyon but never found myself among them. And as snow and rain fell on the Cascades, I couldn't think of a better place to hike than east of all that weather. Plus, with Michael taking the Mountaineers' Naturalist Class, it would be an opportune time for him to practice some plant identification.

The dogs were a little more then excited as we made our way under shrouded skies and were a bit much to handle as we stopped to look at each new plant and discuss the characteristics, so we let go of the leashes to let them wander along the trail ahead of us. We hadn't seen many people on the trail and actually hadn't seen anyone for at least 30 minutes as the pups sniffed here and there and played in the mud.

We had been following a little trickle of a creek up the canyon and stopped at one of the crossings to rest a little and giggle as the dogs laid in the stream soaking the cooling mud and water into their fur. Then Michael, ever so quietly, got my attention. "Honey? Look up the hill. Tell me if you see what I'm seeing." Sure enough, there standing above us, were 8-10 Bighorn ewes, evaluating the safety of coming down for a drink.

I rattled a few images off before we continued on, making room for the ewes at the stream. A little ways up the trail, I decided to circle back and take a few more pictures of them at the stream, but they had completely disappeared. They weren't at the creek and when I climbed to the top of the ridge they were nowhere to be seen on either side. Had our few minutes been a illusion? Without the pictures we really wouldn't be able to tell.

Spring Road Trip 2008

Another Spring and another road trip. I had planned to return to the Southwest and backpack through Bryce Canyon. But plans have a way of changing, so then came plans of exploring the Oregon Coast. But weather has a way of changing plans also. What I decided finally was a visit to some old Washington & Oregon favorites and few new sites as well. The best of the final plan was that I'd be able to travel with Olympia, my Yellow Lab mix who has been my companion for the past eight years - longer than my husband.

I started out at Mt St Helens then went to Cape Disappointment. From there, I traveled up the Columbia River Gorge for waterfalls and flowers. After a few days there, I continued east to the fabled Wallowa Mountains and the Zumwault Prairie. It was up to Palouse falls before heading home with one tired dog and several stories to tell. Tune in later for those fantastic stories and images.

Two Dogs and a Snow Drift

North Fork Teanaway River 1/6/08 3 miles

It looked like rain on the wet side of the mountains. Go figure as the northwest winter has rooted into place for January. The dry side of the mountains had higher hopes with less clouds. Sometimes you just gotta get away from the rain. I was joined by my Sister and her husband their dachshund Joey and my lab Olympia. The drive over to the Teanaway can seem long especially with Snoqualmie Pass and the trails there so close. But the trip can be worth it if you want to see more wildlife and less people - on the way to the end of the Teanaway Rd, we spotted several wild turkeys but only one other car.

Already, before we even started up the snow-mobile tracked road, the sun was gleaming down on us warming at least our faces from the sharp chill in the air. The dogs raced up and down the groomed road as the humans strapped on out packs and shoes. Olympia, used to playing in the snow, led the way beyond the groomed road along the snow-mobile track. Joey, always happy to follow Olympia around trotted easily behind her. It would be later when we left the snow-mobile tracks that Joey would become the source of our amusement.

Have you ever seen a 5-inch tall dog leap through 8-inch tall drifts? Joey had two distinct tactics for making his way through the snow. The first was the straight-forward snow-plow method. He'd head off in the direction he wanted to go, head held high, using his broad chest and wide feet to advance his position. The other method is what I like to call the slinky method. Joey would leap up with his front half arching over the obstructing pile of snow and then his back half would follow the same arch. Nothing seemed to deter the little guy.

We stopped at the top of a hill for a rest and some cider, soaking in the sunshine reflecting off the snowy trees. Olympia curled up next to me, hoping I'd have one more dog snack in my pocket. Joey curled up with my sister, the cold finally effecting his little body. We left the same way we came in but the trail by now was well worn and Joey had little trouble navigating through.

Near the end of our trip, we came across a group of snow-mobilers we had heard on and off during our trip back. All graciously slowing down to share the trail with us except one. She had to be stopped by her friends and even then glared at us. I've said this many times - I don't mind sharing the trail with others and whatever mode of transport they choose. BUT, lets be respectful of nature and the others around you. This one woman gives a bad name to snow-mobilers and no wonder people don't want to be near them.

An end for 2007

Coal Creek Falls 12/31/07 3 miles

Other than camping in a wonderful spot with a view, I can't think of anything better to do at the end of a year than a quiet hike in the woods. As the snow blankets the mountains at higher altitudes, I chose a little hike in the Issaquah Alps - on Cougar Mountain.

I usually avoid the Issaquah Alps, mainly because they are so close to Seattle and being so close to Seattle, you don't always get solitude. Tiger Mountain can be a rave party any time of year. I have found some solitude while on these trails - mostly on the unpopular trails. Today I was going somewhere very popular.

I had heard some description of Coal Creek and the waterfall there and thought what a good idea. The sun made an appearance as Olympia & I made our way to the trail. A quick stop for snacks and we were casually making our way up the hill drinking in the sun and the whitish bark of alders against the winter blue sky.

Although the parking lot was almost full, we met only two other people on our way to the falls. Olympia happily ran along the trail ahead of me, trotting back to check on my progress before going ahead. We heard the falls before coming to them, a good sign as most waterfalls are diminished or non-existent by this time of year. After admiring the falls, we continued on our loop to the ballfield meadow. Oh, if Camas has been replanted here, I'll need to come back in the spring for these beautiful purple flowers. On our way back to the car, we made a little side trip to see a some artifacts of the mining industry in the area.

I really shouldn't avoid the Issaquah Alps, for solitude can be found here as well as natural beauty and a little history thrown in.

