HIKING PHOTOS
Inner Constance in Olympic National Park from the Home Lake trail
Carnivorous Sundew plants Seen On The Ozette Loop Hike(More pictures on the link above)
Pictures from a Mt Townsend hike.
WILDFLOWERS ON MT. ZION
Above Tubalcain mine.
TUBALCAIN MINE HIKE
Cactus flowers at Tusigoot, Az.
Click here to see pictures from our hikes near Sedona, ARIZONA
click here to see rare wildflowers on our Mt Townsend Pass Hike
HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO LATELYHaven't been keeping this up, but we have had several good hikes this year, locally and in Oregon and even some nice hikes in Turkey where we took a tour and a small boat cruise last May.
August 16, Hiked one of our favorites - Deer Park to Elk Mountain. Solid cloud cover blocked the sun and a cold breeze inspired us to walk fast. After an hour the sun was out, but the breeze held until we reached the summit where we enjoyed a warm sunny rest with excellent views of Olympus and all the surrounding peaks.
August 13, 2006, We hike up the Duckabush River Trail with friends Mark and Willow on a beautiful late summer day. We stop at an open slope above tall cliffs and enjoy our lunches with a spectacular view of the Duckabush Valley and the cliffs and peaks of St Peter's Dome. We continue after lunch to the top of Big Hump before returning to the car. We end the trip with a stop in Quilcene for ice cream cones. Ummm good!
August 7, we hike up Mt Townsend in the Olympics. It's a nice day and there are still lots of wildflowers. We see tons of Woodland Penstimon in the forest. Coming out of the woods on top we see the indiginous Piper's Bellflower. There are also a lot of Eligant Camus. On top there are excellent views of Buckhorn, Greywolf ridges and the Needles, but the view toward the Cascades is very hazy. On the way up I saw a string on the ground and found that it was attached to a little purse that contained a digital camera. I picked it up and carried it down. I left my name and number in the register with a note that I had found something, but I didn't see the note the owner had left on the kiosk. The Ranger Station at Quilcene was closed when we got down, so I called them in the morning and arranged to mail the camera to them (two cameras had been reported lost). In a few days I received a nice phone call from the owner who very much appreciated my returning the camer. She even offered to send me a gift for my camera or take us to lunch, but I think it is best to just pass on the courtesy. I have personally lost two cameras that were not returned to me.
June 27, Mt Zion in the Olympics. Warm weather, so early start to avoid heat. Hazy view of Cascade range.
June 21, 2006, Lake Ozette Loop. Great weather, low tide, pleasant hike.
April 30, Back country skiing again! finally! It's been over a year since we've done this. We start at Paradise, Mt Rainier, with Son Brian and his wife Wendy. They are on snowshoes. We hike up past Alta Vista to Glacier Vista at the base of Panorama Point. Tena is using her Atomic Outback skis with fish scale pattern for climbing. I'm on my old Tua Big Easy skis with the new VP II binding and release safety binding. I'm also using my Crispi CX 2 boots for the first time in the backcountry. Everything works fine, except maybe my old narrow skins. full width skins would be better, but these are ok for this easy hike. Tena is using her Garmont Excursion boots for only about the third time and she still likes them. Low clouds at Paradise allow only partial views of the mountain until we gain some elevation. We climb 1,000 ft to Glacier Vista and luckily the clouds settle into the valley to give us good views of the mountain. As we start down the clouds come up to meet us, so we ski mostly in the fog. The snow isn't the best for easy skiing, but we enjoy it. This easy hike was just right for us being out of shape. It was fun to do it with Brian and Wendy. They took us to a neighborhood Pizza Pub and treated us to dinner afterward. It was a wonderful day all around.
April 17 - 20, A few days at Mt Hood. On Tuesday we skied at Mt Hood Meadows on perfect Spring snow. It was a gorgeous day with clear skies and perfect temperature. The snow never got slushy all day. There were a couple of inches of fresh snow to dip into off of the groomed runs. The view of Mt Hood is spectacular from anywhere in the ski area. A friendly local guy showed us around for a couple of runs to be sure we didn't miss the best parts. On Wednesday we drove to the Columbia Gorge to look at wildflowers. First we went to Dallas Mtn on the Washington side where we saw mostly Balsam Root. After lunch we went to Rowna Crest in Oregon and hike to McCall Crest with a variety of wildflowers. On Thursday we headed home, but stopped first at Catherine Creek on the Washington side of the gorge for the most spectacular show of wildflowers.
Oct 19, 2005, As Rare Care volunteers we gather seeds of certain rare plants assigned to us. The seeds go into the rare seed vault at the University of Washington. One of our plants is Carex pluiflora, a sedge. We need to find our assigned population and identify the plant before we can collect seeds. We meet a DNR representative who knows the way to the bog where our population is located and drive for an hour to the logging road that leads to our bog. We hike around the bog for over an hour before finding access accross the streams to the peat where our sedge grows. We locate several patches of the our target plant, but the seeds have fallen off in the rains. We will return next summer to collect them.
Oct 17, It is a cool and cloudy day and we head for the Olympics and the Hamma Hamma, but when we learn that hunting season has opened we shift gears and direction and head for the National Park to be safe from stray bullets. The Lake Angeles trail looks just right at 3.7 miles and 2,000 ft of climbing. It is not too steep and we enjoy the hike in the deep, dark forest. The lake is very picturesque with cliffs and a good sized island, all shrouded in clouds. Later on it was all obscurred by the clouds. Too cool to stay long at the lake and we are a little short of time, so we head back down after a brief rest and a snack.
