Thursday, January 5, 2012

Alger Alp

Squires Lake
Today fourteen Senior Trailblazers headed south of Bellingham to hike to Squires Lake and then on up to Alger Alp, a 1,315-foot summit with a view of the town of Alger and a view of the Skagit Valley. You also get great views of Mt. Baker, I've been told. In the two other times I've hiked this, we never had any view. But the lake is lovely, and the six-mile (maybe a little more) round trip is also quite nice. Yesterday it rained and blew so hard I didn't think there would be any chance for a decent trek today, but the winds died down and although we had no view, it also only sprinkled on us now and then.
Faint in the distance you can see Samish Bay, with low clouds to show how dark it was. I had a chance to try several different settings on my new camera. The first picture was taken with a low-light setting, and the picture above with the automatic setting and using the telephoto. Not a whole lot to see, but it was fun to imagine what it will be like when there is a real view.
Taken by Diane
I just received this picture that Diane took of me taking pictures with my new camera. It also shows today's scenery, with I-5 running horizontally across the top of the scene. We could hear the traffic of the highway while we were on the summit, but the rest of the time it was very quiet and peaceful. The next picture is taken using the portrait setting on my camera, and I was more than pleased.
Holly
That setting seemed to soften the edges and give the entire picture a really nice feeling. It didn't hurt that Holly was wearing her usual red jacket, so that the red and green stood out in the low light. Very nice indeed! We saw some signs of the beaver that are active around the beaver pond. I wanted to use my macro feature, but I couldn't seem to make it work while using the low light setting at the same time. I figured it out eventually, but by then this is the best I could get.
There were plenty of signs of beaver presence like this, but we didn't see any of the actual critters. I think I should have used a different setting, as the picture is too light on the right side. But I'm in the process of learning. Look how red that bark is right underneath. Those beavers are keeping their teeth sharpened; we discussed their need to keep chewing or risk being unable to close their mouths. We stopped for lunch at the beaver pond and noticed it was raining lightly, dotting the pond with droplets. I tried to get a picture of our lunch spot, but neither picture was really good. I'll spare Peggy and not post a picture of her eating her lunch.
We headed back down to the cars in light rain. We had this kind of gravel road as well as more conventional trails to follow, making the hiking pretty easy. Our total elevation gain was around 1,300 feet up and down, so the trekking poles were helpful to save my knees on the downhill sections. Not a beautiful day, but not a terrible one, either. Any time we huddle in the cold to eat a fast lunch and hurry to get moving again, while sitting in either rain or snow, well that's not such a nice day. Today the temperature was on the warm side (in the low to mid-forties) and the light rain while we walked wasn't bothersome. All in all, a really pleasant day with good friends.
:-)

27 comments:

  1. Goodness you are an inspiration. And I am loving being the beneficiary not only of vicarious treks and friendship but also of your learning experiences with your camera. Thank you so much.

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  2. Today's photos seem more colorful than usual (except for the first one). The photos are also more crisp. Good job, DJan!

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  3. You look so professional taking a photo. What fun and this is such a spectacular place for a hike.

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  4. very cool...love finding those signs of beaver-hood...just stopped in a shop the other day...i found a tree on teh other side of the creek from them nearly eaten through...if it hit them would have destroyed the shop...

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  5. We are so fortunate in the Pacific Northwest to have such beauty surrounding us, and those who brave to climb to the mountain tops see even more of it.

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  6. How much I enjoy your blogs. Seems your new camera is working great. I think I would like to have a new camera. We must have ten stored away in the closet...all out of date.

    You know Jan a long time ago you talked about trekking poles so I bought a set to assist me in walking around our property and down our dirt road. Thanks. Pam

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  7. Six miles in not-so-good weather seems about right.
    I use the landscape setting most of the time while out of doors. It makes the greens greener and the blues bluer. Looks like you're having fun with the new camera.

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  8. I'm tempted to ask how many credits you will get for learning to use your new camera? It takes a lot of work and experimenting to get on tho it but it's worth it.
    Must have been an awesome hike.

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  9. I meant the 2nd photo was the only one that was not colorful. The others were awesome.

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  10. Absolutely beautiful my friend, I love seeing you enjoy your days outside with good friends in such a healthy way. Looks like so much fun.......:-)Hugs

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  11. What a beautiful place DJan, I really like your first shot with the reflections on the lake. It looks like your new camera is working out very well.

    I'm glad to hear your weather cleared up so your group could make this trek. We had spring-like weather yesterday. We broke the record for the day by 9 degrees, it hit 69. Back in the forties today however.

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  12. That photo of Holly is lovely! And between her name and the red and green colours it feels very Christmassy! :o)

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  13. Hi DJ, it's been a while I know, haven't been visiting blogs lately. I have been busy volunteering for the victims of floods that happened last month. Oh well, just drop by to say hello and happy new year. I love that header:))

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  14. Oh boy...I must say it again, if I've said it before, I always love coming here to 'hike' with y'all. That beaver damage looks like what we had in the mtns. of Colorado along all the rivers.

    Beautiful scenery.

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  15. What a great name for a neat place. I love the unusual names of the places where you hike. A new camera--be still my heart. I wouldn't want to go through what you had to in order to justify buying a new camera. Enjoy.

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  16. I burn up calories just looking at this photos and reading about the hike! Really beautiful scenery.

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  17. This sounds so magical! My dad used to take me hiking and show me where beaver had been. I will always hold those memories close to my heart :)

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  18. Nice pictures indeed. Love the one of the tree that the beaver had had a go at.

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  19. Wow girl, you are one of the most inspirational gals I know. No one can ever accuse you of rockin' chair syndrome. Nope...you truly rock!

    The pictures and the hike look amazin'.

    The portrait settin' truly make for an amazin' photo.

    God bless ya and have a fantastic weekend!!! :o)

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  20. You leave no stone unturned. Happy hiking in 2012 DJan!

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  21. Hi Djan, I think I might have missed a post or two . . . I am assuming you got your stolen camera replaced. It sounds like a lot of work to learn the settings! I just use a simple camera, as I am never patient enough to learn how to use different settings. Maybe when I retire I'll be more willing!

    Kailyn and I took a fairly short New Year hike (40 minutes, as I'm back in PT!) and I got to use my new hiking poles! Wow, I was so amazed as how helpful they were for my knees and general fatigue. Thanks for all the information about purchasing them!

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  22. You will get the hang of the new camera soon..sounds like another good hike! :)

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  23. WOW DJan, I'm finding that this new camera of yours is like viewing in HD - the photos appear to be more crisp n colourful - that's what I'm thinking. Perhaps it was the weather and the clouds or the sky, but they do seem to be bursting with colour. Who knows ? I am most impressed with the chewings of the beaver - gosh, they do take a hunk out of a tree, eh. Well, gotta keep their teeth sharp and bored down or they would have a real problem.
    Really nice writeup and great photos :)

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  24. We'll be doing some sunshine walking during our two weeks in Arizona. That's easier for me than when I have to bundle up.

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  25. Even that cloudy, misty shot is beautiful to me! Love the beaver evidence. I don't think I've ever seen such reds on a tree trunk. Looks like a pretty nice hike. :)

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  26. You are so lucky that you live in an area with so many amazing places to hike and explore. Good for you for taking advantage of them.

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