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.

Ebey's Landing 11-23-2019

Although it might have been nice to get a little more sleep, when the dogs got me up at 5:30am I decided to get a head start on the day.  We drove through the dark toward the Mukilteo Ferry to catch a ride to Whidbey Island.  When I parked in the Cemetery Overlook parking lot, it was only about 7:30 and the sky was tinged with orange where the sunrise could peek through the clouds.

We could see and hear Canada geese flying over the farmland.

The wind was blowing, harder as we neared the bluff, and quite cold so I put on a hat and got a coat on Luna.  The sky was gorgeous, the salty wind was exhilarating and the sea was singing its percussion song on the shore below us.  A ferry was even crossing through the cloudy sunrise.

I didn't think anything could be better.  Then I noticed a redtail hawk soaring BELOW me!  What a unique view!  It floated on the strong wind as if it wasn't blowing at all and then would catch the air currents and swoop low over the water.  I couldn't wipe the grin off my face - this was amazing!

Then - I was looking down on a great bald eagle!!!  Despite its huge size it road the air currents below me nimbly and gracefully!  WOW!!!  I had a lot of trouble with getting my camera to focus on it, but a couple turned out, and then it flew off into the sunrise sky.  I can't even say how happy and overwhelmed with natural beauty I was.  It's not often I get such a bird's eye view of the birds - especially the great hunters of the sky.

We walked along the bluff, listening to that strong wind howling through the tough gnarled firs, and noticing with surprise that there were even some flowers still blooming along the bluff.  No matter which way I looked, everything was beautiful.

I checked on the dogs now and then to make sure they were warm enough - Luna seemed fine with her fleece shirt, and Cedar runs pretty warm anyway and hates clothes, so his fleece stayed in my pack.

I could see there was no one behind me on the bluff trail, and no one below me on the beach, so when I got down to a safe elevation, I let the mutts off their strings.  They raced up and down the trail.  The cold wind seemed to turn Cedar into a puppy again and he frisked and ran off and on for the rest of our beach walk.

But first they got leftover steak bits.  : )  I even got Cedar to pose nicely for one. No treat, no nice pose.

We were having so much fun that I couldn't help but play also - picking up rocks, running after the dogs, and trying to whip with a bull kelp.  Not super surprisingly I managed to whack myself in the head and the kelp promptly broke in half.  I didn't try that again, haha.  I'll just say the kelp was rotten, not my kelp whipping skills.

I could see merganser and bufflehead in the waves, but couldn't get a good photo.  I found a couple old floats that had washed up, covered with sea creatures - anemones all over the rope.

What a great adventure!  Get out there and have one!