Ashland Lakes - Mountain Loop Hwy

Having been on other trails recently at similar elevations, I was surprised to see patches of snow even at the trailhead.  Areas of snow continued on up the trail, growing thicker and covering more of the trail the further up I went.  The trail belonged almost entirely to Cedar and I.  One person was ahead of us that we never saw, a woman and her dog passed us at one point and on the way out a family was heading in.  That was it in 5 miles.  So peaceful.

Where the snow had melted off, the misty forest was full of emerald green mosses and marshy areas blooming with bright yellow skunk cabbage. 

Cool little plank boardwalks run along much of this trail.  In some places, little round tree segments create steps across wet areas.  Where the wood is slippery a lot of it has been covered with mesh to help hikers stay upright. 

Beaver Plant Lake was the 1^st of the three lakes.  It had a tiny boardwalk along one edge with a little bench to sit on and look out at the mist rising off the lake.  It was so peaceful up there.  No sound but birdsong and water dripping from everything.  A pair of Barrow’s goldeneye cruised around in the still silver water.

I went on and the snow got worse.  It isn’t really snow of course this time of year, nor ice.  It is that dense slush somewhere in between, deceptively melting out from the bottom up.  I did a lot of post-holing and went through more snow than my feet wanted to handle with the barefoot shoes I was wearing.  I only got as far as Upper Ashland Lake, which was still mostly covered with a layer of ice and snow.  The boardwalk around this lake was buried more than it showed, so I found a clear spot to have lunch and then headed back.

I was nearly back when I saw this funny lump of moss that looked like a headhunter had dropped it’s prize in the woods.  The moss was a different shade of green and stuck straight up like muppet hair.

I’d like to do this hike again too, and this time make it to the other Ashland lake and further to Twin Falls Lake.  I wouldn’t have been able to make Twin Falls this time anyway, as the trail was closed beyond the Ashland Lakes. 

Goat Lake- Mt Loop Hwy

Luckily I looked at the directions a second time and then looked to see where the Mountain Loop Highway was closed, because I was aiming for the closer end at Granite Falls, and instead found I would have to go in from the Darrington side.  This trail was so fun and lovely that it didn’t seem like 10 miles roundtrip.  There are both an upper trail and a lower trail, so an option for a loop.  I took the upper trail going and the lower trail coming back.  The upper follows an old road, and follows a broad and gently ascending path through young alders, with the occasional view of the surrounding peaks, and crossing many small streams, some of which have lovely waterfalls. 

In one of the open rock slide areas, I saw a cute pika.  He was squeaking every couple seconds until I tried to get him on film and then he only did one last one.

After meeting up with the lower trail again, I entered an older forest.  Cedars here were so huge that you may find yourself believing in ents.  Those great old trees lifted gnarly mossy branches to the sky that were as big around as trees themselves.  A huge boulder was gripped in the root system of one of them.

  Once I started to hear the McIntosh Falls, I became distracted and temporarily lost the trail.  It was easy to do.  The trail turns to follow a dry stream bed, so rather than follow that I went straight and followed what was once was the old wagon trail there.  I could soon tell by the old cedar planking.  Also I had called the ranger station earlier to make sure the trail was open, and the lady had said that not only was the trail snow-free to Goat Lake, but also logged out, so no trees to climb over.  I found myself facing a row of logs I’d have to scramble and turned around and picked the trail up again. 

McIntosh Falls was prettiest, I thought, from a lower viewpoint rather than from the main trail. 

Just a skip and a jump from the top of the falls, and I was at Goat Lake.  It is a large lake, surrounded by a rocky ridge dotted with snow, and snow-packed avalanche chutes.  Awe-inspiring cascades plummet from every precipice. 

Cedar and I found some logs along the quiet left shore of the lake to have our lunch.  We were just finishing up, and going for a refreshing wade when this cheeky Stellar jay came to see what crumbs we might have missed.

Reluctantly leaving the lake, I scanned the deep blue waters and jagged peaks again for one last look, and that is when I saw goats at Goat Lake.  High up on the rock slopes above a clearing there were two shaggy mountain goats.  Saying I was delighted, is putting it mildly.  : )  They were quite a ways off, so I apologize for the blurriness.

Going back down on the lower trail had Adventure Dog and I following Elliot Creek through more lovely forest, with more streams to cross, the pungent smell of skunk cabbage, and this nifty red bug, which my field guide claims is a Red Flat Bark Beetle.

I would like to do this trail again!

Lake Twenty-two- Mountain Loop Hwy

Lake Twenty-two is a favorite of many, so I got up early-ish to hit this hike on a gorgeous clear day that was supposed to be over 70.  For once the forecasters had it right and it was sunny and quite warm.  To make it even nicer, Justus had agreed to join Cedar and I.  We got to the trailhead before 9, but there were already a handful of cars.  Up and up the gentle switchbacks through gargantuan cedar trees and across and through countless tiny streams we went.  There were bleeding hearts, yellow violets and some trillium at certain elevations.  In some areas, the fern fiddleheads were still all tightly wound, and this one was a pretty red.