Oct 8, 2005, A lot of people like the short way up Mt Townsend from the Bon Jon Pass road. It is shorter with less elevation to climb. We prefer the west side trail for better views and a more consistent grade as well as a far superior wildflower show. However, we want to try this route again and are pleased to find that the views of the Buckhorn and Graywolf ranges are worth it. It is a cool day and we don't spend much time on the summit, but we have clear views of Mt St Helens, Adams, Rainier, Glacier and the lower part of Mt Baker.
Sept 12 thru 15, I hike with son Brian and his wife Wendy on the Wonderland Trail at Mt Rainier. We hike from White River to Summerland where we have 3 inches of snow on the ground. Then it's 11.5 miles to Nickel Creek via Panhandle Gap, Ohanapacosh Park, Indian Bar and Wahakapakin Falls. From Nickel Creek we hike to Lake Louise where my wife meets us and takes us to Paradise Inn for the night. Then back to Lake Louise to continue our hike to Longmire where we camp in the inn again. The next day Brian and Wendy head out for Devil's Dream camp. Tena and I hike a few miles with them, but I have done this part of the trail, so I go home with Tena. I will meet them at Mowich Lake on the 26 to travel the last 3 days with them to White River. I missed the views when Brian and I did this part of the trail 2 years ago. I'm hoping for better weather this time.Pictures from the Wonderland Trail hike.
Sept 8, From Deer Park in Olympic National Park we hike to Elk Mountain. It's about 6 miles on a high ridge skirting Maiden Peak. The hillside is very steep above a deep, deep valley. Views of Graywolve Ridge, the Needels, Mt Olympus and the Bailey Range are spectacular and the weather is perfect.
Sept 1, 2005, Tena's 66th birthday = time for a hike. Mt Ellinor in the Olympics is a good workout and the views of Puget Sound and the southern Olympics are wonderful. It's a sunny day with some low haze in the distance. We can see Rainier, Adams, St Helens and Baker. Puget Sound is a maze of waterways from here. As we reach the ridge top the rugged southern Olympics come into view spectacularly clear in deeply contrasting greens, browns and blacks set off by the bright blue sky. On top we can see peaks to the north and west including some that we have climbed in years past like Mt Cruiser, the Sawtooths, Mt Jupiter and Mt Constance. We see Mountain Goats on the way down. One is as close as 20 feet from the trail. One couple told us they wanted to turn around and head down, but they were afraid of the goat and kept moving up because he was coming up the trail. After our hike we had a nice birthday dinner at Robin Hood Dell on Hood Canal.
August 16, 17, 18, Son Shawn and I hike from Silver Creek to Big Quilcene. Tena walks as far as the Tull Canyon Trail with us. We have lunch together, then she hikes up above Tubalcain Mine to see the wildflower before returning to the car and driving home. Shawn and I continue up to Tull Canyon and set up camp. Then we hike up the steep way-trail to the saddle between Hawk Peak and Mt Worthington. Mt Constance, Inner Constance and Warrior peaks are spectacular as is the Ridge of the Gargoyles. Marmots are catching the last rays of sun in the meadows below the saddle. There as still some wildflowers blooming. The Delphinium are especially nice to see. Rain is predicted for this evening and it is preceeded by clouds and fog. Drizzle starts around midnight and the rain around 2 am. Showers and winds wake me now and then through the night.In the morning there are puddles near the tents and one extends under Shawn's tent, but he stays dry. We eat breakfast and head down to the Tubalcain trail and on to Buckhorn Lake. The lake is very small and the water level is down about 6 to 8 feet. Not too pretty except for the steep, tumbling stream that falls into it at the upper end. We fill our water bottle as this is our last water source until tomorrow.
After a long rest we head up to Buckhorn Pass where we intend to spend the night. However, the predicted clearing does not occure by 5:30, so in heavy fog we trudge on to Marmot Pass. The trail has been re-routed and is steeper and climbs higher than before. At Marmot Pass we are still in fog. We decend to a camp spot in the trees below the saddle and set up our tents. As the sun is setting we climb to the ridge where the view of the Needles is spectacular with dramatic clouds lying in the valley and hanging around the peaks. Back at camp we enjoy the view of Hood Canal, Everett and the Cascades in the twilight. After dinner we turn in early due to the cold breeze.
In the morning we have coffee and hashbrowns, then head up the ridge to the South to get a look at the Ridge of The Gargoyles and Constance. It is all clear and spectacular. We pack up and head down to the spring to refill our water bottles. We have a lunch break at Camp Mystery then head down the Big Quilcene trail to meet Tena who has driven up from to meet us and take us home. Soon we are greeted by her World Class Smile as she comes around a corner on the steep trail. We sit and talk a while as she eats some lunch and fills us in on her meeting with her cousin who is writing a family history. On the hike out we marvel at the spectular huge Hemlocks and Firs that dominate the lower trail. Many trees have fallen across the trail and while most have been cut, some must be climbed over or around and one was so large they dug the trail out of the steep hillside instead of trying to cut it.
There is a new restroom at the parking area - much appreciated as we have been paying use fees for years with no added benefits. We drive home and clean up and head for the Winslow Way Cafe for a delicious dinner. Shawn surprises us by picking up the check.
Autust 1, I hike into Silver Lake in the Olympics to scout out a route over Hawk Peak for a circuit hike I want to do next week with my son. It takes me almost 5 hours to hike the 5 1/2 miles with a full backpack. Wildflowers are still in their prime. It is a little buggey at the lake, but not too bad. Some teenagers from an Olympic Trail Crew are having busman's holiday, camping at the lake as a reward for their hard work. They catch several good size trout. In the morning I hike up the climber's route to Hawk Peak, but decide it is too steep for full backpacks befor I reach the ridge top. Next I try climbing the steep landslide that rises from the lake to Hawk Peak. This leads me to a small bowl a short distance below the summit and I can see an easy trail the rest of the way up. However, this route is also too steep, so I decide we will take another route on our circuit hike and skip Silver Lake.
