Month: December 2020

Derek and I did a great hike today, 8.6 miles, Olallie Trail via Cedar Butte and the Southside Trail. Yesterday, I purchased 200 feet of rope and today, on a very steep and nasty little stretch on the Southside we doubled up the rope along the trail so anyone coming after us (including us), particularly when it gets icy, will have a nice handhold:

A very nice workout and we only saw a very few people. In fact, on the way up to the view point, we saw only 2 people. The Olallie Trail, which is primarily for mountain bikes, is excellent:

Near the view point, it is pretty steep when you look down:

Above is our track.

A great way to spend a post-Christmas Sunday.

Carl and I hiked to Poo Poo Point the long way, starting at the East Sunset Way lot and it was a great workout and lots of fun. About 8.5 miles, 2K elevation gain, 4 hours. We saw no one on the way up (we started out at 7:15 am, headlamp time around here these days) and perhaps two dozen people on the way down.

There was some snow on the way:

As always, there are plenty of awesome mossy trees:

All in all a great way to start the day. Here is the track:

Derek and I were going to do Grand Prospect but he had a schedule issue so we wound doing only about 6 miles but it was still fun, still a nice workout and still worth it. But I am sad to report that, for now, the beautiful snow up there is gone. Perhaps next time.

Carl and I hiked Rattlesnake Mountain, Exit 27 to Grand Prospect today. Except for two trail runners who passed us we were the first on the trail after what was an overnight snow. Gorgeous.

View at Grand Prospect was also nice:

The snow was easy to navigate but it was starting to accumulate by the time we got past 2,500 feet:

8.18 miles, a wonderful workout and tons of fun. Escape the madness of the world for a few hours….

I did a fun but fairly gentle hike today. I planned to do the Section Line but it was raining when I started so I chose a route that would allow me to get back to the car relatively quickly if it started to pour. But it did not so I just went with the flow.

I passed Tradition Lake and then headed down the Swamp Trail and the Big Tree Trail:

I saw something today I have never seen on Tiger – a tent!

Tent

I actually steered pretty clear of this tent, that picture is zoomed on my camera. I have no idea why anyone would pitch a tent on Tiger Mountain, I don’t think it is technically allowed (not that it bothers me). Oh, well. A nice little outing.

I am scheduled to hike with Carl to Grand Prospect on Friday, should be fun.

As usual, my photos do not even come close to capturing what motivated me to take the picture. Is there a word for that?

Anyway, once again I was hiking in relative gloom due to an early start. And then I got to the end of a switchback and I looked north and west and there, in the distance, the sun was lighting up a hillside a town or so away. It was nice.

But this was just another conditioning hike, up Section Line, down Nook Trail. I wanted to get home in time to drive to Remlinger Farms, which is in a city called Carnation, to pick up some very yummy edibles (e.g. their own brand of salad dressing, which is totally delicious, called Burgundy Poppyseed) for ourselves and for stocking stuffers.

Which we did and now we are back. Lots of rain in the forecast for next week but Monday should be OK and I am thinking of doing Grand Prospect.

Sudden Sun

I did a standard conditioning hike today, starting at the E. Sunset Way lot about 7:35. Sun rose about that time but it was kind of gloomy the entire way. The mountain itself blocks the sun early on, and being in the forest also makes it kind of dim.

But towards the end of the hike, on the wetlands trail, there was a break in the trees and the sun crept over the top of the mountain and it was like someone turned on a spotlight. The sun on Round Lake caught my attention and showed me what a glorious day it was.

About 5.75 miles, here is the track:

Just The Forest

Between my weak camera skills and my cheap camera, the view above it less than impressive. But it is a reminder for me. Actually being there in the forest, early, doing a nice work out, is so much fun. I cannot capture it on camera but I can snap these little reminders.