Urban Hikes IV

 

Today was a cross training event featuring the making and consumption of Christmas cookies

 

As well as a walk around Golden Gardens

 

 

We arrived at Joe and Kathy’s at lunch time to begin the making of Christmas Cookies.  It is a process that requires constant sampling and much discussion to ensure quality.

 

See the cooky makers at work and Joe and kathy's Christmas lights

After assuring quality to the best of my ability, I headed down to Golden Gardens for a walk.  There was a brisk sea breeze and you could see the Olympics.

 

Pictures from the beach

At the end of the beach walk is a small estuary where a fresh water stream enters the salt water.  It is filled with plants and a lot of bird life.

 

Photos from pond

 

A good day was had by all and we headed off as Joe and Kathy’s  Christmas tree lights came on.

 

Nordic Pass

 

It was a sunny day and I had to head up to check out the snow for snow shoeing. I was surprised to see that it was deep powder.  I was also greatly tired as I struggled through it.

 

I was the first one through going up to Hyak Lake, but untracked snow is really pretty

 

and occasionally there was a lot of snow coming off of the trees to give you a shower.

 

I got cut off by a creek and had to work my way over to the ski area to get around it.  It was steep, but the tracks coming down through the powder looked neat.

The lake was snow covered though there were a couple of places of open water.

 

Went up on top of the ridge and got some great views to the east

 

Then it was a comfortable trip down the hill back to my car and the moon rising over Rampart Ridge.

 

Photos from snow shoe trip

Common Wealth Basin

 

I went on my first snow shoe trip of the season.  We crossed the road from Summit West and headed up into common wealth basin

After about 40 minutes of climbing we started to get some pretty good views north.  This picture is looking west towards Denny Mountain (Alpental ski area).  The peak behind it on the left is Granite Peak and to the right is Bryant Peak. The snow balls at the top of the trees are about five feet across.

As you enter the mouth of the valley Guy peak is to your left.

Looking into the basin with Kendall Peak in front

 

The valley is filled with streams.  I like the way the snow piles up in unusual shapes

 

We even saw a snow duck

 

We wandered around the valley for a couple of hours.  Up on top of the ridge the wind was blowing and my mustache froze. So we headed back down the hill, which is a lot easier than going up hill.

Crossed back over the stream on a bridge that seems pretty narrow when you step out on it with wearing a pair of snow shoes

 

and headed back for a warm shower.

More photos of snow shoe trip

Urban Hike III

 

Don’t let the snow keep you inside.  There are lots of things to see and you don’t have to drive to get to them.  Just take a walk around your own neighborhood before the snow melts.  I took a short hike got to use all of my snow clothes because it was cold out there.  But you can always come home for hot chocolate. Saw a kid learning how to snow board

There are still all sorts of reminders of fall around

People are out with their dogs

More dog pictures for Marily

You’ll see ice in all sorts of forms

The toys of summer put away for the winter. 

all sorts of plants covered by snow. 

Pictures from walk

Urban Hike II

 

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon hiking around Foster and Marsh Islands.  That’s the water front trail between the Museum of Industry and the north end of the Arboretum.  “Every thing is beautiful, in its own way.”  Ahh, I’m having a flash back.  Someone please intervene before I go out and buy some red and white striped bell bottoms.  I usually refuse to take pictures of ducks, little children and rabbits, but these ducks had a great synchronized swimming routine.

Duck pictures

There is still an amazing amount of fall colors.  And a wide variety of things to see in a short flat hike. There are herons and other birds flying across the water ways

 

eating berries

And in general, just making a lot of noise in the trees.

Bird Pictures

The hike has a lot of variety and in the November light, it is golden.  There are waterways

Marshes

and trees.

It looks as though the water front rental at University of Washington is rent kayaks instead of canoes these days.

 

Pictures from trail side

 

If you are willing to get off of the trail, work your way through the swamp with out sinking, with a little luck, you will come across a ferry ring.  Molly assures me this is where the little people live. Anybody want to come back with me on a night with a full moon?

Ferry ring pictures

And I have finally figured out why people in Texas don’t understand conservation. Our freeway on ramps are prettier than 80 % of Texas.

It may be a state where a flooded open pit mine actually adds beauty to the landscape.

Freeway pictures

Snow Lake

 

I headed up to snow lake with the intention of heading on up too Gem Lake.  My plan was to take some pictures of the fall foliage. There comes a time when you have to abandon your plan, no matter how conceptually brilliant it it, and go with the flow.

It was a three season hike, all in six hours.  The temperature was 75 degrees.  Well in Seattle, but it probably got to sixty where I was. The hike up in the sunshine was pleasant with some fall colors.

Of course winter was setting in by the time I got to Snow Lake

And was pretty well established in the higher lakes off of the trail.

Pictures of the trail

Winter and fall seemed to be locked in a battle, but the transition to winter is winning.  Due to La Nina, there is going to be a lot of snow this year

Snow, Ice, Rock, and plant Boundaries

I really like the ice during the first two weeks of cold weather.  My relatives in Arizona may think that discussing the best snow and ice conditions to hike is  the first stage of hypothermia, but there really is a difference.  The ice is iridescent shades of gray, before it is covered with snow.

Pictures of the frozen lake

and some wonderful ice formations are at the boundary of the ice and land.

Ice formations

On the way back down, there was some great late afternoon light on the water.  October and November are my favorite months for photography because of the great low light angles.

Light on the streams

All in all it was a wonderful hike, even though it did not go to plan.

Urban Hikes

 

Molly and I went al over New England in search of fall colors and we saw some beautiful villages, dark blue skies, and great colors, but I was even more blown away by the colors in the Japanese Tea Garden at the end of the arboretum. So, if you want a short level hike with lots to see, try the Tea Garden.  There are of course the beautiful colors, which by the way, are not characteristic of Japanese Gardens.  They are suppose to be lots of shades of green.

And some beautiful ponds with bridges, rest areas and great reflections

Surprising to me were the animals.  I expected the Koi

but the turtles sunning themselves on the rocks were a surprise.  I have to admit, it was a great day for it.

So if you get a sunny day and a few hours before November is and the leaves are gone, I highly recommend the Japanese Tea Garden.

By the way, you cannot actually get a cup of tea there, but if you drive over the hill, there are lots of great lunch spots in Madison Park.

More Pictures of the Tea Garden