August 2, Mt Townsend's wildflowers are even more spectacular than Hurricane Ridge. The summit area is blanketed in Elegant Camus. Just below the summmt we see the rare Lewisia. We take a side trip to the Silver Lake Pass to look for the rare Flett Violett and are not dissappointed. Clear weather with a cooling breeze. The Cascades are obscured by a fringe of clouts, but Rainier shows above. The San Juan Islands stand out clearly to the North.
July 26, 2005, Wildflowers are blooming on Hurricane Ridge and the trail to Klahanie Ridge. It's 3.8 miles of blossoms each way with a close up of a large Buck and a Mountain Goat thown in. The weather is clear, but not to warm. We have good views of Victoria and the islands to the Northeast. In the other direction Mt Olympus stands out. On the summit at Klahanie we see the rare Olympic Bluebell - Piper's Bellflower.
July 5, We do the Mt Zion hike with Tena's sister Nina. Their 95 year old father goes a little way up the trail with us, then returns to the car and the novel he is reading. We see Rhododendrons, Ground Dogwood, Queenscup, Paintbrush, Penstimon, Western Starflower, Wild Ginger, Sitka Columbine, Sitka Valarian and tons of Saprofites. The view from the top was only so-so. Clouds in the distance hid the Cascade Mountains and San Juan Islands.
June 18 and 19, Mt Rainier hikes. Son Brian and wife Wendy gave us two nights at a B&B near Mt Rainier as a Christmas present. Best part is they came with us. We had two days of nice hikes on the mountain and a nice place to stay. Saturday we hiked from Reflection Lakes up Mazama Ridge and below Panorama Point to Golden Gate then down to Paradise for ice cream before continuing back to the car. Tons of wildflowers were blooming. Mostly we saw Avalanche Lilies and Glacier Lilies. The Bog Marigolds were profuce too and Magenta Paintbrush was everywhere. Sunday we hiked up the Pinnacle Peak trail to the saddle and also did the Snow Lake Trail. Brian and Wendy got all the way to Snow Lake, but Tena and I cut out early. The weather was perfect both days. I took lots of pictures which I will have to post sometime. A fabulous weekend.
June 6, Aurora Ridge Hike above Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. We have never been on this trail before. It starts on the South side of the ridge that lies South of Lake Crescent, climbs to about 800 feet and then follows the ridge up and down for several miles. We didn't get any views of the lake in the 4 miles or so that we explored, but we saw lots of Coralroot and other Saprophites. This is a little used trail from the overgrown appearance of the lower part of it. Higher up the trail was clear, but another couple we met said that farther on it gets hard to follow due to lack of upkeep. They were planning to camp out one night and then try to find their way down the Barnes Creek Trail where a bridge is washed out and they will have to forn it. We hike about 8 miles all together.
June 2, Mt Zion hike. We had nice views of mountains, waterways and islands from the top.
March 31, 2005, We packed up the XC ski gear and headed for Hurricane Ridge only to find that the road was closed. Luckily, we had our hiking boots along, so we went on to Crescent Lake to look for a hike. First we went to Marymere Falls - Very pretty. Then we hiked up the river to where the trail got steep and turned around. On the way back we detoured to Crescent Lake Lodge where we ate our lunch on their porch with a nice view of the lake on a comfortable bench. Then we found our way back to the car via the Moments in Time trail. We saw Trillium, Indian Plum and Salmonberry blooming. There were a coule of ducks on the river, probably Merganzers. It rained the whole time we were out, but we still enjoyed it.
March 15, Mt Townsend is nealy free of snow, so why not go up and look for wildflowers. Besides, winds predicted for today discourage us from doing a bike ride. The drive to the trailhead gets us above the clouds. Many people have been up here in the last few weeks according to the trail register. On the summit ridge some Buttercups are blooming and a lot of purple Hydrofoils. A cool wind is blowing while we enjoy our third snack break on this hike. The Needles range to the west looks dramatic with winter snow hanging on the peaks and clouds wrapping their shoulders. We were slow coming up and the last mile was more of a struggle than usual, but we enjoyed the hike and the early wildflowers.
Feb 3, The tides are right for getting around the headlands, so we do the Lake Ozette triangle, in spite of forecast rain. It rains alright, but there are a few breaks too. We see a young Osprey up close. He found a carcase and didn't want to leave it. Saw lots of other Ospreys and Eagles, Ravens, and several Winter Wrens. Oh, and a Varied Thush too. We heard Oystercatchers, but didn't see them. There were the usual tame deer too. We ate lunch during a break in the rain, but a snack later on was enjoyed in a shower. It was slow going on the slippery plank trails and we took a few slips.
December 19, We hiked up the Mt Zion trail in the Olympics. It was warm and sunny. View from the summit was pretty good, but clouds obscured the waterways of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Couldn't see the San Juan Islands either. It was a good hike though. We ate lunch on top, then hiked down and drove to the maul(sic) for some Christmas shopping.
November 28, 2004, Pyramid Mountain rises above Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. The trail is 3.5 miles and rises over 2,000 feet. However, a landslide at about 1.5 miles cannot be crossed safely, so we turned around there and headed for Stormking Mountain. It was a cold, clear and beautiful day. The lake was picturesque with the steep mountains rising up from it. At the Stormking trailhead everything was coverd with hoarfrost. We were cold until we got to the start of the Stormking hike, 1/2 mile up the trail. This is a very steep trail, but very interesting with the moss covered trees and occasional views of the lake and surrounding mountain. The views become spectacular when you reach the cliffs. Here the trail runs the top of a fin of rock for a short distance and you can look out at the lake below and the cliffs adjacent and the highway running along the shore. We went only a little farther than the cliffs as we were getting tired and the wanted to save some strength for the steep descent - which turned out to be easier than we anticipated.
