2012 Trips
Chain Lakes
10 miles of hiking • 4000' elevation gain •
Another beautiful day in the PNW. Headed to the Chain Lakes, unfortunately so did half the state. Started the loop from Artist's Point. Near where the trail splits from Ptarmigan Ridge did some exploring before heading back on the loop. Some snow but nothing to worry about. Water fairly plentiful. Great views. Main drawback was the crowds, and the noise. Sounded more like a city park on a Saturday afternoon than a mountainous area miles from nowhere. Still, it was beautiful and very much worth the visit.
September 8, 2012
Tonga Ridge
8.5 miles of hiking • 2750' elevation gain •
First hike after surgery for detached retina. Per MD, had to take it easy so headed to Tonga Ridge for a nice leg-stretcher. An absolutely beautiful day. I chose to bypass the side-trail to Sawyer and headed further along the TR trail. Continued on towards Deception Creek but, after coming to the second stream at about 4.25 miles Dibs decided to call it a day and so we headed back. Probably just as well for the first hike after a 2 week layoff. A great day overall.Lots of birds about for the birders out there.
September 4, 2012
Scott Paul Trail
8.5 miles of hiking • 3250' elevation gain •
What an incredible day! Absolutely beautiful, sun blazing, temps comfortable, and no one on the trail. Headed up Park Butte Trail to the upper junction with Scott Paul, doing a clockwise loop. Breathtaking views. Trail is in good shape but there is a challenging water crossing not long after the suspension bridge. Wound up wading across carrying Dibs. Force of water surprised me a bit but got across okay. Words cannot describe the wonders the eye can see (I would say eyes but I suffered a detached retina somewhere along the way so I could only see clearly out of my right eye). This is definitely a trip worth repeating.
August 19, 2012
Fortune Ponds
15.5 miles of hiking • 5750' elevation gain • 1 night
Very hot day. Sun was shining brightly. Trail in decent shape overall but about 3 miles in is very overgrown. Some snow lingers but nothing of note. Only saw 2 people heading out as we headed in. Bugs got more intense once at the ponds. Night was uneventful. Heading out in the morning we saw no one. The heat was incredible. The only breeze was hot. Still, how can one complain when we have all this beautiful country to explore.
August 11 – August 12, 2012
North Fork Sauk River
15.5 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Heard the TH was open so headed up with Dibs. A nice day, sunny and hot. Trail was in good shape. Though parking lot was pretty full, saw only a few people and they were all heading back. Made it to Mackinaw shelter without a problem but then the heat and bugs started to get to us so we turned around a little while later. Still, a great day to be outside hiking.
August 5, 2012
Trap Lake
12.5 miles of hiking • 4250' elevation gain •
This may have been the perfect day for a hike. A beautiful, sunny day, blue skies with only a few cirrus clouds, moderate temps, not too many bugs (but more than enough), incredible views, and a good trail. Lots of snow at 5000' but the trail is always easy to find. The only people we encountered were a couple of guys heading up as we (me and Dibs the wonder dog) headed down. The day was beyond words. It was the best hike I can remember in a long time. If I had more time, I would have kept going to Surpise Lake. Really worth it. Start out on Tunnel Creek Trail. Follow the signs at the trail junction.
July 31, 2012
Barclay Lake
5.5 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain •
Wanted to do a quick hike so headed to Barclay Lake. Nice easy hike. Did try and get up to Eagle Lake but trail is steep and hard to follow so abandoned the idea due to lateness of day. Though crowded on way up I had the trail to myself heading back.
July 29, 2012
Surprise Creek
8 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Got a really late start. Lots of cars at TH but most of the folks we saw were coming back and so we had a quiet hike. Did not go all the way to the lake as I twisted my knee so turned around at about 4 miles. Still, it was just nice to be out in the woods enjoying a beautiful day.Trail was in very good shape with no snow.
July 21, 2012
Deception Creek
10.5 miles of hiking • 1250' elevation gain •
Hiked with my dog, a 12yo. No bugs. Just a pleasant day hike through forest, some open areas, and along a creek in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Only encountered a few other hikers. A nice easy hike to stay cool on a hot July day.
July 14, 2012
Tubal Cain
13 miles of hiking • 2250' elevation gain •
A beautiful day. Headed out mid=afternoon, hoping to beat the crowds, but I was wrong. Felt like I was back in NYC at Grand Central Station during the evening commute. Fortunately, once we passed the mine, the trail was ours. The rhodies and a deer on the trail made the crowds more bearable but this is probably a trip best saved for an off-season weekday.
July 8, 2012
Thunder Creek
12.5 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Beautiful day. Trail in great shape.Just me and the dog. Did not see a soul until we got back to the parking lot.
June 10, 2012
Chiwaukum Creek
14.5 miles of hiking • 3000' elevation gain • 1 night
This was supposed to be an overnight hike to Timothy Meadows but a rather large tree blocked the trail about a half mile out and it was not something I was willing to take on alone so Dibs and I turned back. We found a nice quiet spot to set up camp above the roar of the creek. The hike itself was very pleasant - no bugs, no snakes, no people. The creek crossing was a bit nerve-racking but manageable. The creek was really running fast and provided for comfortable temps on a sunny day.
May 27 – May 28, 2012
Ingalls Creek
12 miles of hiking • 1250' elevation gain • 1 night
Nice day, sun shining, moderate temps, no bugs, wildflowers blooming. Snow free and not too muddy. Plenty of water. Quiet night. Great early season over-niter.
