Decisions, decisions

 

Where to first?

I went out to Blanchard Mountain with two of my best hiking buddies, Melanie and Terry. We started at the Upper Trailhead and decided we'd go to both lakes and come back down the Alternate Incline Trail, which made for a pretty wonderful day.

Nice dry trail with no wind

We were actually amazed at how mild it was, although the temperature probably didn't reach much more than 39°F (3.8°C). There was plenty of sunshine when we started out, and the wind was nonexistent. Both of those factors changed over the course of our adventure, with high clouds coming in and a bit of a breeze, but nothing major.

Boardwalk to Lily Lake

We decided to go to Lily Lake first, and then take the loop trail behind the lake, which would take us to Lizard. Both Lily and Lizard Lakes look very similar, but there was something a bit different with both of them today.

Lily Lake

If you look carefully, you can see a thin film of ice beginning to form on the lake. Before long, when we visit these two favorite destinations, we'll be seeing much more ice, and even snow. Today, however, there was only a hit of ice. It never fails to astonish me, however, how different the environment can be from visit to visit. After a quick view, we went up the loop trail to Lizard Lake.

Lizard Lake

You can see just a bit more ice has formed on Lizard Lake, and I'm not sure whether it's because it's a little bit higher elevation or not. You can see that the high clouds are beginning to form already. We stopped here to have a quick lunch and explore the area a little.

Fresh beaver action

Although we never see any beaver here, it's obvious that they have been busy. Here at Lizard, this tree looks to have been felled not long ago by the industrious critters. I'd love to see them one day. And then it was time to head back to the cars. We decided to make it an entire loop hike and return via the Alternate Incline Trail, which heads down to a service road instead of giving us the more scenic forest. However, there is one place on the road that gives us a view.

Mt. Baker

Yes, there is our beautiful Mt. Baker, easily seen from the road, and almost back to the cars. We covered around seven miles and ascended and descended 2,300 feet of elevation, making it more than just a "walk in the park." I am happy to know that even at my advanced age I am able to continue to enjoy this activity. I'll keep going until that changes.

None of us knows what the future holds for any of us, from one day to the next. For now, this is where I'll find serenity and hope for the best. We saw very few people on the trail, and everyone was masked, even if they were donned at the first sign of someone coming by. I feel very fortunate to live in a state where the vast majority of the population honors the rules put in place by our governor. 

It was truly a lovely day, and my company helped me to get some good quality conversation. In a short while, I'll join a Zoom call with my other Senior Trailblazers and find out what others are doing during this fine weather.

:-)