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| Fifteen Happy Wanderers |
One of the problems I have with my limited sight is trying to take a good picture of everybody in a situation like this one. I unfortunately lopped off half of Joe on the left, and had plenty of room on the right if I had been able to see better. Oh well, at least you can see that we had a great group of hikers who went off to Little Cranberry Lake in Anacortes, a forty-minute drive from Bellingham.
And it was cold: when we got to the trailhead, it was about 4°C (39-40°F). We lost one of our cars full of hikers, and by the time we found us more than a half-hour later, we were all frozen. But once we started hiking, it didn't take long for us to warm up. I was having a hard time with all the mud and slick spots on the trail, but once we got to a major junction, it got a little better. At least I didn't fall into the slimy mess, which was a major accomplishment. I was so happy to have my trusty trekking poles.
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| The group coming to meet me |
At one point, I had to "water a tree" and took this picture of the group coming towards me. It doesn't show how awful much of the trail actually was today, but that is because when it was really bad, I had nothing left over to take pictures. I managed to stay upright!
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| Little Cranberry Lake |
You can see how still the water was, and we also had very little breeze to deal with as we hiked. Once we got to the lake, we stopped for a bit of lunch, with picnic tables and the delightful view, along with lively conversations. We covered almosat five miles and 750 feet up and down, not a huge hike, but enough for me to get a decent number of steps for the day, and we not only had no wind, but also no rain. Apparently we have a major event headed our way, with plenty of wind and rain, so I was very happy that we had nothing like that today. It was a good way to enjoy the outdoors with some great friends.
:-)
Your forecast sounds pretty ugly. It's good that you had fine weather today. I thought this was a staged photo. when I take photos of a group, I always ask for a silly one.
ReplyDeleteI saw that you are expecting bad weather, I suppose it will get here sooner or later. Nice Hike!
ReplyDeleteThe smiles in that first photo say it all. I am glad that you were able to go, glad that the weather was kind and VERY glad that you stayed upright. I am not sure I would.
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting to see the various unique names for lakes. Nice hike!
ReplyDeleteThe trail sounds challenging under foot. Well done again, Jan. The lake scene is so peaceful!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good hike. When I lived in Seattle I used to bring my youngest son and our little row boat to Cranberry Lake. I had forgotten all about that until I saw your post, thanks.
ReplyDeleteAn adventure, despite the challenges! It sounds like you made the most of the day and captured the spirit of the hike beautifully, even if Joe didn’t make the full frame. 😊 Your description brings the experience to life—the chilly start, the muddy trails, and the camaraderie of your group. I admire your perseverance, especially with tricky footing and slick spots. Staying upright in those conditions is indeed an accomplishment! Little Cranberry Lake sounds like a gem, and it’s good that you had a calm, rain-free day to enjoy it. Here’s to many more hikes, photos, and lively conversations with your trusty trekking poles by your side! John
ReplyDeleteAt least you didn't have rain and had good company. :)
ReplyDeleteWe're getting snow here. First snowfall is always beautiful when it is over with and the wind stops blowing--lol!
Glad you had a good hike with your friends.... and that you didn't slip or fall on the muddy trails. But it may have been a bit too cold for me.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got your hike in before the atmospheric river deluged you. Our rain is coming this week (Thanksgiving week) but nothing like you all had, or at least I hope not that heavy.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there are actual cranberries in the area. You have such beautiful scenery.
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