Hamilton Mountain- Beacon Rock State Park

Friday evening after work, Adventure Dog and I headed south for the Columbia River and Beacon Rock State Park, hoping that somehow there would still be a campsite waiting for us on Memorial Day weekend, at around 8:30pm.  The weather didn’t seem as bad as I had heard, so I was worried not enough potential campers would be scared away from their camping plans.  I was in luck!  There were 2 or 3 sites left and just a few minutes of “daylight” left for me to set up my tent.  It wasn’t really raining, but kind of misting, so I was grateful for that too.

Saturday morning was overcast, and the forecast called for rain showers.  I geared up and headed out for the first hike of the area, Hamilton Mountain.  Cedar’s retractable leash had snapped the night before, so I had cut the clip off it and tied on about 6 feet of line I got for stringing up tarps or hanging food away from bears.  It tangled in his feet a lot, but we both got used to it.  The day turned out glorious… with only a little rain and some sunbreaks as well.  In addition to the lovely yellow violets and bleeding hearts blooming so profusely in the woods, I was pleased to see more fairyslippers, deerfoot vanilla leaf (also called sweet after-death!), coral root, and the dark blotchy mission-bells.

Hamilton Mountain is about a 9 mile round-trip hike with about 2000 feet of elevation gain, which can be hiked as a loop. 

When we got to this sign, I recalled reading that the right path was actually the easier one, and since I had a steep hike planned for the next day, went right.  Later I realized that what I was remembering pertained to the other hike, so I had actually chosen the more difficult path. 

Two waterfalls grace this trail, Hardy and Rodney Falls.  They were both beautiful, but the coolest part of them, was a tiny side trail to Pool of the Winds.  It was the upper part of what I think was Rodney Falls, crashing down into a deep stone pool it had carved before spilling out and down another fall.  I had to snap a picture fast before my camera got too drenched with mist.

I was not sorry I took the path to the right, despite the steep switchbacks… the views from this direction were phenomenal.  Although there was a cloud cover blocking any view of Mt Hood or St Helens, the surrounding ridges and valleys, drifting with mist, were eerie and beautiful.  I could see the Columbia River as well.

 I soon started to see royal blue larkspur and then this rocky cliff.  I didn’t realize that this was the front side of Hamilton Mountain, and I would soon be standing on the top of it.

There was also a nice view of Beacon Rock.  There is a 1 mile trail to the top of this I would like to do sometime, but I think some of it is a scramble, so Adventure Dog wouldn’t be able to join me.  This towering monolith is actually what is left of the core of an ancient volcano and was named by Lewis and Clark.

I was the only hiker on the Hamilton Mountain trail that morning, and I met no other hikers until I was more than halfway back down.  I absolutely loved the peace and wildness of it.  Cedar and I ate our lunch at the summit, which was silent and misty.

The way back down crossed a small desolate ridge, covered with pumice, and then wound gradually down a wide dirt road/trail through forest.  I liked the texture of this rock face, the way these maidenhair ferns caught the light.

We were almost back, when this cute little rufous-sided towhee flew down to check Cedar out.  Cedar was interested, but only took a few steps and stood totally still while the bird hopped around checking him out.  It looked pretty cute, like they were making friends, but I know Adventure Dog.  He is sneaky and was likely trying to figure out how to pounce.

Lena Lake - Olympic Peninsula

Saturday's hike was a fun one for me.  I had been wanting to get on some hikes on the Olympic Peninsula where I grew up, but hadn't really made it over there for one.  My cousin, Amy picked this one out and joined Adventure Dog and I with her dog, Stickeen. 

It was a perfect pick for the day.  It was a misty drizzly day and the hills were shrouded in clouds.  This 5 mile round trip hike is switchbacks pretty much all the way to Lena Lake, but they are at a gentle grade, so a fairly easy hike.  The wild rhodedendrons which had started to bloom further down on the coastal road, were still tightly budded on the trail, but the usual yellow violets, trillium, and bleeding hearts lined the path. 

The sweet discovery was that little orchids called calypso, or fairyslippers also grew along the path in numbers I've never experienced before.  I had always thought they were ladyslippers, but I guess those are much bigger at 2-4 inches rather than the little 1 inch blossoms we saw on this hike.  These little beauties only grow in old forests, near other plants in particular such as Douglas fir, salal and oregon grape, and once an area of forest is cut they do not continue to grow there. 

Most of the streams that crossed this well-maintained trail had lovely bridges over them.

There was no big wildlife, but we saw some little creepy crawlies.  I like these yellow-spotted millipedes with their bright dots like the lights on a carnival ride.  I also like banana slugs.  Not because I like slugs in particular, but it's really amusing to me that they look like bananas.  These slimy little guys help break down decaying organic matter into the rich soil we have here.

