Whistle Lake

Anacortes Community Forest Lands 12/8/07 4 miles

As far as I'm concerned there are only two things that make winter hiking not worthwhile. First, in the Northwest winter means rain and who wants to hike in the rain? Second, with the rain falling in the lowlands, snow is falling in mountains and although I love to snowshoe, I like to consider hiking & snowshoeing two completely different sports and who wants to hike in the snow? And since I don't want to hike in the snow, that means lowland hikes in the trees, with few views except for tree trunks, salal, and sword ferns.

When I saw the hike for Whistle Lake and Toot Marsh advertised through the Mountaineers with the tag-line, "We stop for pictures," I had to sign up. Then we got a break. After a week of rain and clouds, the blue sky broke through the clouds to warm our souls if not our noses.

Whistle Lake is in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, used by the whole community for recreation and education. The area is criss-crossed by trails - some multiple use others hiker only. Luckily the trails that go round the lake are wheel-free, so we weren't disturbed by the dirt biker who showed up the same time we did. The other hikers & I enjoyed quiet and the occasional splash of sunlight through the trees.

And ever now and then stopped to take in the views of the lake, reflecting a more brilliant blue than the sky actually held with Madronas reaching over the banks, their limbs contorted in reflection by the rippling waters.