Double Bluff and Lake 22 3-16/17-2019

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday I was baking on the beach with Dave and the pups, enjoying sunny blue skies and distant mountains, and today I was hiking through the snow up in the mountains - again sunny blue skies, but definitely still winter there.

Doublebluff is such a nice beach.  Cedar and Luna can roam around without being on leash and they love it.  Cedar likes so sniff driftwood and pee on things, Luna likes to run in big circles, splash in the shallows and climb up things.

A lot of shells were there for the beachcombers - sand dollars, chiton, partial Lewis moonsnail shells and many varieties of bivalves.

There were a lot of seabirds, but we saw no eagles.  Probably because I guaranteed Dave we would see some haha.

When we came back to this big log, Dave climbed up to show Cedar and Luna it was doable, but took them a bit to figure it out.

"I don't think he really went up this way."

"How the heck did you get up there?"

"He did go up this way! We can get to him!"

"Mission accomplished."

"Now let's get down from this crazy log!"

Today I left early while the snow was still hardpacked and made an attempt at Lake 22.  I had read a trip report on WTA that mentioned something about an avalanche, but I didn't really understand what they were getting at, and missed the trip report that was posted after that which had a lot more details.

The parking lot requires AWD or 4WD even though it's just off the road, and the trail is packed snow/ice starting right at the trailhead.  There were only a couple other cars there, so I had the trail pretty much to myself.  It was soooo beautiful!  Then I got up to the 3 switchbacks that cross the open slope/slide area and heard the unmistakable CRACK of snow breaking free in an avalanche.  I decided it was pretty far up the slope and I didn't see it, so I thought I'd just pay attention and give it a try.  I could see this beautiful waterfall of giant icicles up at the top left and was hoping to get a photo of it when I got closer.  When I got to the 2nd switchback I heard the frozen waterfall go - it was the most amazing and terrifying sound!  Like an entire china shop had just been dumped out and everything all shattering and echoing.  I hesitated awhile and then decided that I could probably still do this.  I had just started in on the 3rd switchback and was making my way over some recent avalanche debris (flow of heavy snow filled with chunks of solid ice) when I heard another avalanche coming down the middle.  NO thank you!  It was going to just get more unstable as the day warmed up!  Leave the slope to hike away and I'll live to hike another day!  My heart was pounding like an amorous woodpecker as I made my way as quick as I safely could back down those switchbacks.

Once back in the safety of the trees I just relaxed and enjoyed the beauty around me again.  Huge gnarly cedars stretching up into the sky, stumps covered with thick white caps of snow.

I warned a few people about the snow field as I met them on their way up.  Hopefully no one gets hurt today.  I saw a few people with regular running shoes and I don't even think they will make it up that far.  I also saw a hiking cat! It was riding on its owner's shoulders and looking around at all that snow.  I don't know if it will do any hiking, but it sure seemed interested and not scared/worried in the least.

Happy and safe adventuring!

Double Bluff Beach 5-21-2018

I had asked for the day off not even knowing how glorious a spring day it would be!  Sunny and a light breeze - the perfect day to take the pups to the off leash dog beach on Whidbey Island.  For those of you who want to see more adventure settings and less pooches, sorry - my dogs had so much fun that most of these photos are of them.  I'll start out with the beachy ones and you can skip the rest if you like.
I saw at least 3 eagles - possibly 5, but a couple could have circled around.  I have never come here and not seen eagles.

There were some interesting things washed up as well - a jelly fish, a halibut head, and this fish.  I'm glad the dogs didn't see it - they would have rolled in it for sure.

I saw quite a few areas where there had been recent erosion.  It is kind of creepy - not sure if it tends to come down when it's raining or just randomly.  I saw some trickles of sand here and there down the bluffs - mini avalanches.

There were quite a few pigeon guillemots around.  I hadn't realized that they nest here!  A kayaker was paddling along the shoreline photographing them.

When we rounded the corner about two miles down the beach where we can see the next bay, we stopped for lunch.  Two sea lions were sunbathing on this buoy.

While the dogs were sniffing around some logs, I noticed a lot of crab shells - probably from moulting.  I set them up on some driftwood.

OK, here is my canine crew.  They waded, walked, climbed, leaped and had a wonderful time being free.  Luna probably did 3 times the distance that Cedar and I did.  Crazy puppy!

Happy Adventuring!

Double Bluff Beach 08-01-15

We have been working on house/yard projects all year getting ready for our outdoor wedding here.  We were married July 11 and although it was one of the only cloudy drippy days of the summer, it was lovely.  Adventure Dog has been going stir crazy with the only hiking being in our yard, so we decided to go somewhere else today. It has been a hot dry sunny summer so if I wanted get any hike in, it would have to be in the morning.  We headed out around 8am and caught the ferry to Whidbey Island.  I got right onto the 1st ferry that was there. 
I had read about where the tides would be and it would be going out until around noon so it was perfect timing to enjoy a sunny morning on the off leash dog beach!  Cedar was super excited to be out meeting dogs, and marking driftwood. 

 

 I hoped to see an eagle and was not disappointed. 

Mount Rainier and Baker were stunning today.  I couldn't see Baker from the beach, but Rainier gleamed like a giant mirage beyond the water.

Wait a minute... does that photo bombing seagull have something in its beak?

Yep!  Looks like a big clam and he's taking it away from the rest of the seagull crew so he can drop it, break it, and eat it all by himself.

The low tide made for some fun tidepooling, and even Cedar waded a few times without any encouragement from me.  He is not a water dog, but realized that it helped cool him off. 

 

Not sure if the crab or the green stripey rock is the coolest thing in this picture!



Cedar caught wading

Barnacles and things make noises and Cedar was surprised and curious

 

The most amazing thing on this little hike though, was that we were treated to our own personal airshow!  A red biplane showed up and just started doing tricks right over our heads!  I didn't even know planes could do some of the things he or she was doing!  Some tricks were done with smoke and some without.  Adventure Dog was busy on the beach, but I couldn't tear my eyes away until the plane completely left.  I got nearly 10 minutes of barrel rolls, corkscrews, loop the loops, and more.  Thank you Mystery Pilot!  That was freaking phenomenal!!