Thursday, May 25, 2017

Smith or Cub Creek 2017

On the logging road, our first viewpoint
We really don't know what to call this hike, since (as I have said before), there is no "Cub Creek" but there is a Smith Creek, but we always referred to it as the former, until recently. We last went up this hike in November, just before Thanksgiving. Here's a link, if you're interested. Seventeen of us met today, I think because the weather is so fine, not because we love this hike. Okay, some of us might, but I'm not one of them.
Making our way through the branches
We travel up Stewart Mountain on trails until we get to the logging road and the power lines. That's a lot of uphill, but then we must make our way through some heavy underbrush. It was slow going because Al in front stopped to snip branches out of the way and make the trail more usable. It was cloudy at this time, but we could see the clouds would probably not be lasting much longer.
Salmonberry in the dense forest
I took this picture of the pretty salmonberry while I was waiting in the long line to move forward. I was towards the end of the group, which meant I had some time to enjoy my surroundings. The weather was perfect for hiking, and after all the uphill we had done, I was glad to rest a bit.
Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters
And then we reached our destination for lunch, with a magnificent view of the mountains in one direction. I knew from previous trips that we had climbed more than 2,500 feet of elevation, which is one reason why I felt rather tired. The clouds cleared out, as you can see here, and with a light breeze and full sun, we enjoyed a nice relaxed lunch.
Spreading out and taking a nice break for lunch
We were all busy snapping pictures after our lunch break, and I got Bob to take this picture of Carol and me. There were a few other people in the picture, but I was desperate to crop the picture so that my muffin top wouldn't show. I know, I'm not fooling anybody.
Me, Carol, and our beloved mountains behind
After lunch, we descended from our mountain views and headed back down to the logging road. We didn't have to navigate the tough parts again, as we made a loop back down. We were also treated to a lovely view of Lake Whatcom and the clearcut that was made for the power lines.
Looking down at Lake Whatcom
That's Lake Whatcom below us, and the white strip on the middle right is the clearing for power lines, obviously still quite a visible part of our environment. I suppose they must need to keep that strip cleared in order to give our city its required electricity.
Descending through the lush forest
Our descent reminded me how steeply upwards we had come. My knees felt better than usual, but the tops of my toes began to get sore from the downhill, and I was again extremely grateful for my trekking poles, which make it possible for me to do more than nine miles and 2,600 feet up and down.
It only walks at night, when nobody's around
I have taken pictures of these tree roots before, but I am always impressed by them when I see them. There was a "nurse log" in there once upon a time, which gave the tree the chance to establish itself, and then it decayed away. But I swear I always think that living tree looks like it could walk away.
Carol's two bumper stickers
And then we were back at the cars and ready to change our boots and head back home. I saw these wonderful bumper stickers on the back of Carol's car and felt I must share them. The one is obvious in its appropriateness, and the other is the Bellingham flag: two stars to represent our two Native American tribes, the Nooksack and the Lummi. The waves represent Whatcom Falls, and the four stripes represent the four cities that combined to make our home: Sehome, Whatcom, Fairhaven, and Bellingham. It was a magnificent day in our wonderful home town!
:-)

15 comments:

  1. you remain such a rock star/inspiration, Jan. :)

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  2. Love those bumper stickers. And the salmonberry. And the views. And those incredible tree roots.
    Muffin top? You???? I suspect if you are telling the truth (and I doubt it) mine would be better described as a bakers dozen.

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  3. It's a little challenging to bush wack but then your fearless leader did the hard work .

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  4. The gorgeous green and mountains!

    I think you're right about that tree. You'd have to be there at night to see it walk!

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  5. Looks like you had a great day for it. Love those mountains!

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  6. I think going down is harder than going up - less work but more pain.
    So Bellingham has a flag! Interesting design, and of course I love the colors.

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  7. Love that bumper sticker! I want one!! 2500 feet elevation gain is nothing to sneeze at. Great job - and you were rewarded with magnificent views.

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  8. Wow! These photos are stunning! And I want one of those bumper stickers!

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  9. It was a clear day and you took excellent photos.

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  10. Nice seeing most of you in shirt sleeves. I am sure that tree does walk at night. What a sight.
    Cool bumper stickers and loved the meaningfulness of the Bellingham flag.

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  11. Love the pics and that tree is a sight--but it hardly looks like there is even a path to follow there. I'd be lost forever!

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  12. A gorgeous outing today! My favorite photos of 'nature' are the salmonberry [glad you stopped to get a pic of it] and the view from the upper elevation to the lake! Wow.

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  13. Great pic of the tree roots! I'll bet it does "walk at night"...

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  14. That Salmonberry is beautiful! I always enjoy seeing your flower and plant life:)

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  15. You do have the most interesting places to walk! You had a really glorious day!

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