Lost Lake via the Rock Trail

Rock trail in dappled sunlight

 Melanie and I decided to do a rather short hike but an extremely beautiful one, with plenty of elevation gain and loss to make it more strenuous. We went to Gates Overlook and hiked down the Rock trail to the South Lost Lake trail that would take us to Lost Lake. We had to traverse somewhere around 100+ wooden steps from the Overlook down to the lower trail.

Rock, large and small on the Rock trail

There are so many beautiful rocks and trees on this trail it is hard to capture how gorgeous it is. Plus you navigate those steps to lose more than 1,000 feet of elevation in just over a mile's distance. Of course, what goes down must, well, you know: go back up. But before we had to do that, however, we joined the lower trail and made our way through mud and downed trees to the lake.

We found the Lost Lake

Of course, we have been here many times before and were pretty confident we could find the lake, and here you see our usual lunch spot when making this our destination on longer hikes. We were way too early for lunch, so we had a quick snack.

The water's edge

Just for fun, we followed some side trails down to the water's edge, and saw lots of emerging leaves and blossoms beginning to open during this early spring excursion. We walked almost to the end of the lake, just to give ourselves a few more steps before starting back up the way we had come.

Skunk cabbage (a.k.a. swamp lantern)

Although there were a few very muddy spots, and the notorious bog we had to traverse before we got to the lake, you know it must have been much wetter here not long ago, for these guys we be sprouting up next to the trail. They usually are in actual swamp water, but I think they will not make it too much longer as the weather is drying up. They are sort of pretty, don't you think?

Woodpecker markings on that tree

Although Melanie could have skipped right up the trail, no matter the elevation gain, I had to stop often to catch my breath on the way back up. I saw this tree that may have fed a woodpecker or two, making those holes while looking for grubs and other insects. 

View from Gates Overlook

And then just like that there we were, back where we started out, at the Overlook, with a beautiful view of Bellingham Bay. We covered only four and a quarter miles today, but we went up and down more than 1,100 feet. That means it was not a ho-hum hike, but one to be cherished for months and years to come. I am so happy to know I can still make it up those steps and hope I get another chance to try them again later this summer.

It was another wonderful day, filled with lots of fabulous scenery, and Mel's bought cookies (very delicious macarons) before heading back to our respective homes. With such a short hike, I suspect Mel will be out on the trails near her home before the sun goes down today, but I will be happy with my day's hike as it stands. In every way, it was a winner!

:-)

Sun and rain make rainbows

Taken by Eric Jean Weissenborn

Knowing that when it's raining all day long, there are likely to be rainbows when the sun comes out, I found this wonderful picture, taken Easter Sunday and posted on Facebook's Seeing Bellingham Group. I snagged it for this post. If I had been proactive and not actually getting ready for bed myself, I might have been able to capture something as lovely as this. Bellingham Bay sure looks good through the rainbow. I thank Eric Jean Weissenborn for having shared it, and I hope he had a wonderful rest of his Easter Sunday. The Facebook group is filled with rainbows from Sunday, if you want to spend some time looking at them. I love rainbows.

When I went out this morning, it was raining, but it gradually let up and by the time I was heading home, there were no rainbows to be seen. I looked just to be sure.

Heavily laden with blossoms

I did see, however, lots and lots of blossoms everywhere. Spring is in full swing in these parts, and sometimes I think it's my favorite season, but then again, each one has its own charm and delightful moments. So I won't pick one but instead will just enjoy them as they come, and be grateful that I am able to be in this wonderful place. 

And I did look to see what's happening in the Tulip Festival fields, which were also on display in that Facebook group. Yes, the tulips are now beginning to open and give plenty of color to those fields. I'll be getting there soon, hopefully. I'll be posting plenty of pictures when that happens, never fear.

:-)

Sprinkles on the Chanterelle

Osoberries (Indian Plum)

 Today Melanie and I decided to hike the Chanterelle trail, where we could be sheltered by numerous trees as we made our way to the viewpoint, in sprinkles, as it turned out. Rain was forecast for the entire day, but when we started out, it was just a light but steady drizzle. It stayed that way for the entire hike.

