Northern State Recreation Area 12-15-2019

Today was a totally different sort of adventure.  While it's true you can walk 5 miles on the trails through this recreation area, it was the site of a mental institution.  This day was made more fun with my younger son joining on the adventure as well!

From around 1911 to 1973, the Northern State Mental Hospital occupied these grounds, with up to 2700 residents.  In addition to the typical hospital, office and residential buildings you would expect to see at such an institution, these grounds also included a lumber mill, quarry, dairy, bakery, library, gymnasium, greenhouse, canning facilities, steam plant, and livestock and vegetables were farmed on its 700+ acres.

We were curious about visiting the cemetery - which you are allowed to visit - but we couldn't find it. Apparently 1500 people are buried there, with a single tombstone to mark the site.

The main buildings that I imagine were the residence and hospital portion are still in use in new capacities.

The buildings that you can look at are the farm buildings primarily.  I believe some of the other buildings we were looking at were the cannery and possibly a water treatment facility.

Unfortunately there is a lot of graffiti, but some of it is interesting.

I wish there were more signs informing me of what I was looking at, but it was fun to guess.

If you like disc golf, the grounds has also been made into an extensive disc golf course.  Leashed dogs are allowed, so next time I go, I'll bring Cedar and Luna. There is still a lot to explore!

Goat Lake 11-29-2019

Today was a super cold but gorgeous sunny day for a hike to Goat Lake.  I was super glad I decided to #optoutside instead of fighting crowds for things no one needs. I saw only one other person on the trail today - amazing!

On my way to Goat Lake, I stopped at the Ice Caves picnic area and the sun was just touching the peaks - beautiful!

Apple Watch stats:  10.43 miles RT and 1808 ft of elevation gain.

I got there pretty early and as the sun hit the tops of the trees the little pieces of ice on their needles melted a little and popped off, falling on the frozen ground below.  It sounded like I was walking through a rice Krispy forest.  The hard frozen ground soon had about an inch of snow in areas that trees didn't provide cover.  It was a winter wonderland, and not enough snow to hide the trail.

This time I noticed something I never have before.  I'm not sure what this is - something from an old logging operation?

I usually take Upper Elliot on the way to the lake, and Lower on the way back, so that is what I did.  I really love the aspen stands with all their white bark and black patterns.  It was especially striking with the snow and sunshine.

The little streams were all in different states of frozen and icicles hung from the ends of logs, the seeps on rock walls, and everything around waterfalls.  The different formations of ice were really interesting, but I was glad I had my hiking poles and traction today.

One thing I forgot on this hike is that if you use a water bladder like a platypus or a camelbak, those little hoses freeze.  I sipped mine now and then on the way into the lake to keep the ice from getting too solid, but when I got to the lake I was distracted and my water tube was frozen solid for the rest of the hike.

The lake was stunning!  Beautiful aquamarine where the sun hit it, and it had great sheets of ice across a lot of it.  I had brought my JetBoil and treated myself to some hot cocoa, which I sipped while perched on a root at the edge of the lake.  If it wasn't so icy cold out, I would have stayed longer!

I only saw small wildlife that apparently didn't want to be photographed today - a Douglas squirrel, a chipmunk, and a couple red-breasted sapsuckers.  I did notice these footprints along a couple of the bridges on the Lower trail.  They didn't seem like small dog prints, so I looked up some comparisons online when I got home, and believe they are bobcat.  I wish I had seen their maker!

There are always so many little things to notice along the trail too - mushrooms wearing hats of snow - and this cool little hole in a log adorned with tiny ice crystals at the top. It looks like some little gnome lives in there and decorated his doorway for the holidays.

Get out there and have a great adventure!

White Chuck Bench 11-26-2019

Today was just a fun little hike out on the White Chuck Bench trail with my two adventure dogs and the neighbor dog,  Guzzler, who hangs out with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I hadn't taken him on a hike before, so I kept the distance to 4 miles.  He probably would have been happier with about 3, but he was a good little sport.

I was expecting clouds, and there were some, but there was also beautiful glorious sunshine lighting up the forest.  I so love this beautiful part of the world I live in.  It's definitely not hard to channel the spirit of Thanksgiving out there - the earthy fresh green smells, the trees so covered with moss they look like green plush toys, the sun lighting up the ferns, the roar of the river...

I had the whole trail to myself, and wasn't super surprised. Not only is it a weekday, but I have only ever ran into one other party on this trail any of the times that I've been on it.  Shhhh!  I don't do trip reports for this trail because I'm scared it will get super popular haha - luckily it doesn't get to a summit or a lake or very close to the river, so unless people just want a nice relatively flat forest hike, they will probably go elsewhere.

I encourage everyone who is reading this to not buy into the commercial gluttony of Black Friday! Think about the things you're thankful for and get out into nature, plan a nice board game with friends or family, or settle in with a cup of cheer and a good book - think about the things that you're truly grateful for.  I'm going to go for a long hike on Friday and hopefully burn off the calories from the day before hehe.

This looks like a fuzzy white caterpillar, but it's ice sprawling out of a  frozen wet stick.

OK - I'll jump off my little soapbox and close by giving you a doggy montage.