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Tag Archives: hike

Rock Mountain

Last week the girls and I hiked to Rock Mountain. The trail starts at Tiffany Springs campground which was full of campers. Unusual to say the least. It’s a long bumpety bump road to Tiffany Springs and few people make the trek up there. The Washington Native Plant Society was having a weekend of plant hunting and quite a group of amateur and professional botanists were out on the trails in search of rare plants. They are pretty good folks to be around – quite willing to answer questions about plants and other natural history topics. One of them did try to tell me I was going to Middle Tiffany Mountain and not Rock Mountain but after looking at my map and asking a friend who is familiar with the area, I’m quite sure I went to Rock Mountain.

The trails goes first to Tiffany Lake, an idyllic mountain lake, home to non-native, but tasty, brook trout. No one was fishing when we went by so the girls enjoyed chasing sticks in the cold water til the mosquitoes and black flies forced me back on the trail. The bugs followed us all the way to Honeymoon Pass and then finally let up when we got into a pleasant breeze. From there a person just follows the view across the rocky slopes to the mountain top. Lots of wildflowers and a few birds were interesting distractions and good excuses to go slow.

This resembles the Douglas sunflower
Buckwheat and paintbrush
Lots and lots of Castilleja (paintbrush)
Would you quite looking at the flowers?
I don’t know this white one
Let’s go
Pedicularis sp, maybe bracteosa?
Burned trees grow more beautiful as time passes
It feels good on my feet
I heard this baby bird up in a tree and was able to hold my camera above my head to get a picture of its gaping mouth hoping I was bringing food.
Aquilegia sp, maybe western columbine
Lots of asters
This tree, way up on the rocky slope, was only about six feet high and probably 25 years old or more. This year it has had phenomenal growth for such a harsh environment.
I don’t know this. I thought it was an anemone but the leaves are all wrong.
That high rocky spot is where we are going.
Funny place to find an old two track.
Looking down towards the road to Salmon Creek and Conconully.
Rock Mountain.

Perfect Day for a Hike

The girls and I and Molly and Mary went to Blue Lake last week. It was a perfect day for a spectacular hike. The weather was just right – sunny and not too hot. The flowers were just starting along the trail. There will be many more days of flowers in the North Cascades. We were grateful for a light breeze that kept the bugs away. The water was cold and Molly showed that she was smarter than Sky when she declined to jump in the lake after a few times. There were small chunks of ice floating in the brilliant blue water.

This was the first time Molly got to jump off the rock into Blue Lake.
She handled it with enthusiasm.
Sky jumped with style.
Blue Lake and the back of Liberty Bell
Luna tried to maintain her dignity
Tired dogs are good trail dogs.

Walking in the Mountains

Yesterday summer arrived! It took its own sweet time this year. Temperatures in the valley rose above 90 but up high, they were in the 70’s – perfect hiking weather.

The girls and I made the long drive up to and beyond Harts Pass to walk up to the lookout at Slate Peak. From there we had a 360 degree view of the North Cascades! Seeing the peaks and basins, I could choose where we were going to go hiking and I chose my favorite – the stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail that goes towards Grasshopper Pass. Since we’d already been enjoying the day, it was a bit of a late start on the hike and we only made it just past Tatie Peak. Still, a wonderful outing full of grand vistas and charming wildflowers and a few animals too.

Mountain goats frequent a salt or mineral lick on the way to Harts Pass.
The goats are not very attractive this time of year.
Silky phacelia
Mount Baker in the distance
Old snow
Anemone occidentalis
Snow in July! What could be better?
Shooting stars
Lomatium
Phlox
Yellow violet. I’m not sure which one.
Ballhead waterleaf. This bloomed at home months ago.
Glacier lily
Heather – white and magenta
Castilleja sp
A very alert ground squirrel
Lewisia columbiana
Saxifrage
Oh, look who found a stick.

New Places

The girls and I, along with Red Molly went out on a new road the other day. It’s always fun to explore new places. It was good timing because the wildflowers were still quite nice. Of course, the mosquitoes were still quite numerous and hungry. A person just can’t stand still for long.

Afternoon Hike

Yesterday the girls and I set out around mid-afternoon looking to stretch our legs and enjoy the fresh air. We headed up Frost Road and walked to Aspen Lake. It’s a pleasant hike in the spring and fall with great views of the valley and surrounding mountains.

We started out in warm sunshine but soon it was raining and I was grateful for my little rain jacket and wool hat. Following the rain was a terrific rainbow. Some snow remained in the shady areas and some places were very wet with water running down the trail. A few small flowers are blooming and grass is greening up. Lots, like hundreds or thousands, of Dark-eyed Juncos and some other birds. The lake is still mostly ice-covered but won’t be for long.

White-crowned Sparrow
snow melt
She’s excited to see chipmunks
Such dramatic clouds
Dead trees dancing with their shadows
Oh look, she’s got a stick.
Not a very sneaky trail cam. I hope they like pictures of black dogs.
run off
sage
shadow and light