Sunny Stewart Mountain

Today was just the most amazing day for our hike. The picture above (click any to enlarge) shows the rays of the sun illuminating our trail up Stewart Mountain. All of our hikes into the High Country are over for the year, eliminating long drives to the trailheads, but also the beautiful views and abundant wildflowers. Oh, well: every single season has something going for it. Today was sunny, chilly, and although we hiked almost 9 miles and up 2,500 feet in elevation, we were back to our cars before 3:00 in the afternoon. Often with the summer hikes, we start really early and end really late. Today was a wonderful day on the trails in the long rays of the autumn sun with ten of my favorite people.

We started the hike on the road to Stewart Mountain but after a short mile or so, we headed off on a trail that was covered with leaves and runoff. We had to cross a creek but knew that we would take another way back, so we managed to get across Olson Creek with only a few people getting their feet wet. We gained 2,500 feet of elevation in about five miles. As we got higher and higher, even with the sun it still seemed quite cold, and we didn't stick around for a long time after lunch. This snow only showed up the last part of the hike, at about 3,000 feet elevation. That's me, Al, Cindy (in back) and Amy, getting ready to settle down for our lunch.

On the way back, we took a shorter, steeper route that cut more than a mile off the return trip. All day long the sun came and went, but basically it was what the weatherman would call "mostly sunny." And it was wonderful to reconnect with my hiking friends and then come home to relax with a glass of my favorite wine.

We had views of Lake Whatcom, and you can see there was quite a bit of color still in the trees, although in the middle of November we are well past the best colors. Looking beyond, we had a great view of Bellingham Bay and the open ocean. The bay is part of the reason we wanted to move here, since it gives you the proximity of ocean, but it's beyond the safe harbor of the beautiful bay.

I wish I could put in an order to the Weatherman Upstairs to give us some MORE Thursdays like today. We go on the hike rain or shine, but not always to the place we initially intended to go, in case the weather is truly inclement. Last week's hike to Oyster Bay was cut a little short to keep everyone out of the intense windstorm. They had a great time, although I just don't see how they could have, without me.
:-)