Lake Crescent and Pyramid Mountain from Stormking, Strait of Juan de Fuca in background
November7,2004, We had a wonderful hike Sunday on Jefferson Ridge in the Olympics. This is the ridge just South of The Brothers. It is surrounded on three sides by rocky peaks. The road to the tail head is rough and slow going. We parked the car quite a ways down the ridge as it looked like we might not find another parking place or turn around and I didn't want to try to back down the narrow steep road. The road was an interesting walk and as steep as many trails. After a couple of switchbacks we found a trail head, but stayed on the road as the trail looked too narrow, steep and overgrown. About a mile and a half up the road we came to another trail head and started up the steep track towards the ridge top. We passed through a clearcut, then made the ridge. Now the walking was easier and the views of Saint Helens, Rainier and near-by peaks were wonderful. Soon we were in old growth forest and the trail was very pleasant walking. There were mushrooms everywhere. The trail ends at an old abandoned fire lookout site. It was a warm day and we were above a sea of clowds. I estimate it was about 3 to 3 1/2 miles each way from where we left the car. At the upper trail head it is about 1 1/2 miles to the top and the road improves above where we parked.
A sea of clouds over Puget Sound seen from Jefferson Ridge
Oct 28,2004,We hiked up the Tunnel Creek Trail in the Olympics. It was very cold, but sunny. There were lots of mushrooms everywhere, especially Satyr's Beard, Angel Wings and Oyster mushrooms. We picked and ate some of the Satyr's Beard and it was delicious cooked in butter. Above the shelter cabin there was lots of snow on the ground, about 3 to 4 inches. We hike about 4 miles and turned around as it was getting late and we wanted to get back before dark even though we had flashlights.
Aug 9, We hike to Summerland on the East side of Mt. Rainier. It is a warm and sunny day. We get an early start as we spent the night in Yakima and got up a 6am. Tena hasn't been to Summerland since we were up there as teenagers climbing Cowlitz Chimneys and other peaks. That was 49 years ago. It's still a beautiful alpine park. The jagged spire of Little Tahoma sets off the close up view of Mt Rainier spectacularly. Wildflowers were blooming, especially Lewis's Monkeyflower. There were lots of Lupine, Gentian, Yellow Mimulose and Paintbrush too. The old log shelter cabin has been replaced with a handsome stone one. We hiked a little ways above Summerland to retrace part of our route to Cowlitz Chimneys, but didn't get as far as Panhandle Gap. Returning to Summerland brought back memories of a very special time when we were young. These alpine meadows will always be one of our favorite places.
July 5,2004, We hike up Mount Townsend in Olympic National Forest. It's 4 miles each way with 3,000 ft of elevation gain. On the drive up we see Tiger Lilys and Foxglove blooming beside the road. Only a few feet up the trail we find Queenscup Lilys, Ground Dogwood and Indian Pipe. There are still a few Rhododendrons blooming in the dark woods. Higher up we find Pacific Starflower, Solomon Seal and a few Wild Ginger. Penstimon is everywhere, mostly the Littleflowered Penstimon. In the meadows below the cliffs Indian Paintbrush, Tiger Lilies, Lupine, Wallflowers, Columbine and Yarrow cover the hillsides with blankets of color. Wild Azalia is blooming beside the trail too as well as Vanilla Leaf. Between 5 and 6 thousand feet we see Anemone, Pedicularus, Lewisia, Camas, Toeheaded Baby and Ballflower Lupine. Tena spots some Horned Larks feeding in the summit meadows. There are clouds around and below us on the summit, but we still catch a glimpse of Mt Baker through the breaks. In fact most of the main sights are visible, Vancouver Island, the San Juans, Greywolf Ridge, the Needles, Mt Deception, but not Mt. Constance. Lots of people are on the trail and several dogs, all well behaved. A very good hike. I should post some of the excellent pictures I got.
Nov 13, We hike up Mt Zion with Brooke. It is warm and sunny. There is still a trace of snow on top. The view was excellent with just a little haze to the north around the San Juan Islands. 1.8 miles, 1,300 feet.
Sept 18, Rain and high winds are predicted for today. We want an easy hike, so we head for the upper Skokomish River and the Staircase Trail. It's about 3 miles up to Stream 4 and we follow an old fire trail a little farther up the steep hill and through the wet brush. When we are soaked enough we turn around and head back. The Staircase Trail has views of deep green pools and rocky rapids on the river and it passes through a magnificent old growth forest.
