Thursday, September 9, 2010

Lake Ann 2010

Last August 21 we headed up to Lake Ann for our annual trek (see the link for last year's incredibly different hike). Today we got a whole different feeling on this adventure. It's an interesting trudge: you start at almost the same elevation you end up at, meaning you hike down about a thousand feet and then cross a fairly flat rocky area before beginning a climb up another thousand feet. You end up at about the same elevation as you started, causing some people to say that this hike is uphill both ways. The picture above is what Lake Ann looked like today: we were in a cloud the whole day. Our resident wag said that this was a good thing and a bad thing: good, if you're looking at the exercise (in cool and comfortable weather) or bad, if you were looking for a view.
When we started the hike, the weather sure looked like it was going to clear, as you can see from this picture of Mt. Baker through the clouds, taken as we pulled into the parking area. But no, it was not to be. For most of the day, we got occasional rays coming through the clouds and we thought it would clear, but instead we would get a view like the one below:
Once we gained the ridge and looked for the glaciers, we saw the views come and go like this. The waterfall is coming from the glacier that you can see by looking at last year's post. When we stopped for lunch, I saw this view and thought, erroneously, that now I would be seeing Mt. Shuksan. This is as good as the view of Shuksan got today. Although it was foggy and misty all day, it never rained.
See? Shuksan was TRYING to come to my camera lens, but you wouldn't know it from this picture. So, instead I decided to take lots of pictures of the abundant flowers and waterfalls. Here's the best flower picture (complete with dewdrops):
Behind the purple flower are blueberry bushes. We found quite a few really good and tasty blueberries when were were at altitude (around 4,800 feet or so), but as we descended we noticed that they got greener and more sour. We did sample as many as we could, however. I didn't get any really wonderful waterfall pictures, this is the best of the lot. Nowhere near as wonderful as the one in my previous post, but beautiful nevertheless.
You can never tell when you see something you think will be spectacular and then look at it on the big screen. Sometimes the pictures are stunning in their beauty, and some just don't translate well through the lens. I have no way to tell which is which. What I did experience today was somewhere around nine miles of hiking through the mist and fog with twelve of my favorite Senior Trailblazers, a good time, and a sore and tired body that I'll take to the gym tomorrow to work out today's kinks. I hope you have also had a wonderful day.
:-)

14 comments:

  1. Ah, well, DJan, at least you got some exercise. LOL.

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  2. I know what you mean about not knowing what will translate well. I actually really like the misty shots. They have an ethereal quality that appeals to me.

    I can't imagine having enough oomph to go 'work out the kinks' after a hike like that!

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  3. Nine miles is amazing. Good for you. And you say you go to the gym the next day and you will work out the kinks. I'm sorry, I could not do that. But I truly admire you that you can. You are one of my heroes.

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  4. That was another ambitious hike!
    I love the little harebell!
    I know what you mean about never knowing for sure how a photo will look when you are standing in the setting. Often times the grander the setting the harder it is to capture it. That's why often the fun is in the details, and the memory will have to hold the grandeur.

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  5. As always, beauty beyond belief.

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  6. Loved the foggy pictures as well as the waterfalls!! The area you play in is just gorgeous!

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  7. As usual on Thursdays I think about you and your group. It was overcast and threatening to rain here most of the day and looks like your weather was about the same.

    Even with the mist and fog the views are still quite beautiful, I really like that waterfall.

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  8. wow the pic of the mountain through the clouds is amazing...i know i say that with every hike you share but you do have the most amazing adventures...

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  9. Oh, Djan, that looks absolutely beautiful. That photo of Mt. Shuksan is probably one of the most beautiful photographs I have ever seen. It shimmers...! I would love to do a little painting of it. Omigoodness...!

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  10. Wow, you could sell those photos... they would make wonderful cards.

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  11. Looks are pretty. Look at this and look at that. One view after another. I suppose the number of favorite spots would be endless. I haven't been on a hike in ages and that is a long time.

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  12. Oh what a beautiful place. There's nothing like fog to add mystery and wonder to a scene. You've captured these moods perfectly.

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  13. What a difference from one time to the next..your weather can be so different..that second photo was lovely and I really enjoyed seeing the little Hare Bell among some turning foliage. Nine miles ..now that is some hike! Good for you DJan! :)

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