Then the switchbacks came out into the sunshine of a rocky slope and the views were wonderful.  The pointy triangular mountain may be Liberty Mountain, but I’m new to my Green Trails Maps, so if someone recognizes it, please let me know in the comments.

On this hot sunny section of the trail, we also saw a couple of these brilliant scarlet bugs, which I believe are velvet mites.  They are super tiny, maybe the size of a pinhead, but the color catches the eye. 

Past the hot slopes and back under the trees we got up into the snowline.  Now the trail was increasingly covered with up to 4 feet of slushy snow.  It was melting out in spots, so footing was a bit treacherous.  Adventure Dog was thrilled, and I had to take his leash off and let him run around in it.  Justus wore his barefoot shoes all the way, but I put my socks and hiking boots on for the snow to avoid freezing my feet.

The ground leveled out and suddenly the trees and snow opened up on Lake Twenty-two, sparkling and half covered in snow under the cloudless blue sky.

We had hoped to see and hear some avalanches, which are common here, but we didn’t really.  I heard one and looked up in time to see a rock or two falling, but that was it.  We had passed someone coming in who had seen several, one lasting over a minute.  We did see this happy little snowy hill though.

We stood awhile on the wooden bridge soaking up the rare Northwest sunshine, and then headed back down.  The pikas were awake now and I could hear them sounding off like squeaky toys all around.  I managed to get a shot of this one, who was obviously very suspicious of my intentions.

It was a great hike, and a perfect morning.  Coming back out we passed many people excited to be out in the summery weather and the parking lot at the bottom was packed, with cars spilled out along the turn in and onto Mountain Loop Highway.  I felt it was a personal success because looking back at my blog from the 1^st time I had written how tired my legs were, and I have become more fit. Today felt like a lark.

Dog Mountain- Hwy 14

The second hike I had planned for this weekend, was an 8 mile loop with 2800 feet of elevation gain, Dog Mountain.  I was excited for some great views, since the day was supposed to be sunny.  I woke up after a second night on a sleeping “pad” that was neither softer nor less lumpy than the ground.  I hate my camp coffee, so 2^nd day with no caffeine, and it was darkly overcast.  I messed about cooking eggs and breaking up camp, but the clouds did not do any breaking up of their own, so I gave up on views (mostly- I was still hoping it would clear later), and drove to the Dog Mountain Trailhead.  Because I had not gotten my usual early start, the parking lot was completely packed.

The hike starts out in a drier more oaky forest than the day before.  Lovely poison oak lines the trail everywhere which is always nice. Especially since I do a lot of petting Cedar and rubbing my eyes.  He burrowed into it every chance he had to smell what other animals had left their scents there as well and didn’t understand why I kept pulling him back onto the trail.  I could see the Columbia through the trees here and there.  The firs’ permanently whipped-back shape should have been an indication to me of what the top of the mountain was like.

Finally I got up above the poison oak and really started enjoying some lovely forest.  Then there was the mud.  Because the top of the trees were sitting in a thick cloud, it was condensing on them, which caused it to rain only under the trees.  Not bad lower down, but the further up I went the more mud I encountered.  I was wearing my barefoot shoes, which didn’t have great traction, although it seemed like everyone was slipping around no matter what their footwear.  My spirits lifted when I got to the first meadows of wildflowers, where the sunshine was out profusely, in the form of balsamroot.

It got mistier and breezier. Less flowers were blooming, but I enjoyed seeing some scarlet paintbrush and other flowers in these high meadows.

Soon the trail was just winding up and up through a tempest of wind that ripped my hat off my head.  Nothing could be seen beyond about 50 feet, and it seemed to be getting worse instead of breaking up.  Yes, thank you Washington weather forecasters.  Nicest day of the weekend, huh?  Way to go.

The top was a freezing cloudy windy viewless summit, clustered with people who had to choose between standing directly in the howling winds or huddle under the trees, which remember were raining, therefore stand in the ice cold mud.  I tried for a happy medium and ate my lunch in only a small amount of mud and a little wind. By the time Cedar and I headed down, I had no feeling in my hands or one foot and had put on my extra coat and winter hat. 

 I chose the other half of the loop for my return trip, hoping there would be less mud.  There was more.  I fell in it and although I didn’t actually hate the trail, that is what I screamed into the mist… that and something about the mud that would have made a drill sergeant cringe. 

I actually met a lot of nice people on this trail, including a group of women with their dogs that had lost sight of the other half of their party.  I walked with each half of that group for a ways.  Also there was a cute boy scout with thick glasses who wasn’t inclined to keep up with his scout leader.  He reminded me of me, when I was a girl scout and got in trouble for dropping back so far that I got lost on a trail.  Well… I wasn’t lost, but they thought I was.  I was just a long way behind.  Anyway- great workout and lovely balsamroot on this trail.  If you are a fan of mud, this one is for you. 

In fairness though, there were parts of this trail that were beautiful, and no doubt the whole thing is fantastic on a nice day (if those exist there), so don't let my sarcasm scare you off it.  I was sad that it wasn't warm enough to see a rattlesnake, but there were sweet peas and other things blooming amongst the poison oak, and this cool flower that looked like a fireworks going off, which was I think is a sitka vilerian.