Sept 8-12, 2003, Son Brian and I hike parts of the Wonderland Trail around Mt Rainier. We planned this the warm sunny days and cool nights of Indian summer with a full moon and close up views of Mars, but last week was the Red Man's revenge. Brian and I hiked 1/2 of the Wonderland Trail in fog, mist and rain. Instead of warm days and cool nights we had cold days and cold nights. We did get some dramatic photos of black trees against white fog. In fact, I got about 200 of them. Actually, some of them are black rocks instead of trees against the white fog. We did see the top of Mt. Rainier once, just the tip of it over the top of the ridge at Indian Bar. The sun came out for a few hours at Indian Bar and we enjoyed the views of waterfalls, peaks, snow fields and Alpine parks. We saw some wildlife up close, but I missed the great views of the mountain that I was expecting and was pretty disappointed about that, though we still enjoyed the trip. The North and East sides of Rainier are fascinating even in fog and rain. Short glimpses of ice falls and jagged peaks are all the more exciting for being unexpected. Views of steep mountain slopes poking through the clouds with wisps of mist hanging on the cliffs, alpine firs showing through here and there are very dramatic. We feel lucky to have done this hike even in the rain. We hiked from Mowich Lake to Sunrise and from Fryingpan Creek to Box Canyon. Our packs, at 45 pounds, were too heavy, but the tarp to protect us and our tents from the rain and the extra food and clothes were a comfort in the cold and wet. BR>
Sept 2, 2003, We climb Elk Mountain in Olympic National Park via the Deep Park trail. Views of the Greywolf Range, Needles, Bailey Range, Mount Olympus, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Victoria are wonderful. Actually, Victoria is barely visible through the smoke haze from forest fires in BC. Wildflowers are mostly gone now, but we see some Fireweed and Paintbrush. A family of Grouse are on the trail and we see larks on Elk Mtn. It is a hot and sunny day. This trail is a challenge as it climbs very steeply in places and it crosses some scarey steep hillsides with vast dropoffs below. 12 miles round trip. BR>
Aug 27, 2003, We are ready for another hike and we choose Tull Canyon in the Olympics. Tull Canyon is a hanging valley carved by a small glacier several hundred feet above the main valley. It is the site of an old mining operation with the ruins of a couple of cabins beside the trail. An airplane wreck from the '40s lies near the cabins. The upper valley leads to Hawk Mtn, but we don't climb it this time. Wildflowers are still blooming in the upper valley. We see Fringed Grass of Parnasis, Magenta Paintbrush, Veronica, a few Penstimon and Delphinium are still hanging on. I photograph a couple of wildflowers that Tena can't identify. We hike close to 5 miles and gain 2,500 ft. The canyon has impressive cliffs on the West side and the view out to the Strait is wonderful.
Aug 18, 2003, With Brian and Wendy we head for the Marmot Pass trail in the Olympics. We start in an old forest of huge firs and hemlocks, the trail following a branch of the Quilcene River up the valley. Later the path climbs along the side slop of the Buckhorn Range and gets up into the alpine meadows eventually reaching 6,000 ft. We saw Delphinium, Grass of Parnasis, Speedwell, Penstimon, wild Azalea, Monkey Flower, Magenta Paintbrush, Owl Clover, and other wildflowers. The views at the pass were stunning. To the West was the Needles Range with is impressive spikes and spires and to the East were the Cascades with Puget Sound, Hood Canal and cities and islands. It was a warm sunny day and an excellent family outing. 10.6 miles round trip.
Aug 14, I need a hike to get in shape for backpacking with my son in a couple of weeks. We do the Mt Townsend trail. It's clear and beautiful, somewhat hot, but with some breeze now and then. 4.2 miles each way. Still lots of wildflowers including Elegant Camas and Lewisia.
August 1, 2003, Klahanie Ridge trail in Olympic National Park usually has wonderful wildflowers this time of year, but today they are fewer and mostly dried out. Still, it's a beautiful day and the views of Mt. Olympus, Bailey Range, The Needles, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Victoria are spectacular. We take it easy and only hike about 7 miles round trip, but it is very enjoyable.
July 13, We do the Tubalcain Mine Trail for wildflowers. Not as many as some years, but still wonderful. Bog Orchids and Coralroot Orchids, Princesspine, Queenscup, and many others in the woods. Sitka Columbine, Tiger Lily etc in meadows. And up high Delphinium and the Olympics only Piper's Bellflower. We enjoyed sunshine and rain showers, head and cold winds. Took 80 some pictures.
July 5, 2003, The Mt Townsend trail in the Olympics is a favorit. The mist was so heavy at the trailhead that the trees are dripping, but soon it improved to a steady drizzle, then light rain. More cars at the trailhead than we have ever seen here. It's the 4th of July weekend and everyone came up here to camp out at Silver Lake. Most brought one or two dogs with them. That's a record number of dogs on the trail too - any trail. Only spotted one dog poop and it had been picked up by the dog's owner, put in a plastic bag and hung on a bush beside the trail. By the time we reached Camp Windy the rain had stopped and we could sit and enjoy a snack while gazing out into the dense fog. As usual on this hike we saw lots of wildflowers, both in the woods and in the open meadow near the top. We counted 34 varieties. Amoung them were Sitka Columbine, Chocolate lily, Tiger lily, Penstimon, Queen's Cup, Flox, Beadberry and a Coralroot lily. Nice hike. Pictures from the hike.
June 15, 2003, A Father's Day hike is called for today. We head for the Mt Zion trail in Olympic Nat. Forest. Wild Rhododendrons are blooming everywhere along the road and up the mountainside all the way to the top. Sitka Valarian and Vanilla Leaf are profuse too, as is Wild Ginger. Some Indian Paintbrush is seen and Coralroot and Indian Pipe. Camprobbers greeted us at the top. The view was good, though the ceiling was low and we were looking through a little thin haze. We could see Discovery Bay, Port Townsend, Indian and Marrowstone Islands, Admiralty Inlet, Whidbey Island, Saratoga Passage, Camano Island and Port Susan to the East. To the North was the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Protection Island and the San Juan Islands.Dec 2, Three miles of ocean beach hiking yielded a lot of surprises. The 9 mile Ozette loop hike is an old favorite, but this time there were some firsts. At Cape Alava we saw Sea Otters. Lots of them, close in and out in the kelp. They all seemed to be feeding or grooming. I think Washington's population of Sea Otters is growing and they are extending their territory. Another first was a dead Wolf Eel washed up on the beach. It was at least 4 ft long. A third first was part of a dead Octopus - Part of a large tentacle. We also saw Eagles, Harlequin Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Gulls, Cormorants, and Terns.
