Lake 22 01-20-2020

Today was overcast but not raining, at least to start with, so I headed up early to Lake 22.  I didn't bring Cedar and Luna because I knew it was going to be too cold for their feet in all that snow.  It was snowy from the trailhead all the way in.  The only places that were clear of snow were running water.  It was beautiful though.

There were several trees down across the trail from all the snow and winds.  One I slithered under and the other was a huge root ball blocker along with the tree - looked like it had been part of a small slump/landslide there.  That one required leaving the trail and going around.

There are also a few waterfalls along this trail.  The best music!

I thought this fungus looked like a little face made out of melting toasted marshmallows.

I didn't see any wildlife other than this happy little wren.

When I got up above the trees into the 4 switchbacks that traverse the slide area, I was surprised that even on such a cloudy day there was a beautiful view!

When I got up to the lake, I was surprised at how much snow there was!  The sides of the bridge, which normally you can rest your elbows on, were more at ankle height!

The lake was covered with snow and ice - it had a little bit of a bluish tinge in places.  It was so pretty and peaceful.

I had brought hot water along in my extra pair of socks, and used it to make ramen noodles!  It was maybe an odd breakfast, but delicious to eat hot noodles in the snow while looking at the frozen lake and listening to the occasional crack and rattle of small avalanches up on the cliffs.

There was a lot of postholing and slipping by me, but my yaktrax and poles kept me pretty much upright the entire snowy hike.  It was too much for my traction though - I had a casualty.

Happy hiking!

Lake 22 4-27-19

AppleWatch Stats:  5.87 miles RT (did not circumnavigate the lake), 1458 ft of elevation gain.

After being turned away by avalanches a few weeks ago, I decided to tackle the hike to Lake 22 again this weekend.  Not too long or steep for Cedar and Luna, and a little bit of elevation gain for me.  It looked like it was supposed to rain in the morning, but I didn't want to deal with the hordes of humanity that come later on, so I left early.

What a world of difference it was to see the trail completely snowless right up until the last 1/4 of a mile or so.  It was cloudy, but not raining, so I was doing great.  Also I was only the 5th car in the lot, so I knew the trail would be peaceful for the most part.

In addition to skunk cabbage blooms, there were trillium blooming

I stepped off the trail a bit to get to this gorgeous loud falls that was thundering down in a froth of white.  All of the waterways were more robust with all that melting snow.

About halfway up the sky got darker and darker and then broke open with tiny round balls of stinging hail!  Some people call this sleet I guess.  I threw my raincoat on, and had to keep brushing it out of Luna's wool.  Things fall right off Cedar, but everything that touches Luna sticks to her.  I tried to find a root ball or tree that would shelter us a bit, but didn't find anything in that section of trail.

By the time we got to the switchbacks across the slide area, the hail had stopped and just the occasional large snowflake was swirling down here and there like white feathers.  Again, it was amazing to look out over the valley, and look at the rocky slope and see how different it was from the treacherous snowfield I had been on so recently, punctuated with the rumbling of little avalanches.  So much nicer to cross it feeling safer, although I'll take the snow over the rocks as far as footing!

I let the dogs offleash to navigate a couple fallen trees and they ran ahead - they really blend in here!

Looking out over the valley

When we got to the lake, it was all misty and snowy and beautiful.  I only saw the three guys that I kept glimpsing ahead of us during the hike, and after they posed for some photos, they went around the lake.  I sat down with the pups and put Luna's jacket on.  The snow was picking up again and the wind was starting to blow.  I gave them some pieces of steak from dinner the night before and started on my trailmix when the snow REALLY started coming down! It was mixed with more sleet and it was blowing into my face and stinging.  I bundled up too and decided to cut our visit short.

Me at Lake 22 (it is falling snow by my nostril - not an icicle lol)

Luna begging me to hurry with her coat

Cedar begging for another piece of steak

Back down the hill!  Once we got into the shelter of the trees it was a little warmer, but the snow continued, sticking a bit to the evergreens.

In the open area you could no longer see across the valley, but as I went down toward the last switchback I could see the sun was starting to burn through.  A lot of people (a LOT!!!!) were coming up the trail now and I chatted with the first few.  We were all laughing about how we'd expected rain but ended up with snow and we were glad we were all prepared.

I couldn't stop for long.  Luna is sponge and now she shivered every time we stopped moving.  I was fine with hustling, so we hurried down into the lower forest.  There the sun did shine through and lit up every new leaf and curled fiddlehead.  It was gorgeous.

It ended up being a bit more of an adventure than I had expected, but I was glad it wasn't rain!

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!