Not Forgotten

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.