Mountain Goats above the trail on Burroughs Mountain
Sept 7, 2002, We travel to Mt Rainier with our son Brian for a hike on Burroughs Mountain. We rarely visit the Sunrise side of the mountain, so it's a special treat to hike here. Sunrise is at 6,300 ft, so we are above tree level. It is cloudy toward the mountain, so we don't see the great views of the Emmons Glacier and Little Tahoma, but we do see Sluskan Chief and Squaw, Echo Rock and other sights to the North and West. The trail climbs past Frozen Lake, then reaches First Burroughs Mtn before climbing to Second Burroughs, our destination. It's an enjoyable hike even without seeing the mountain. The highlight is when Tena spots a herd of Mountain Goats on the ridge above us. As we watch they descend at an angle toward us, dip into a gulley and cross the trail only about 150 feet away. It is quite a sight. There were adults as well as youngsters in the herd. In a short time they are across the valley below and heading up the next ridge.
Tena and Brian with Sluskan Chief and Squaw in the backgroundNov 6, 2001, The Staircase area in Olympic National Park is beautiful in gorgeous Fall colors. It's a short hike, but beautiful on a cool, sunny day. Saw lots and lots of mushrooms, some familiar, some new. Water Oozels were working the streams and squabling over territory. As we got back to the car it started to sprinkle. We hadn't even noticed the clouds coming in.
Nov 1, We did the Mt Zion hike again. Warm and sunny on top. Views of Mt Townsend, St. of Juan de Fuca and the top of a sea of clouds.
July 31, We want to get a look at the rare Flett's Violets and Pipers Bellflowers that only grow in the Olympics, so we head for the pass between Mt Townsend and Silver lake. The Violets and Bellflowers show for us as well as many other spectacular blossoms. We are in fog most of the day, but the West side of the pass is clear.
November 2, 2000, On our way to Klaloch on the Olympic Penninsula we detour out to La Push for a hike on 2nd beach. It's a short pleasant hike. The sun is out and it's very warm for November. No wind, no birds, but the waves are breaking. We see large pods of Sea Lions laying close together in the water with their fins sticking up into the air. Resting on a dry driftwood log we watch a little Winterwren hopping about and looking cute. On the way back to the trail we see an Eagle fly over. Tonight we'll stay at Klaloch Lodge and tomorrow head for Lake Quinalt for a bike ride.
October 27, 2000, Watermusic Festival in Longbeach, Wa. No concerts on Friday, so we head to Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach Oregon for a hike with hosts Gary and Sharon and friend Mary Jane. The trail is on steep hillsides and cliffs above the ocean. Giant Sitka Spruces tower above us as the trail snakes up and down steep ridges and along open slopes above the water. Offshore rocks, sea stacks and arches stand in the surf. Brief showers sprinkle us as we march along. Finally at the beach just a short distance from the car rain starts to soak us and we hightail it to Cannon Beach to find a bakery.
October 25, 2000, The Skokomish River Trail is pretty this time of year with maples showing their Fall colors. We see Chantrelles, Boletes, Russulas and other mushrooms along the path. Huge Maples in this valley have fantstice shapes. Some twist their trunks as they climb skyward. Some are distorted with bulges and lumps. Thick Spanish Moss hangs on their limbs and the tortured branches outgrab. Found a dry log next to the river for lunch and enjoyed the beautiful river view. A good mile of the trail is through the Beaver Fire burn area with huge dead or dying Firs. We reach the Flapjack Lakes junction (4 mi) in 2 hours. It's cool and cloudy with a few sprinkles, but no rain. Very nice easy hike.
October 15, 2000, The Ozette loop is a great hike. The 9.3 mile triangle loop takes you to Sand Point, then along 3 miles of ocean beach to Cape Alava, then back to the start at lake Ozette. Wind was from the South, so we hiked North on the beach. Tide was very high, so we had to climb over headlands and do some walking on driftwood logs. However, the high tide brought the Hooded Merganzers and Harlequins within 10 feet of shore. Spectacular! We also saw Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones, Whimbrels and a Marbeled Godwit in addition to the usual Gulls, Herons and Cormorants. The eagles hang out in the treetops above the beach and we were walking too close underneath to see any. We did hear one though. It was a cool day with lots of clouds, but the threatened rain never materialized.
October 5, 2000, We haven't had a good hike in quite a while. Tena suggests Deer Park to Elk Mountain, so off we go. It is a beautiful day for this hike on the Northern edge of the Olympics. The air is cold and crystal clear and we can see the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Victoria, the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Grey Wolf Ridge, the Needles and all the peaks to Obstruction Point from a single vantage point. This hike has treacherously steep sections where if you slipped you would be gone for good. It kind of puckers you up to look down and think about it.
Aug 20, We hike up Mt. Zion in Olympic National Forest. This trail is only 1.8 miles. It was cloudy and cool and at the top the view was hidden by the clouds. We ate lunch and then it started to drizzle. By the time we got back to the car it was raining. There were a few wildflowers including Indian Pipe.
Aug 12, Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics calls us to 5,200 ft. I've just washed the dust of the last hike off the car and want a paved road to the trailhead. We hike to Klahanie Ridge. It's less than 4 miles each way and the trail goes along a ridge close to timberline. There are views of Mt. Olympus, The Needles, Graywolf Ridge and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Wildflowers covered the slopes, but the number and variety aren't as great as last year. The drought has hurt many of them. It was cool and clouds came in as we got to Klahanie Ridge, so we couldn't see Victoria.
July 5, Forests of giant Rhododendrons and fields of dazzeling wildflowers marvelled our senses in the Olympics. We hiked the Tubalcain mine trail through crowded Rhododendrons to the alpine meadows at 5,200 feet. Tiger Lillies were just getting started, but Lupine and Indian Paintbrush were well established. Saw one Chocolate Lilly. Columbine carpeted the meadow in one place. We saw the Littleflowered Penstimon, Blueflowered Penstimon and Showey Penstimon. Woodland Penstimon had not yet bloomed, but was there. Incredibly deep blue Delphinium waited for us above 5,000 ft. It was a sunny, but cool day, so hiking was very pleasant. I shot lots of video and got lots of closeups of the beautiful blossoms.
