Winter came early this year. We were lucky to get a hike the day before the snow happened. It was mostly gray and overcast but occasionally the sun gave us a little warmth and then there would be a snow flurry too.
These hills are now covered with one to two feet of snow and we need skis or snowshoes to get around.
What a strange fall it’s been. Unseasonably warm and very smoky from wildfires in the mountains. I have not been hiking as much as I’d like to. A friend was driving across the North Cascades so we met at one of the busy trailheads up there to soak in a few fall colors.
Sky and I enjoyed a hike with the curly red dogs, members of the Good Girls’ Club, and Kim recently. Sky is trying to teach them to pose for group photos and after they were a little tired, they started to get the hang of it. The paintbrush and lupine were stunning in the midday sun and the views were perfect. And look at that poodle’s smile!
And rocks. And dogs. And views. And a butterfly. And a bug. And a Cooper’s Hawk.
It was a gloriously sunny day for a hike. Not the best photo conditions with midday sunshine and wind. Still it was beautiful and these flowers are so fleeting. I may not see them again this summer.
Sky and I got an early start at a popular hiking trail last week, beating most of the swarms of hikers. We even got a great seat on the rock overlooking the lake and had it all to ourselves. And Sky did her traditional jump into an icy cold lake. Really icy. Most of it was still covered with ice! Much of the trail was snow covered or muddy too. Starting early, we avoided most of the swarms of the mosquitoes too. They were thick when we returned to the overflowing parking lot at midday.
It’s nice that more people are enjoying the outdoors but I wish they’d take better care of it and pick up their messes. And I wish the Forest Service had more money to maintain the popular sites.
My Everyday Photos 