The lake itself was beautiful.  It was way up its banks due to the warmer weather melting snow above.  Trees were up to their knees in the shallows, reminding me of a southern swamp.  The water was crystal clear and a deep turquoise color.  There are some nice campsites along the lake as well and a large group of boyscouts were staying there. 

After the hike we enjoyed a wine cooler in my aunt's hot tub.  A great way to end any hike!

Bridal Veil Falls - Lake Serene

Today's hike was the most intense I've been on yet!  It was a real push physically, and also mentally!  Also the different temperatures we hiked through and the constant rain which soaked through my rainproof coat added to the challenge. I was hiking with Adventure Dog, as usual, and my hiking buddy Dan also joined us with his flat-coated retriever, Clark Kent.

The Bridal Veil Falls-Lake Serene hike is off of Hwy 2, about 7 miles past Gold Bar.  With the falls overlook and the trek to the lake all totaled, it’s 7.2 miles round trip, according to the WTA website.  The first mile is just up an old logging road and although everything was wet, it was lovely.  Bleeding hearts and yellow violets lined both sides of the road.  Devil’s clubs unfurled their wicked spiked leaves, and maples were just leafing out as well.

At about 1.1 mi, there is a fork.  Left is 2 miles to Serene Lake, and right is 1/2 a mile to the Bridal Veil Falls overlook.  We decided to get the hard part out of the way 1st and went left.  The first part of it was pretty nice... kind of level, gorgeous big trees, mossy dark forest... then we came out at the foot of the falls!  It was totally mind-blowing.  It wasn’t the largest falls I have seen, but they were really amazing... billows of mist thundered off it, and you could look up and up and just see cascade after cascade churning and frothing down the broken rock face.  Part of the soul-wrenching impact these falls had, may have come from the fact that you could get right up close and personal with them.  Clark loved it and waded around in a pool at the bottom trying to fish sticks out of the water.  Cedar did not want to get up close and personal with the waterfall. The stream was too deep for him to cross there too, so I carried him.

After that, we hit switchbacks and wooden staircases... up and up and up until my thighs cried out for mercy.  I was happy to be getting such a good workout, but also wishing it wasn't quite so good.  Soon I noticed that plants that were leafed out and blooming below were just budding out at our elevation.  Then there was the snow. The last 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile was all snow.  It was deep, and simultaneously slushy and hard-packed. In some places you could see it was at least 4 feet deep.  Holes had melted down through it and water ran all underneath, gushing out in spouts to join others and eventually become the falls below.  There were two sections of snow field and I have to admit, they made me pretty nervous.  It was important to make sure my footing was solid.  Post-holing a foot through could mean a sprain or broken ankle…sliding downhill meant serious injury or 'hasta la vista.'  It was also obviously an area that has seen avalanches.  I kept peering up into the mist and fog suspiciously. 

Adventure Dog squinted up the hill too, but he couldn’t have been too scared.  He and Clark raced around like crazy, rolling and chasing each other and running circles in the snow, play-snarling and acting like it was just a snowy day in the city.  It was pretty funny.

After getting through that, which was taxing in every way, we got to the lake.  Lake Serene was an icy snow-covered beauty, slumbering below the hidden foggy peaks.  As we neared it and stopped for lunch, it was like stepping into a deep freeze.  The moment we stopped moving our drenched clothes became obvious and even though none of mine were cotton I was in a hurry to eat and leave despite the arctic beauty there. 

We didn't hear or see any avalanches around the lake, but could see the dirty snow where they had been coming down. 

I went to cross a little bridge for some pictures, and as I stepped down toward the bridge and my feet went out from under me.  I slid and dug the trekking poles in (which I had borrowed from my Mom) and hung on, but one of them just bent into a 90 degree angle and I just kept sliding right out onto the bridge.  I didn't slide off the bridge though, so that's good.  I wouldn't have been hurt, but would have fallen in water which would have been fairly disastrous.  I tried to bend the pole back and it just snapped in half. 

Lunch was a speedy repast.  I put my fleece back on, gloves and a dry coat on Cedar to keep his body heat in, even though he was soaked through.  Then we went back across the snow and down the hill which seemed to last forever and then did the extra 1/2 mile (each way) to the falls overlook. I didn't think it was as spectacular as being at the base of them, and we had to go up many many stairs and switch backs in that 1/2 mile, plus cross and re-cross a stream that Cedar needed carried over. 

It was soooo nice to finish that hike, but we were really happy we went on it.  It was exhilerating, life-affirming, exciting, scary, and absolutely beautiful.