June 30, 2001, The Mt. Zion hike in the Olympics is a good initial hike of the season. Only 2 miles. There are acres of Rhodys, lots of Columbine and the seldom seen Wild Ginger. Bunchberry (Ground Dogwood), Indian Pipe, Vanilla Leaf and even Penstimon are seen too.PICTURES
November 2, 2000, On our way to Klaloch on the Olympic Penninsula we detour out to La Push for a hike on 2nd beach. It's a short pleasant hike. The sun is out and it's very warm for November. No wind, no birds, but the waves are breaking. We see large pods of Sea Lions laying close together in the water with their fins sticking up into the air. Resting on a dry driftwood log we watch a little Winterwren hopping about and looking cute. On the way back to the trail we see an Eagle fly over. Tonight we'll stay at Klaloch Lodge and tomorrow head for Lake Quinalt for a bike ride.
October 27, 2000, Watermusic Festival in Longbeach, Wa. No concerts on Friday, so we head to Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach Oregon for a hike with hosts Gary and Sharon and friend Mary Jane. The trail is on steep hillsides and cliffs above the ocean. Giant Sitka Spruces tower above us as the trail snakes up and down steep ridges and along open slopes above the water. Offshore rocks, sea stacks and arches stand in the surf. Brief showers sprinkle us as we march along. Finally at the beach just a short distance from the car rain starts to soak us and we hightail it to Cannon Beach to find a bakery.
October 25, 2000, The Skokomish River Trail is pretty this time of year with maples showing their Fall colors. We see Chantrelles, Boletes, Russulas and other mushrooms along the path. Huge Maples in this valley have fantstice shapes. Some twist their trunks as they climb skyward. Some are distorted with bulges and lumps. Thick Spanish Moss hangs on their limbs and the tortured branches outgrab. Found a dry log next to the river for lunch and enjoyed the beautiful river view. A good mile of the trail is through the Beaver Fire burn area with huge dead or dying Firs. We reach the Flapjack Lakes junction (4 mi) in 2 hours. It's cool and cloudy with a few sprinkles, but no rain. Very nice easy hike.
October 15, 2000, The Ozette loop is a great hike. The 9.3 mile triangle loop takes you to Sand Point, then along 3 miles of ocean beach to Cape Alava, then back to the start at lake Ozette. Wind was from the South, so we hiked North on the beach. Tide was very high, so we had to climb over headlands and do some walking on driftwood logs. However, the high tide brought the Hooded Merganzers and Harlequins within 10 feet of shore. Spectacular! We also saw Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones, Whimbrels and a Marbeled Godwit in addition to the usual Gulls, Herons and Cormorants. The eagles hang out in the treetops above the beach and we were walking too close underneath to see any. We did hear one though. It was a cool day with lots of clouds, but the threatened rain never materialized.
October 5, 2000, We haven't had a good hike in quite a while. Tena suggests Deer Park to Elk Mountain, so off we go. It is a beautiful day for this hike on the Northern edge of the Olympics. The air is cold and crystal clear and we can see the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Victoria, the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Grey Wolf Ridge, the Needles and all the peaks to Obstruction Point from a single vantage point. This hike has treacherously steep sections where if you slipped you would be gone for good. It kind of puckers you up to look down and think about it.
Aug 20, We hike up Mt. Zion in Olympic National Forest. This trail is only 1.8 miles. It was cloudy and cool and at the top the view was hidden by the clouds. We ate lunch and then it started to drizzle. By the time we got back to the car it was raining. There were a few wildflowers including Indian Pipe.
Aug 12, Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics calls us to 5,200 ft. I've just washed the dust of the last hike off the car and want a paved road to the trailhead. We hike to Klahanie Ridge. It's less than 4 miles each way and the trail goes along a ridge close to timberline. There are views of Mt. Olympus, The Needles, Graywolf Ridge and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Wildflowers covered the slopes, but the number and variety aren't as great as last year. The drought has hurt many of them. It was cool and clouds came in as we got to Klahanie Ridge, so we couldn't see Victoria.
Above Tubalcain mine.Aug 2, A hike on the Tubalcain Mine trail leads us alpine meadows and wildflowers. Last year the road to this trail was closed by washouts. This year you can get to the trail by a detour via side roads. It's worth it. The trail is between Mt. Townsend and the Greywolf Ridge in Olympic Nationa Forest and Buckhorn Wilderness. We see Bog Orchid, Tiger Lilly, Columbine, Lupine, Delphinium, Oxeye Daisies, Piper's Bellflower, Bluebells, Indian Paintbrush, Olympic Onion, Monkeyflower and many others. We also see birds including the Townsend's Solitair. It's beautiful and warm and we hike 5 miles each way and climb 2,000 ft.
July 13, We hike up Mount Townsend in the Olympics. Tons of wildflowers greet us even though it's early in the season. Penstimon, Queen's Cup, Columbine, Paintbrush, Lupine, Checker Lilly and others I forget covered the slopes. Tena saw a skylark near the summit. It was cool and foggy on top.
Summit of Mt. Townsend.
May, 2000, Hiking near Sedona, Az.
Cactus flowers at Tusigoot, Az.
Click here to see pictures from our hikes near Sedona, ARIZONA
July 28: We hiked up Mt Zion in the Olympics.
THE FOLLOWING ARE HIKES FROM 1998 AND 99
July 31, 1998, We hiked up Mt Townsend in the Olympics with friends Tom and Polly. Dazzled by acres of brilliant wildflowers, but encased in fog all day we had no view.
