Deception Pass is a gem year round, but especially in the spring. While most other trails in the state are covered in snow, or at least a heavy coating of mud, wildflowers are blooming, and if you're lucky, the sun is shining. For the April Alpine Trails Book Club hike, we were definitely lucky! While it was overcast and chilly at the trailhead, we warmed up quickly climbing from the beach to the bluff underneath the Deception Pass bridge. We chose to follow the Goose Rock perimeter trail before climbing up to the summit, gently following the waters edge through vibrant green forest. As we emerged from the trees to a rocky trail bluff above Coronet Bay the sun broke through the clouds, and we began to notice early wildflowers scattered over the rocks.
Read moreLily Lake
After an exceptionally damp drive north Saturday morning, our expectations as a group for our hike to Lily Lake were low. Setting out in a light drizzle, we even joked about shortening our hike and instead spending the morning eating brunch at any number of delicious (and dry!) places in nearby Bellingham. While the rain persisted as we hiked, the magical, mist shrouded forest we walked through soon distracted us from any lingering concerns we had about the weather.
Read moreEbey's Landing
I've hiked the trail along Ebey's Bluff many times, and every time it's different. With the surf constantly altering the landscape of the beach, and the changing season dramatically altering the bluff and prairie portions of the trail, there are always new views to admire. On this particular Sunday, hiking with the Alpine Trails Book Club, we had the most incredible weather conditions yet. While there were heavy, dark clouds all morning, the views along the horizon were crystal clear, allowing us to see rare panoramic views of all the surrounding mountains, including the Olympics, the Central and North Cascades, Glacier Peak, Mt. Baker, and even Mt. Rainier! Unfortunately, shortly after we left the trailhead, I discovered the battery for my DSLR (which I normally use for all my hiking photos) was dead, and the spare was in my other backpack. With only my phone, I wasn't able to take clear photos of the surrounding peaks, but if you have a good eye (and you squint a bit!) you may be able to make out the silhouette of Mt. Rainier in some of the photos below.
Read moreIcicle Creek Snowshoe
This year, we started the year off right with a lovely snowy adventure in the mountains. Somehow, even though I've meant to for years, this was the first year we've managed to get out for a hike on January 1st. Hopefully it's something we can manage to turn into an annual tradition! Since we were already in Eastern Washington, we had easy access to the Icicle Road, a perfect spot for Andy and I to snowshoe while his family skied. Rather than driving all the way to the end of the plowed road, we parked at the Eight Mile Creek campground to follow a quieter, less crowded route. Had we started at the end of the road, we would've shared our hike with lots of snowmobiles and rambunctious off-leash dogs. Instead, the only other people we saw on our walk along the creek were a family returning to their car as we arrived.
Read moreMelakwa Lake
Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year to hike. The days may be getting shorter, colder, and often wetter, but the mountains are packed with color that rivals any spring meadow. It certainly doesn't hurt that the cold and shorter days seem to deter crowds! Andy and I had hiked to Melakwa Lake once before, on a hot July day a few years back with friends that were in much better shape than us. By the time we reached the lake, we immediately dropped to the ground and sat gasping by outlet of the lake. By the time we'd recovered and wolfed down our lunches, our friends were ready to head back down the trail. On that first visit, the lake didn't make as much of an impression as the heat and the relentless climbing of the trail.
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