So many mossy trees

I love the wonderful trees that grace this lovely hike, many of them covered with moss; others showing off their elegant symmetry. The trail is well maintained, and although there were a few muddy spots, nothing actually hampered our ascent. We climbed 2.5 miles to the viewpoint, and we then went a bit farther just to increase our distance a little.

Lake Whatcom from the viewpoint

I didn't expect it to be so clear, with rain only softening the edges, not obscuring the view at all. We stayed here long enough for a light snack, then we started up the second part of the hike. We didn't get all that far.

Spooky spot

We traveled up for a short while, but I wasn't interested in making it all the way to the top (which would have made for a ten-mile round trip). When I saw this place along the trail, I figured it would be a good turnaround point. We were hoping to go far enough to give us a total of at least six miles, and this did the trick. We went 6.29 miles round trip, with more than 1,500 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Lake in view between the trees

As we descended back to the trailhead, a few times we got a glimpse of the lake below through the trees.  A couple of times I almost put on my raincoat, but the sprinkles were light enough that I never did. 

Many shades of green

It became another one of those lovely days when we didn't have nearly the discomfort we have endured on other hikes, and it turned out to be just about perfect. The wind came up occasionally, but it never was terribly strong, as it whistled through the trees and then settled back down. 

All in all, it was a really lovely day, and we came back to our regular lives after a fine day in a beautiful Pacific Northwest wild place. I am so grateful to live here, to have a wonderful hiking partner, and to be able to navigate and enjoy the environment without too much difficulty. Life is good!

:-)

Still cold temperature outside

Pretty blossoms in a blue sky

Everywhere I am seeing blossoms appearing on trees, bushes, and in gardens as I walk around in the sunshine. At least, that is, when we have sun. We've been having on and off showers for a week, although there are plenty of times when we see the sun and even a few times when the clouds clear away entirely. But because the atmosphere is so unsettled, that pretty blue sky can change to showers and overcast conditions in nothing flat.

I just read that we here in the Pacific Northwest have had one of the coldest months of March in a long time, and that might be one reason why our tulips are behind schedule in the Skagit Valley. As soon as there are some to enjoy, I will be heading down the road to see them. I just checked on the Bloom Map and found that they still have no idea when that might happen. Plenty of bright and beautiful daffodils, though.

In the meantime, I'll just have to wander around my own neighborhood streets for lovely sights like the one above. Life is not too hard; I'll manage. (smile) The next atmospheric river is scheduled for (you guessed it) Thursday. Good thing I know how to have fun in the rain.

:-)

Early spring at Fragrance Lake

Viewpoint looking out at Samish Bay

I never tire of looking at the views we have on a sunny (or mostly sunny) day at Fragrance Lake. That's where Melanie and I decided to go today, the last nice day before a series of rainy ones ahead. At least it held off for our hike.

Our trail, with ferns galore

We went our usual direction, up the trail on the way to the lake and down the logging road on our way back. There was a little breeze, and it never quite reached what I would call "warm," but it was quite tolerable and made for easy uphill hiking.

Narrow spot between two trees

I have taken pictures of this spot on the trail before, but I am always seeing it looking a bit different, depending on the time of year and the weather. It never looks the same to my eyes, sometimes dramatic and sometimes just another lovely spot in the wilderness. 

Fragrance Lake and reflections

Today you can see the light green in the trees on the far side of the lake. By the time we reach this spot, we have done most of the climb for the day. Not long after this spot, we started up the Two Dollar trail. Large boulders are on our left and a bubbling stream on our right.

Tree growing out of a boulder

I happened to look up on the left just as we passed this scene, one I have passed by many times, but I didn't look up far enough to see the spectacle of the tree that has become one with the rock below it. I wonder how long these two have been together; from the look of the tree, it's been quite awhile.

Looking down at the lake

We finally reached our lunch spot, where we rested before taking the return trip pretty much the same way back. By this time, the wind had increased and high clouds made it seem rather cold, so we didn't linger for long. And since we knew that we would be descending the entire way back, we put all our warm clothing back on, which had gradually come off as we worked our way upward.