May 19 – May 20, 2012
Umtanum Creek
7 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain • 1 night
Beautiful area. Can explore the canyons for days on end. Blue skies, a few rattlers, tons of tics. What more can you ask for?
April 28 – April 29, 2012
Kelly Hollow
7 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain • 1 night
Just wanted to get away for a day. Got a late start but found a nice spot to set up camp near some sage on a small knoll. Mt. Baker could be seen easily to the north. Coyotes baying throughout the night. A hot day, temps in the 70s and a blistering sun. Not much water to be had on the trail. After setting up camp explored the canyons looking for wildlife but saw none. A beautiful sunset, a starlit night, and a sunny morning made this a trip to repeat.
April 21 – April 22, 2012
Annette Lake Snowshoe
7.5 miles of hiking • 1250' elevation gain •
An absolutely beautiful day. Just me and the dog and lots of snow. Lost the trail more than once and when I found it, it was a wee bit too difficult to follow due to blowdowns. Never did make it to the lake but had a heck of a workout.
April 8, 2012
Iron Horse/Twin Falls
15 miles of hiking • 3500' elevation gain •
Started out on the Iron Horse trail and traveled in the snow to Twin Falls state park. Took the trail to the end of the park then headed back in the snow using a headlamp. Was a nice hike, just snow picked up on the way back making an easy trek a bit more difficult. Still, a fun day in the snow. Saw very few people.
March 18, 2012
Lake Serene
9 miles of hiking • 3500' elevation gain •
Heard the trail was doable so headed out in a light rain. Pleny of snow, but used only microspikes. Lost trail in spots, but always picked it up again. Final push to the lake was a bit iffy. Weather was clouding up, rain picking up, and snow was like elmer's glue so I turned around just before the lake. Probably just as well since the rain was really picking up on the return. Still, a day out in God's country beats a day in the office.
March 9, 2012
Gold Creek, ONF
11.5 miles of hiking • 4500' elevation gain •
A nice, quiet walk in the woods with Dibs. Weather was good, no rain and skies gray but light. Trail is in good shape. Do not see much but if you want to get out and be among the trees with the sounds of the creek all you hear than this is a good choice for the off-season.
March 4, 2012
Wallace Falls/Wallace Lake
13 miles of hiking • 4750' elevation gain •
A pretty nice day. Started out just planning to hike to the falls but had the time so did the loop to the lake. Ground was heavy with snow but snowshoes not needed. A peaceful trek beneath clear skies (had to remember I was in Western Washington for a sec) and moderate temps made this day very enjoyable. Went around the lake as far as I could with the time I had then headed home.
February 26, 2012
Lower Dungeness and 3 O'clock Ridge
8 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Heard the road to the Lower Dungeness was passable so decided to head over. Not a bad day, cool temps but not cold, grey skies. Dibs and I found the trail ok for the first few miles, then hit some blowdowns. Finally had enough and headed back, but not before heading up the 3 o'clock ridge trail, which was unbroken snow and Dibs had a blast. Not another soul around. A nice day for a hike.
February 18, 2012
Oyster Dome
12 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
It was a decent day so headed to the Oyster Dome. Seems like everyone else in Western Washington had the same idea. Headed to the bat caves, but just as crowded. Had to wait once at the top so I could take a few photos. To avoid the crowds on the way back I took Max's shortcut, which is part of PNW Trail. Dibs and I were the only ones on the trail so we took our time and did some exploring here and there. The trip back was definitely more fun than the way up.
February 11, 2012
Boulder River
10.5 miles of hiking • 3250' elevation gain •
Super Bowl Sunday and I headed with Dibs to the Boulder River. A nice day and the trail was in pretty good shape. We traveled as far as we could go and got back to the car after dusk. Fortunately, Dibs does a good job of marking the trail, which is very easy to follow anyway, so he can find his way in the dark. Glad the Giants won, but gladder still for getting out for a hike.
February 5, 2012
Snow Shoe in the ONF
4.5 miles of hiking • 1750' elevation gain •
Was trying to get to Upper Dungeness River TH when I got my Scion XB stuck in the snow. I dug myself out and figured that since I was already here, I may as well do some snowshoeing so I headed up what appeared to be a FS Road and followed it along for a couple of miles. It was tough going breaking new snow and it was misting and grey but it was also quiet and beautiful. At the top of the road I gained some views out towards the east and saw a number of deer tracks that appeared fairly fresh. I also saw a golden eagle hover overhead for a few minutes then swoop down into the valley. I traveled the road till it stopped at a boulder with a nice view. The forest started again so I tried to find a trail but did not get too far so I went back to the boulder and made some lunch then headed back down. All in all, not a bad day.
January 28, 2012
Upper Big Quilcene
10.5 miles of hiking • 3000' elevation gain •
Snowing. Got a late start. Nice day. Had the trail to myself. Lots of blow downs. Used micro-spikes. Not too cold. Had to turn back just before Marmot Pass due to weather. Still, a great day. Peaceful and beautiful.
January 14, 2012
Snow shoe off Mt Loop Hwy FS 4065
6 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain •
Just pulled off Mt Loop Hwy to get some snowshoeing in. Had the road to myself. Nice workout with some decent views on fresh snow.
January 7, 2012
Big Four Ice Caves
3 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain •
A quick hike for the New Year in the snow.
January 1, 2012
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