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Tag Archives: #hikewithdogs

It Wasn’t Easy

But it was stunningly beautiful. Easy Pass. It’s another great hike right off of highway 20 through the North Cascades. It starts out in a green, moist forest, something we don’t get to experience very often. That is because it is west of the Cascade Crest where there is more precipitation and it’s not as hot. Much of the trail goes in and out of the forest giving some respite from the sunshine. We had a fair amount of off and on cloud cover in addition to somewhat hazy skies as a result of wildfires. At a certain point the trail really gets to work – sending you up and over seemingly never ending talus slopes. Ok, I’m not in very good shape and the steepness was pretty hard on me, both going up and going down. Even Luna and Sky were pretty tired. But the views were worth it. And there were creeks most of the way so the dogs had plenty of chances to cool themselves.

Fireweed
Lots of hikers out on a Sunday
Ferns growing out of rocks!
Luna’s resting spot
Granite Creek

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.