Someone else coined the term ‘cardio Wednesdays’ and I’ve taken it to heart. Three weeks in a row Luna and I have joined other dogs and women for a brisk uphill hike to someplace with a great view and wonderful wildflowers. This week we went down-valley to hike with Lindsey and her three canine companions in a canyon pretty much in her backyard. We walked an abandoned road up, up, up til we came to a tremendous viewpoint of the snow-covered Sawtooth Mountains underlined with banks of yellow balsamroot sunflowers. Then we followed the ridge to a flat spot, the site of an old hunters’ camp, where we rested before heading down the other side of the ridge. It was a great morning hike.
Ponderosa pines have a wonderful scent when the sun hits the bark
A puffball emerges from the forest duff
The Sawtooth’s lie between the Methow Valley and Lake Chelan
Evidence of old logging activity
Luna catches her breath
Balsamroot
and more balsamroot
and still more
Moose is an old dog who still loves his walks
A relic, possibly from an old hunting camp
Arnica lines this forest floor. I missed getting photos of the blooming patches.
A tremendous wildlife tree
and another one
Down through fields of balsamroot
Lindsey points out another trail we could have taken
Shiny beetle on lupine buds
Looking back up
My Everyday Photos 