August 5, 1998, We hiked the Chain Lakes Loop trail near Mt. Baker with our son Shawn. 8.5 miles at and above timberline with outstanding views of Table Mtn, Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan.
View of 10,000 ft Mt. Baker from Chain Lakes Loop Trail
Mt. Shuksan from a pass on the trail
Table Mtn near start of trail
Inner Constance in Olympic National Park from the Home Lake trail
Aug. 26, we hiked at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. We did the easy Klanhanie Ridge trail to the edge of Mount Angeles. The day was beautiful. We enjoyed great views of Mt. Olympus, Greywolf Ridge and most of the Northern Olympics.Sept 3, We did Tena's birthday hike to Marmot Pass in the Olympics. Met our friend Tom near the pass. He and his old backpacking buddies Bob and Harvey were in the 4th day of 5 day backpack trip from Obstruction Point to Dungeness via Constance Pass. They enjoyed excellent weather for the whole trip. We appreciated the good weather too and saw a few wildflowers and some birds. Huge specimens of Grass of Parnasis bordered the trail at about 5500 ft. There were Speedwell, dwarf Fireweed, Indian Paints, Magenta Paintbrush, one Columbine and a Woodland Penstimen amoung others. The birds worth mentioning were Bandtailed Pigeon, Varied Thrush and lots of Ruffed Grouse. We finished the day with Tena's birthday dinner at the Timber House in Quilcene.
Sept 12, We hiked the Tubal Cain Mine and Tull Canyon trails in the Olympics. Didn't make it to the top of Hawk Mtn, but got to about 5,800 ft. Tena had to drop back and when I got a few hundred feet above, fog started coming up the canyon. I didn't want to be separated if we lost our visibility, so I gave it up. Tena achieved a milestone on this hike: her steepest trek since the injuries and on the roughest terrain so far, including a miner's way trail and steep alpine meadows.
Sept 17, We hiked the Maiden Peak trail in Olympic National Park. Started in rain at Deer Park, but it soon stopped and the mountains of Gray Wolf Ridge showed themselves. Wildflowers were limited to Pearly Everlasting, a few Bluebells and one Paintbrush. A few mushrooms appeared along the trail, including a button Amanita Muscaria. We turned back early when it appeared we were walking into a storm. Got a glimpse of Victoria accross the Straits and through the clouds from the saddle between the summits of Maiden Peak.
Sept 30 - Oct 2, We joined Gary and Sharon in their condo at Whistler, BC, Canada. The Arnolds were there too. The highlight was a hike to upper Jeofry Lake. The steep, rugged trail felt more like 2500 ft than the actual 1500. Rocky peaks rose straight up from the lakes. Hanging glaciers spilled over the cliffs and avalanches roared down in front of our eyes.
Oct 5 - 6, We joined 7 friends at Crystal Mtn to stack a winter's supply of firewood at a house at the top of one of the ski lifts. We will use the house in January for an overnite ski party in return for the wood. Before leaving for home we hiked the Bullion Basin trail and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and sunny weather.
Oct 18, We hiked to the top of Pyramid Peak above Crecent Lake in Olympic National Park. 3.5 miles and 2500 feet elevation gain took us to great views of the lake, Strait of Juan de Fuce and Victoria accross the water. Slides and a washout made part of the trail a little hairy. The park is a safe place to hike during hunting season, though we did see one nimrod on the trail along the park boundary.
Oct 23 - 25, hiking, beachwalking and baroque music at the Water Music Festival on the Longbeach Peninsula (not to mention the excellent food and fine wine). Friday and Saturday evenings we heard the Bach cello suites played by Dimitry Yablonski in the historic Oysterville church. Friday morning we headed for Saddle Mountain on the Oregon coast. It was a beautiful hike through brilliant fall colors in bright sunshine. The summit offered views of Astoria on the Columbia River, the Oregon coast and the coastal mtn range. Saturday and Sunday we enjoyed concerts by a guitar trio, the Seattle Baroque Orchestra, a group who played 16th and 17th century music on reproductions of ancient instruments and the highlight of the weekend, Katia Skavani on the piano. She was brilliant. Friends Gary and Sharon have hosted us at this event for 12 years where we stay at their vacation cabin. It's always a great time with beach walking and sometimes clam digging, bike riding or canoeing thrown in for good measure.
Oct 31, Returned to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park with son Brian and his wife Wendy to hike the trail to Klahani Ridge. It was cloudy, windy and cold with occasional mist and light rain. But we enjoyed the outing and the excercise.
We haven't been getting out much for a few weeks. Tena has been working on our 1999 Current and Tide Tables. They will be ready for distribution starting December 8. I have been working at the REI Flagship store in Seattle as a cashier in the ski department. REI has changed alot since 1958 when I worked there as a college student. My first job was mounting bindings on skis. That job has changed alot too, and now they have up to five ski techs working at one time instead of just one.
Aug 11, 1999, A hike up Mt Townsend in the Olympics with old college buddies Larry and Tom. We haven't seen Larry in over 25 years. Tom and Larry and I did some climbing in college, including Glacier Peak, Mt Olympus and Mt Rainier. Tena was concerned that she couldn't keep up with three strong guys, but she did just fine. It was cool and cloudy, but the wildflowers carpeted the meadows with and endless variety of color and shapes. Especially noteworthy were Columbia Lewisia and Elegant Camas.
Aug 28, 1999, had a great hike with Sylvia and Chris and David. David packed a gourmet lunch for all of us and carried it up. We climbed the unmaintained trail to Knapsack Pass in Mt Rainier Nat. Park and up the ridge to First Mother Mountain. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed excellent views of the glaciers on the North side of the mountain. The never to be forgotten lunch included two kinds of delicous sandwiches, humous, French wine, organic peaches, watermelon and chocolate.
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