Hiking the Upper Dungeness River

Beautiful partly sunny February days don't happen very often here in the Northwest. But when they do, you better know that folks will line up to hike the low land snow-free trails - unless the trail is a 3 hour drive from the Seattle.

Welcome to the Upper Dungeness - or any trail on the north end of the Olympic Peninsula. A magical place where the crowds just don't go, at least not early in the season. By the time we parked and got our boots on, we saw no other cars in the parking lot.

The Olympic Peninsula is a magical place for me. This is where I first learned about the wonders of the natural world. It's also where I learned about hiking and backpacking. Even old familiar trails are new and wondrous for me with each passing season.

So when I have the chance to share my favorite places with others I leap at the chance. I get to spend the day in the wilderness with friends as they explore nature and themselves. What could be better than stopping by a river and having a snack in camaraderie of fellow travelers?

And when you're hiking through the shadow of ancient trees on a chill February morning, stop to feel the sun on your face for a brief moment and become spellbound.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

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.