Thursday, December 4, 2014

Rock and ice

Ice on Rock Trail
Today twelve Senior Trailblazers set out on an overcast but relatively balmy day (35F) to make a loop hike from Gates Overlook down the Rock Trail, over to Lost Lake the long way, and then hike back up the Rock Trail.  Or, as Al likes to call these excursions that start and end on the same trail but make a loop in the middle, a "lollipop" hike. The ice is all there because of the recent extremely cold weather we had, and although the temperature is above freezing (barely), the ice is mostly still there.
Icicles have fallen from above that we are walking on
I know this picture is out of focus, but I just had to show you how much the ice had already fallen in certain places on the trail. I didn't want to stop long enough right there to worry about anything except moving out of harm's way. We crunched our way quickly across the places where we might have ice still coming down on us.
Ward, Peggy, Linda, Carol, Doug, Al, Lisa, Kirk, Rich, Steve, Mel
Once we got to the high point of today's hike, which has a view because of it being a clearcut area, I asked for a picture of everybody. There is actually a view behind them, but I think my colorful fellow hikers look pretty good, too. And we could see our lunch destination from up there.
Lost Lake
There it is, Lost Lake, down below us a bit. You can see a stump in the foreground that was once a tree cleared by loggers. It's been a few years, and they did plant some evergreens here and there, so that some day they will be able to do it again. I've not grown exactly accustomed to the harvest of these trees, but I am not as dismayed by it as I was when I first moved here. And it does give unobstructed views.
Golden Ears in Canada
I think I could see that there were places over there in Canada where the sun might be shining. We didn't ever have any, and other than a few stray rain showers, it was quite pleasant all day long. It was time to make our way down to Lost Lake for lunch.
Linda, Ward, Mel, Steve, Carol, Peggy, me, Rich, Al, Doug, Kirk
Before I allowed the group to settle down for lunch, I asked for yet another picture, which turned out quite nice of everybody. Lisa took this one, so I am in it. She did a great job of getting everyone in the frame, with Lost Lake behind us.
A view of the lake while we enjoyed our lunch
Once you stop after hiking for awhile, you tend to get rather cold, so we bundled up and sat in relative comfort as we had lunch. It's really a beautiful place, one of my favorite around-town hikes, as long as it's not raining. As I said, we had a few raindrops, but for Pacific Northwesterners, it was nothing.
Magnificent icicle
This picture of an enormous icicle was taken on our return trip up the Rock Trail and back to the cars. If you didn't have a person in the picture, you wouldn't have any way to tell how large it is. You can see that some pieces have fallen off below it, so again we hustled fast to get out of the way of any possible falling ice. It was a really nice day, and it would have been perfect if I hadn't managed to fall on some slippery rocks just as we gained a view of the cars! I will have a bruise, but otherwise the only thing that was damaged was my pride. We know it goes before a fall, right?
:-)

18 comments:

  1. a bruise is okay. :) better than that ice falling on your cranium! yikes!

    your title made me think of diamond smugglers. :)

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  2. I'm glad you weren't hurt more seriously. I know what that kind of ice is like. We see it here on the rock face across the bay. It's quite amazing, isn't it?

    Congrats on winning Sharon's giveaway. I'm happy for you. :)

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  3. You were in a very beautiful area. You have to watch the ice footing can be treacherous.

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  4. Glad you made it down safely, despite the bruise. That ice is really hard to maneuver on, so be really careful.

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  5. That ice is incredible - and would have caused more than a bruise.
    Love Lost Lake - and glad you are home more or less intact - after another wonderful day.

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  6. Beautiful views through the eye of your camera. Glad that you were in one of the shots today. It is always nice to see the one "behind" the camera getting in front of it for a change.
    I'm sorry that you fell, and I am certainly glad that you weren't hurt (except for the bruising...and the pride.)
    Take care of you, Jan.
    Warm hugs to you,
    Jackie

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  7. That final icicle formation is stunning. Wow! I have not seen any that large or dramatic before.

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  8. I'm so glad you found Lost Lake. When I was a kid our dad would take us on Sunday drives up into the Oregon Cascades, looking for Lost lake. We never found it. I'm pretty sure it never existed, but we had some great trips.
    My dad was a logger, and I still have loggers and foresters in my family. I have always understood that forests are a crop to be harvested and replanted.

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  9. WOW - those are enormous icicles. We have some that are trickles of small streams flowing during summer and in winter it is just so beautiful. The climbers practice climbing them in winter with their harnesses and ropes, for they are so big. I especially like the photo of lost lake. I remember it from other outings and I like the contrast with the lone hiker walking away from the huge icicle.. I am thinking about how dangerous walking through that ice that fell - sorta tricky there. Glad you all made it safely. Have a wonderful day.

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  10. That the biggest icicle I have ever seen! When you said you hurried by the potential falling ice I thought...but don't slip on the already fallen ice! And then I read that you did fall. Ouch! Could have been worse, I guess. Glad you're okay. Some great pictures from this hike! :)

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  11. I was just asking myself if anyone slipped and fell on the icicles, but you obviously did. Too bad about the bruise.

    I sometimes wonder if your lunch froze during these hikes.

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  12. I was wondering with all that ice if anyone fell. So sorry it was you. The ice and that fearsome gigantic icicle would have made for a cautious passage.
    Glad it was a great and almost safe day.

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  13. So glad you were not seriously hurt. Sometimes no matter how careful you are...just like that boom you are on the ground. We have ice around here too:(
    Great looking bunch of hikers! Your lunch spot looks wonderful:)

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  14. You amaze me. A "balmy" 35?!

    I'm sorry you fell and hope the bruise isn't too bad.

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  15. Really beautiful. That icy area looks treacherous!

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  16. I'd define balmy as our temp today- 57! But the photos are great. I did that as well- fell with the parking lot in sight after a muti hour hike- embarrassing!

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  17. That ice, though spectacular, does look treacherous. The icicles are spectacular and the view of the lake from above and below - magical. Shame about the trees cos pines don't regenerate, I believe?

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  18. Beautiful scenes all along the way. I find ice on trails and sidewalks the thing that scares me above anything else these days...:(

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