Month: November 2020

I did the Cedar Butte hike today. Beautiful weather. Above is the view from Cedar Butte summit looking straight north. If you move the camera just a little you get some beautiful mountains to the north and east:

I extended the hike a bit by walking west towards Rattlesnake Lake. The view towards the three ledges was nice:

I also saw a very cool orange fungus (Tremella mesenterica?):

I passed by the spot that overlooks the famous Boxley Blowout, which occurred on 12/23/1918. Read about it here: https://www.historylink.org/File/2426

For the purpose of today, this blowout created Christmas Lake (so called for an obvious reason) which I have photographed many times from along its shore but here is what it looks like from above, from the PTC trail:

Christmas Lake

You can see Christmas Lake on the track below. I did about 4.8 miles and had a super-fun time. Weather next week is supposed to be decent so I am looking forward to getting out a couple of times.

I turned 69 yesterday and rewarded myself by getting my butt out the door and to the May Valley Squak Mountain trail head. The forecast was for clouds but no rain. But about .25 mile up the trail it started raining and it was coming down pretty steadily. I had a waterproof jacket and a waterproof hat but no waterproof pants – dumb mistake to leave it behind based on a weather report.

My pants were getting soggy so I shortened the hike. I wound up doing only about 3.3 miles. I did do the little side-trail, the Pretzel Tree Trail, just to see what it is. It is definitely designed for little kids. The trail is short and flat (a little loop) and features signs along the way, telling the story of a field mouse wandering through the woods, chatting with various creatures along the way and learning a little about forest ecology.

As for the pretzel tree itself, I never did spot it. It might have come down at some point.

Anyway, it was better than just hanging out and being blue about the low-key Thanksgiving Day. No kids, no grandkids, no happy buzz around the table. I just hope that 2021 is a better year with more to be thankful for.

Nice cool day, I got out early and saw only 3 people on the way up, perhaps a dozen on the way down. I think we get a break in the weather for a few days, I hope to get out at least a couple of times next week.

The forest on the way to Stan’s is not awesome, like the forest above Stan’s, but it does have its moments – this little stream was making a pleasant noise: