Thursday, January 17, 2013

Burnout Point without the clouds

Samish Bay behind me
And to think I almost didn't go today, because of the cold I picked up earlier in the week. As it turned out, it was no problem at all; my cold is definitely much better. Yesterday, however, I was unsure if it was a good idea, so I went to bed earlier than usual and slept great (thanks to Benadryl). When I woke this morning, I packed up and dressed warmly, as it was a brisk 26 degrees F. It was a clear night and all the warmth from the previous day had dissipated.

Last March we made this same hike, with nary a view to be had; instead we had pea-soup fog to deal with. I wrote about it here. But today we are in the midst of a spell of dry, sunny weather. There is a fair amount of fog around in the early morning when it's like this, but it burns off quickly. I scraped heavy ice off the car and headed to the Senior Center to meet ten fellow hikers. We started this loop hike from the Clayton Beach parking lot.
One of our newer members, Ross, shows you that it wasn't warm when we began. The old logging road we trudged up just didn't give us a break, but it did allow us to gain elevation quickly. We ran into snow not long after we started, and we began to shed our outer layers of clothing pretty quickly. I thought the picture below would give you an idea of how steeply the road heads upward, but it doesn't do it justice.
We ran into these pretty icicles, ones I took a picture of last year (available in the aforementioned link). This year I noticed that there were even more icicles, and they glistened in the beautiful sunlight. Although we make the same hikes year after year, it's truly amazing how much they change in character from one occasion to the next.
And finally, we reached the summit of Burnout Road, where the clearcut logging operation of a few years back has opened up the view. We had never before seen this view since clouds and fog have always obscured it on our earlier excursions. Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters are covered with snow, and they are magnificent as always. Every time we see them they look a little different, because of a different angle or because of a completely different weather day.
Amy and Peggy standing on the clearcut area
As we came around a corner, we disturbed a snowy owl who flew overhead on his way to a more secluded spot. They are BIG! From a different direction, you can see that the logging operation has also opened up a magnificent view of Samish Bay, which I captured here.
Blue sky and low fog, with Mt. Erie jutting up above the clouds, puffs of steam coming from the Anacortes refineries, it's all a part of Samish Bay. Forest trees are in the foreground, with a piece of clearcut forest in the lower left of the picture. Although the view is spectacular, I also feel sad when I see the detritus from the clearcut operation, reminding me of what was once beautiful forest. However, I use wood products, too, and there is plenty of market for all those gorgeous trees. I know they grow back, but still...

By the time we had returned to the cars and our starting point, we had covered around nine miles or so, with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet. Exclamations of contentment came from many of us, and I was glad to have one of those days that remind me why I live here, and why I can so quickly forget about the rain.
:-)

20 comments:

  1. those icicles (i hesitate to even use that term since they're so huge!) are beautiful in the sun! i looked at last year's photo, too.

    and the mt. erie photo is just wonderful. i'd worry about the tree clear-cutting, too, but i hope they do it wisely and replant well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can see why you live there, too.
    The views are splendid...magnificent views.
    I love the clouds, the fog, even the smoke...and like you, I am saddened to know there are tree clearings.
    Your photos are beautiful.
    Thank you so much for blogging about your area and including these beautiful photographs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow look at that view you were rewarded with...amazing...and i dont have to be jealous of your snow tonight!!! 2-3 inches so far! woohoo! smiles.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are thinking on all these hikes.When you see clear cuts it does bother you. The sneaky beggars always do their clear cutting a long way from view. Only back country people get to see clear cutting.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm glad you are feeling so much better and were able to make the hike today. Your photos are great. I really like the last one.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad you had perfect weather today and are feeling better. A cold is no joke.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, good. You got out of the fog. We had it all day here at sea level - not nice. I wondered about your hike today.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What an adventure. Snow, icicles, stunning views, a snowy owl and a feeling of virtue after a day's exercise. I too would worry about the tree clear-cutting, but hope that they are replanting generously and quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your hiking adventures never grow old DJan, for like you feel, each and every footprint up the forest /mountain path changes with the weather and probably every hour would see something different with the sun, clouds, mist, fog, rain, snow, etc falling or reigning round about you. I enjoy your return visits as much as the first hikes, for there is always a little different story to tell. These photos are just beautiful and yes, I can see why, even though you might still have some of that cold in your system, that you went along anyway - the fresh air probably did you more good than harm. Keep em coming kiddo :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'll bet you're glad you went! How beautiful- thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad to know you're feeling much better, and that you are getting plenty of rest. That's most important in recouping I think.

    Anyway, enough of my being a doctor, but you CAN call me in the morning. LOL

    Okay, seriously, the hike is awesome. And that one image of the icicles spiraling over the embankments outcropping is truly a spectacle to behold.

    I sorely wish this area had a senior hiking...of course we don't have the landscaping that you do in WA.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the hike! I loved it! So glad you feel better. The views are beautiful and the weather looks delightful:)

    ReplyDelete
  13. That icicles picture is fantastic and the one with DJan Queen of the Mountain...;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks like just enough snow underfoot to make it fun.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm glad to hear you were feeling well enough to make the hike DJan, it would have been a shame to miss those gorgeous views. It sounds like your temps are about the same as ours except we have barely seen the sun lately.

    Seeing the Snowy Owl would have been exciting. I believe they are about the same size as the Great Horned owl that hangs around in the area behind our yard. Big fellows!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The scenery is so dramatic! I especially like the shades of blue in the distance.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It stopped raining, yay!!!

    That is COLD!!!

    Gorgeous landscapes... and fascinating icicles! The winter maybe hard, but it sure does allow for many beauties...

    ReplyDelete
  18. Those icicles are magnificent. I'm so glad you took a picture of them. The air is so clear up there in the mountains.

    ReplyDelete
  19. You and your group never cease to amaze me! What a great way to Iive:)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow! What an incredible view. Don't you feel a shortness of breath being so high? You're making me realize that I need to get out there and get some exercise.

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate your comments! If you see a word verification box here, just ignore it. I don't use the darn thing and Blogger is trying to get us to use it, I guess. Ignore it and your comment will still appear.