White Chuck Bench 05-04-19

AppleWatch Stats:  6.62 miles RT, 612 ft of elevation gain.

I don't think I'll ever do a trip report or post in the hiking Facebook group about this hike.  This is the 2nd Saturday morning I've done this hike and not seen a soul until my way out- and then the soul I saw was the same person with his trio of hound mix type dogs.  Finding a hike that I can successfully imagine that my dogs and I are the only ones in the world for more than 5 minutes at a time is getting increasingly rare! lol

It was a gorgeous morning!  There were a few clouds when I started out, so the peek-a-boo views of the peaks were a little obscured, but it is a forest hike anyway so I didn't go expecting views. Some reviews of this hike state that it goes down to the river, but it does not - at least not in the first 3 1/4 miles.  You do get glimpses of the river, but stay up within the forest.

There were wildflowers here today!  Tons of bleeding hearts, trillium, violets and other little flowers, accompanied by butterflies.  Birds were abundant too, but that is about the only wildlife we ran into.  The dogs alerted to something early on - most likely a coyote from the way Cedar snarled - so I kept them both on a leash.

This hike crosses a few really lovely little creeks.  One has a great bridge over it, but the others you can expect to get your feet a little wet.  One is particular strong and tricky to cross.  I know I carried Cedar and Luna last time, but this time I let them find their way since I had a grip on their leashes/harnesses.  There are a couple places where the current goes pretty rapidly through some holes that a smaller dog might have trouble with, or a person might get their leg into if you aren't paying attention.

Another pleasant surprise today was the abundant variety of fungi!  False morels, some real ones that were long past their prime, and some other odds and ends that were fun to see.

Sometimes this trail wends through open areas full of salmon berry bushes and maples, and other times is in larger forest - there are some nice old gnarly cedars in here.  There are a few places that you climb a little, but very barely - this is a pretty flat hike.  It seems to go on forever - someday I'll find the end.  I try not to exhaust the dogs too much.

On the way out, the clouds had left the snowy peaks shining in the sun.  What a perfect day out!

Lime Kiln and Tulips 4-20-13

The day was dark and rainy, but you can't wait for a sunny day here in the Northwest, so I grabbed my backpack and Adventure Dog, and we went out to a nearby old favorite, the Lime Kiln Hike.  I was delighted to find some of the first wildflowers I've seen of the season... yellow violets, soggy trillium and rain-covered bleeding hearts could be found along the muddy trail.

Skunk cabbage was also blooming and fern fiddleheads were opening.  I love fiddleheads, and I'm not sure if it's because I enjoy spirals or if I just love being the witness to life unfurling.

There was water everywhere this morning, the sky, the air, the trees, the trail.  All the streams were full and rushing down to meet the Stillaguamish which was impressively huge and beautiful.

I like to watch where I'm walking so that I don't tread upon anyone crossing my path at a lower plane and slower speed.  ; )

Cedar and I checked out the rusty saw blades as usual.  He always seems interested in these things and runs ahead to check things out.

We only went as far as the Lime Kiln itself today.  With the Stilly that full, I was pretty sure our rocky beach was under water.  We instead ducked under the more open lime kiln on the side, and ate under the shelter of the mossy stones.

After our wet hike, we headed home, where I enjoyed a hot shower and left Cedar curled up in the recliner.  I decided to go check out the Skagit Tulip Festival.  Dogs aren't allowed in most of the fields, so I didn't feel bad about leaving him behind.  The rain had mostly stopped, so although it was cloudy, the tulips were stunning.  Look!

Bridal Veil Falls 4-23-12

What a difference a few weeks can make.  Last time we tried to hike to Bridal Veil Falls, we post-holed through the snow for ages and were completely exhausted.  Now, hiking easily on a warm day, we discovered we never even made it half way there.  Maybe not even a quarter of the way, and took about as much time as we did to make it all the way in.  We were just hiking to the falls today, probably a but over 4 miles round trip.  We took Cedar and Junior along.

There were spring flowers blooming, and the blue skies were a terrific backdrop for the mountains.

One thing you should know about this hike.  It has stairs.  MANY stairs.  If you want a great thigh work-out with a pretty reward at the end, get out on this hike!  : )

And here is the reward itself.  Several levels of crystal water, cascading white over a steep rock face.  Obviously words do it no justice.

Adventure Dog looks pretty tiny here.

On the way out, Dave did some “hand-panning” for gold. 

It was a great hike to wrap up my 4 day weekend!  Next time we will get up to Serene Lake as well.