The ever-changing waterfall

And, as usual, we stopped for a picture at the place on the logging road back down that has this magnificent waterfall, which changes with the amount of rain and the seasons, but never fails to look wonderful. We covered 6.72 miles on today's outing, and went up and down more than 1,600 feet. I think my old hiking days where I would climb and descend much more than this are behind me. But who knows? Melanie says I am in good enough shape to try Church Mountain this summer. We'll see when we get there. At any rate, I am happy to be feeling as good as I do, knees and joints relatively happy, and my mood has improved mightily by just being out in such good weather with such a good friend.

:-)

Sunny, cool and windy

Above the ground but a long ways from a bloom

Walking back from the bus this morning, I took some pictures of the burgeoning plants coming up in this garden. I had to hold my phone on the other side of the chain-link fence, and I was hoping I wouldn't drop it, since two rather large dogs decided I was paying way too much attention to this area, so I quickly snapped this and hoped for the best. I thought I might need to straighten it, but no, it's pretty perfect just as it is. 

I know from previous years that these will be tulips once they bloom, but our cool and unusually dreary winter has delayed all our pretty flowers. This weekend, April 1, begins the Tulip Festival, and I did look at the Bloom Map and found that the only thing in bloom right now are the daffodils, and they are not yet at full strength. The tulips will be coming in another couple of weeks, I believe. And I will be visiting the Tulip Festival once again, hoping for a sunny day in mid-April.

Camellia Japonica

I did pass by this lovely bush that catches my eye every spring, since the blooms are so big and beautiful, and way earlier than even most daffodils. I did have to look it up and believe I have correctly identified the Camellia japonica. If I am incorrect, I hope one of my more astute readers will enlighten me. Here's a closeup:

Gorgeous, aren't they?

Although it's beautifully sunny today, it's also very windy. I realize that I am going to have to find something to cover my ears in such conditions, since my hearing aids began to whistle and complain. Before long, I received a warning on my iPhone that I was being exposed to a very loud and damaging sound volume. But it wasn't true; it was just the wind, and when I realized that I have found another glitch in my bionic ears, I'll need to take care to cover these puppies when it's so windy. And this was mild, compared to what I've endured in the past.

I am hoping to have a sunny and warm hike on Thursday; the weather deteriorates for the weekend, but until then, I'll be listening to the cacophony of birdsong and enjoying the sunshine. Hope you have a great day!

:-)

Stimpson Family Reserve

Our hike today

Although yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, today was the exact opposite: we woke to rain, with lots of big puddles showing that it rained quite a lot overnight. So, we decided to go to one place that is lovely, even in the rain: the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve.

Humans have been on a trajectory of distraction and overconsumption for centuries, and we had to reach the breaking point for the great transformation to begin. We’ve become completely misaligned—with ourselves and the earth. Now is the time to begin the process of coming back to ourselves and to one another. This is what forest bathing is all about. ―Julia Plevin

Yes. We went on a sweet forest bathing experience, and for the first part of it, we were actually in close familiarity with the wet side of things. It didn't take away anything from the moments we spent walking in this beautiful place, with ancient trees surrounding us.

Bits of sunshine filtering through the trees

We didn't have a long or arduous hike in this magical place, but more one of contemplation and enjoying the incredible views. Dogs are not allowed here, and so this is not a place people come to walk their dogs, but after awhile we did see lots of other fellow travelers who were taking their own spiritual bath in the forest.

Geneva Pond

We reached the only actual destination point on the reserve, which is the pretty pond that lies on the far end of the acreage. There were moments when we thought the clouds would clear off and give us a sunny day, but as you can see in this picture, all of the recent rain kept the clouds building. We even had the occasional sprinkle, but it would be gone in a flash.

Melanie heading back to the trailhead

It was a wonderful way to refresh our spirits and made for another lovely outing with a good friend. We only covered just under five miles in total (not much for us), but it was actually just right for today. I am well bathed and enjoying my comfortable chair at home, glad for the Thursday adventure.

:-)