Icicle Ridge 6-14-13

I took the day off, took my dog and headed out early on Friday up Highway 2.  The Icicle Ridge trail is off of Icicle Road, just before you get into the town of Leavenworth.  By the time we got there it was about 11am and already hot and sunny.  I knew what to expect- 2 mi of switchbacks up, and then 2 mi back down.  Easy peasy.  The lovely gentle switchbacks started out nice and mild.

 

It did get a bit steeper toward the top, but mostly I think it was just that it was a constant UP that got Cedar and I.  Poor Adventure Dog's tail even came uncurled and we took a lot of rest and water breaks for him.  Though the wildflowers were mostly done toward the bottom of the trail, as we climbed we saw more and more.  Beautiful! 

Paintbrush and Lupine

 

Someone please tell me what this incredible flower is!

 

The views on the way up were lovely with glimpses of the Wenatchee River.

 

The trail was also delightfully populated with wildlife.  Many birds, including Clarks Nutcrackers and woodpeckers were glimpsed, along with these little lizards and a cheeky chipmunk.

 

It was so hot and uphill and Cedar was so beat that we weren't sure we would make it to the top!  Just when I thought there couldn't be much further I asked another hiker coming down and she said we were maybe halfway!  I thought about turning around, as I didn't see how I could be that far off, but decided to push on.  Only about 10 minutes later and we were out on top of the ridge!

 

View of Hwy 2 and Wenatchee River from above.

 

There was a lot of evidence of old forest fires up there and on the surrounding ridges. 

After taking a break, we followed the advice of another hiker who was on the top, and walked down the ridge to the end for a really pretty view of Leavenworth below.

 

After wending our way back down, down, down it was only right that Adventure Dog and I visited A Paw Above (great pet supply store!) and shared a brat-burger at Uncle Uli's Pub.  Cedar even got his very own, very appreciated water bowl.

 

Olympic Peninsula 6-8-13

Family came this way for my youngest's graduation yesterday, so it was only fair we take the ferry that way today for my cousin's birthday!  : )  It was a breezy partly cloudy day, but still nice and a ferry ride is always fun.  Once there it didn't take us long to end up on the beach for some lowtide shenanigans, like uncovering shore crabs and digging clams.

 

Northwest bounty:

Dave took most of these, as I was all wet and sandy and muddy and busy digging around in the salty muck.  While we were on the beach a bald eagle flew over and landed in a nearby tree where there was another bald eagle perching already.

My sister, Rose, spotted these herons on the beach and caught them on my camera.  They are so huge!

While we're spotlighting some of our feathered friends, here is the cute little swallow that is nesting over my Mom and Aunt's door on their porchlight.  It didn't seem to mind dogs and people going in and out, but when a crow landed in the yard it continuously dive-bombed it.

We had a nice fire along with our delicious barbeque, but fire is an adventure that Cedar does not want part of.  He hid behind this flower pot.

On the way home we stopped by Point No Point Lighthouse.  It was nearly sunset and was gorgeous there!  Lovely sandy beach and pretty lighthouse all planted with colorful flowers.

Mount Rainier was "peaking" up over the bank of clouds to the south.

We walked along the beach and saw jellyfish there.

There is a house along the road that was the cabin of a ship.  Here Adventure Dog is checking it out.

 

Get out there and enjoy the beautiful world around you.  Get out there and leave your mark!

Ice Caves, Exploring Dirt Roads and Frog Blog 6-2-13

It was a mostly sunny 2nd day of June, and Dave and I decided to do a small hike (walk) to the Ice Caves.  We took Adventure Dog and headed up the Mountain Loop Highway.  It was beautiful sunshine and warm even up in the hills!

 

The packed snow and ice had not yet melted out into their cave formations, but the rugged cliffs and waterfalls are breathtaking.  We did hear an avalanche far up there, but never saw any debris fall.  What an ominous sound!

 

 

There were misty clouds sitting over the Ice Caves, but behind us, the clouds were darker.  This picture of the stormier weather over the top of these avalanche-ravaged trees was very powerful.

 

Despite all the snow, it was definitely spring.  Trillium were in bloom all over.

 

And in the ponds along the board walk were frogs, frogs, FROGS!  : ) 

 

After we got back to the car we decided to see if the Mountain Loop Highway was open all the way through to Darrington.  It was!  So we were just going to drive around that, but the curiosity that had us turning off that road to look at a boat launch, had us taking a meandering single-track dirt road an extra 16 miles toward Darrington.  I had no idea it was even there, and it was a fun adventure.  At first I was thinking maybe I should have a 4x4, but this log across the road was only high up enough on one side to let a car through. 

 

 

Along the way we stopped to look at these flowers, and it turned out they were more like seeds- similar to dandelion or thistle.  I'm not sure what they are... anyone out there know?

 

We stopped on a narrow bridge and got some pictures of the stream far far below.  We only saw one other vehicle on the whole road, which was nice.  Whenever we stopped to get out, the only sounds were the birds and the breeze. 

 

When we finally came around the mountain we had been driving around, the trees opened up onto this incredible view of the Sauk River.  What a reward for deciding to explore a little! 

 

At the end of the day we had a bite to eat at The Oxford in Snohomish.  The food was delicious and I enjoyed the Angry Orchard Cider as well.  What a great day!