In Perfect Company

I mean no disrespect to my husband who is my lifetime adventure buddy, but I met my perfect hiking companion several years before meeting him. This companion shares with enthusiasm my passion for any time spent outdoors.

Take this past weekend, she & I went to explore Lake Wilderness Park in Maple Valley and its small yet beautiful arboretum leaving Michael behind. We wandered through the trees glowing in the orange, red and yellow of the season before immersing ourselves into the dark green of the surrounding forest. I know I'm not supposed to but at this time I let my companion of the leash so she could run down the trail as if she were the puppy I fell in love with so many years ago while I followed, laughing at her antics.

It's not often that a person can find someone who not only shares in their activities, but also shares the pure joy they experience while doing it. Michael enjoys the outdoors almost as much as I do, but just to walk through the woods on a drizzly Sunday morning is not his ideal. As long as she gets to sniff and roll and run, Olympia is just as happy as I am when I breathe fresh air, crawl on the ground with my camera, and just stretch my legs.

Here's to all our loyal friends, four-legged or not.

Autumn Hiking

Sourdough Gap 10/13/07 5 miles

Autumn days like today don't happen very often in the Northwest. So when the morning sun streams through my bedroom window, I hit the road with hiking boots on. I had hoped for morning clouds for a remarkable sunrise - like those I admire from the train window on the way to work. No luck with that this morning, the sky was perfectly clear and the autumn colors high in the mountains called to me.

Olympia would accompany me today, so the short hike to Sheep Lake was perfect. A bit of frost and snow greeted us at the trailhead just east of Chinook Pass, but the trail looked as clear as the sky. Olympia, who seemed ecstatic about going for a hike lead the way up the trail stopping every now and then to look for "wobblies" - chipmunks and squirrels - but was eager to reach our destination. It didn't take too long before I could smell the crisp scent of a campfire near the lake and then wee broke out from the forest to look at the smooth lake surface and perfect reflections of the hills surrounding.

We walked around the lake, allowing Olympia the chance to play in the lake and chase the fishes. But my thought of break, sitting next to the lake with my dog at my feet relaxing, soaking in the scenery, meditating would remain a dream. Olympia was raring to continue up the hill. But never having hiked beyond Sheep Lake, I was unsure how she would be able to handle the terrain and distance. But, I didn't want to return either, the day too perfect to waste.

I slowly climbed the hill behind Sheep Lake hoping to slow Olympia down and preserve her legs. We met a hunter who asked if we had seen the mountain goats in the rocks above the lake. I couldn't say positively whether I had or not - I thought I had, but couldn't say for sure. I saw something like a goat high above the lake but when I looked again either it was gone or just a patch of snow. Soon we were high enough to see Mt Adams and Mt St Helens off to the south. Olympia didn't seem to care, she just kept heading up hill.

Another hiker greeted us as we came to Sourdough Pass and she pointed out my options after I mentioned that I had never hiked beyond the lake. She told me that there was another pass just off in the distance, where I could see Crystal Lakes and it's a nice hike down to them for Olympia to play in or continue following the Pacific Crest Trail to Bear Pass. I looked at the snow-covered traverse of the north facing slope, looked at Olympia looking eagerly up at me and thought it couldn't hurt to at least go to the other gap and get a view of Crystal Lakes.

A quarter of the way across the traverse, I looked up to see Olympia trotting easily through the snow almost to the other side. Then all of a sudden the other pass seemed to only be further away then I first thought and the snow seemed far dangerous than it really was. I called Olympia back, but she only looked at me as if I had just asked her to perform brain surgery. The look of disbelief on her face was as plain to me from several yards away. After much coaxing, she rejoined me at Sourdough Gap where we had a snack and chatted with other hikers passing through before heading back down to the lake and the car beyond.

By the time we made back to the trailhead, Olympia's legs were about to give out but she got into the car to pass out for the ride home. I may not have realized my dream of resting next to the lake with my dog at my feet, but she is resting there now as I write this - tired but restful.

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.

Hiking with Olympia

Her dewy brown eyes stared at me from the computer screen. A face so sweet, I couldn’t resist. This was the one: the puppy who would be my companion through city walks and forest trails. She had been aptly named Goldie by the shelter that had placed the photo so prominently on the web, but I would later name her Olympia – my little regal goddess. And she would become my constant companion on my travels. They would be as much her travels as they were mine.

She’s now 8 years old and has started to become lame. Far too young for my precious friend to stay locked away at home while I enjoy my hikes. But all too often, I must leave her behind for the hike is too long or too strenuous for her poor ailing legs to handle. It kills me to again look into her brown eyes now puddles of sorrow and tell her she has to stay home. She’ll sit by the door as I leave hoping I’ll remember that I had forgotten to take her.

A lot can be said about the will of a dog. Dogs have traveled cross-country to rejoin owners they had been separated from. They have stayed by owners who have been injured or killed in the wild and leave only as rescuers drag them away. Recently I had the opportunity to hike; a quiet trail surrounded by vine maples and hemlock. So as not to leave her at home mourning my disappearance, I brought her along with me thinking I’d leave her in the car – she’d have a ride at least. But after I reached the trailhead I let her out of the car, thinking I could loop her leash under her haunches for some extra support.

We hiked up hills, over streams, around rocks and logs, and down through forest. We stopped often to rest, relaxing in the tranquility. By the end of our 4 miles, I had yet to give her extra support. She limped a little, but as I looked into her eyes I knew. Taking her on this hike had made her happy. Her dewy brown eyes smiled up at me as she asked for help back into the car.