Easy Pass to Colonial Creek

Rich, Allen and I went from Easy Pass to Colonial Creek in the North Cascades on Saturday.  This is a favorite route of mine. The weather was good to us, and fall colors were in abundance. The famed larches were in full turn to gold. The berry bushes provide hillsides of reds. We saw mushrooms and fungi of all sorts and colors--this route is particularly good for this.

As I'm not in ultra running shape, this was a tough effort for me, though it shouldn't be for anyone who is running long frequently.  The distance is somewhere between 25 and 28 miles.  This is a point to point, requiring two cars. I pretty much had to walk the last few miles, and we walked many early miles too, just because. I rolled my ankle near Fischer Camp, which meant 20 miles of careful steps later. Rich and Allen were phenomenal in showing patience with me.

This is a favorite route of mine. The trail cuts through the heart of the North Cascades, while going through several ecological zones. The trail starts in east side sub alpine and finishes in west side old growth. The best part in my opinion is the Fisher Creek basin, which is simply spectacular. There are magical green moss fields down low, clear creek water running over riverstone, and a stunning headwall at the top of the valley.  Lower, but before the forsest begins again, you run through shoulder height bushes which surely hide bears and other critters. Nary a soul. In fact, we didn't see anyone the whole day, which is amazing, for such a long trail in the middle of the North Cascades. Such solitude is treasure.

There were a few creek crossings of modest safety interest. One log bridge was missing a rail, which gave me a slight surge of fear, as it required four steps on the wet log, about 10 feet above running, ice water. A couple other crossings had high log crossings, but I decided to get the feet wet rather than trust my untrustworthy balance.

A good day in the mountains. Thanks guys!

Cutthroat Pass

Had a great day Saturday checking out Cutthroat Pass on Saturday with friend Rich.  Fall is just beginning to show signs at the higher altitudes, with some berry bushes turning red and a few larches just starting to show their fall gold.  We had an outstanding day, with 80 degree weather and clear blue skies.

Rich ran the Enchantments the day before, and then met up with me at Rainy Pass off Highway 20 early Saturday morning.  There, we met Pacific Crest Trail hiker "Trek", trying to hitch a ride to Mazama.  We weren't in a hurry to start, and so we gave him the lift, went for coffee, and bought some very tasty sandwiches for later on at the Mazama Store.  We ran into many other PCT hikers during the day, happy to be near the end. I always marvel at that effort.

We hiked the same route that is the Cutthroat Classic run.  Since I always run this route, it was nice to   spend more time exploring, especially at the top of the pass.

There are a number of side trails up there, for camping and for climbing routes.  We climbed above both sides of the Pass, including a relatively easy scramble to a notch at about 7100 feet, which gave us sweeping views of the PCT going north, Tower Mountain, and the dry country of the Pasayten.

In all, we spent at least an hour and a half exploring the Pass.  The quiet air and steady breeze has a way of pushing the cares of the week aside.

We jogged down the backside, which is about 5.5 miles. A short stop at Cutthroat Lake--a pleasant lake with a large amount of eelgrass (or something akin) growing bright green on one side.

I saw a bluebird on the way down. Bluebirds are mostly on the east side of the Cascades, and while I haven't tried too hard, I haven't seen one in a few years. Made me smile.

There were plenty of small patches of red at or around 7000 feet. It looks like in two weeks or so the autumn colors will be in full force in the North Cascades.

Ptarmigan Ridge

I had a wonderful Saturday hiking the Ptarmigan Ridge in the Mount Baker Wilderness Area, out of Artist Point.

I got up early, as I like to do, and beat the crowd.  The weather was spectacular for an early September weekend. 80+ degrees, and I ended up with significant sunburn due to lack of reasonable care. I took my time, meandering the day away, looking at rocks, flowers, animals, and the mountains. I enjoy just taking pictures and taking it in.  This was my fourth or fifth time on this trail, I think, and by far my favorite day.

I saw a bear and at least six mountain goats!  The bear was way off, and moving, and I only got two Sasquatch type pictures. I posted one below. The goats were across a valley on a ridge all day.  I've seen as many as 50 goats on this particular trail in different years.  The pictures are more clear if you click on them.

The snow was completely clear, so I made it to the very end, to a place called The Portals.  The Portals are special because you climb up to about 6500 feet and get to look down and across at the Rainbow Glacier on Mount Baker. Basically, you're sitting across the table from the glaciers. There is a bit of a climb to get to the overlook.

The day was incredible, with the sky painted blue and nary a cloud.  The trail covers about half the distance between Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker, the volcano.  The views of the glaciers on Mount Baker are about as good as it gets, without stepping on them. Actually, I did stand on a few snowfields. Cooked my calves in the sun.

The views didn't stop there.  I could see Glacier Peak, prominent in the south, and Mount Rainer's cap was clear in the distance. All sorts of other peaks that I didn't know.

I ran into a group of Canadian runners, training for Baker Lake.  Yay!  My favorite race.  Towards the end of the trail, there were excellent views of the North end of Baker Lake.

Lots of mountain blueberries. I ate a few handfuls.  Lots of people, later in the day--far too many for any solitude on the trail, but nice to see folks getting out.  Getting away from folks was just a matter of taking a few steps off the trail, and staring at Mount Baker, and everything else.

Afterwards, I hung out with my good friends Dean, Ruth, and Al.  Good times.

Listened to a '70s punk collection on the way up--the Clash, Blondie, Iggy Pop, etc. A lot of lost gems. This was a good Saturday.

Cutthroat Classic

Last weekend I did the Cutthroat Classic 11 mile trail run.  I didn't really run it--out of shape as I am--but I made it across the finish line.  Basically, I climbed the first five miles to Cutthroat Pass at a steady hike, and jogged down to the finish.  A sinus infection didn't help my time.  The course was pretty empty during the latter half, which made for a nice trot on through the dry lodgepole.  

This is probably one of the best shorter trail races in the U.S.  It's been around for about 15 years or so, and I've probably participated in about half those races.  I wish I was in shape to be over at the Cascade Crest 100, a few passes to the south, but this was the more reasonable option for me. A sunny day in the North Cascades is hard to beat. Plus, my family participated, which makes the whole thing special for me.

We camped out on the Methow River, at the old KOA, with kids riding around on bikes and restrooms nearby.  It wasn't tough, but it was easy.  The river just moves by, with an occasional boater or inter tuber.  Dinner on camp stoves, chairs and drinks, with kids making noise--it was good stuff.

Then there's the early rise and drive up to Rainy Pass, the start line for the race, which happens to be situated square on the Pacific Crest Trail.  About 200 runners, maybe more, released via four waves. Some more serious than others.  Single track, with some creek crossings, and increasingly good views as you climb.  You're basically looking at 5 miles up, and then six miles down, with the crest at about 6800 feet elevation. The pitch is great for running--hard but doable--but I was a walker this year.  The one aid station, about 7 miles in, is packed in via horses.  This year's run was warm, after heavy rains the previous day.

It's been a tough tough summer in the Methow, with many fires causing great damage.  It was good to see so many folks over supporting the community.  We picked up some ice cream and had a nice meal in Winthrop, in addition to our campfire vittles. Great event as always put on by the MVSTA. Best of all, nice to share time with my family.

Skagit Wildlife Recreation Area

My friend Seth dropped by a weekend or two ago, back from some amazing adventures in Nepal. We had a bit of time, so we checked out the Skagit Wildlife Recreation Area, which is becoming a favorite local jaunt of mine.

The recreation area is off the Conway exit, and is referred to also as the Wiley Slough.  There are some dike trails which are a few feet above the Skagit drainage. This is an estuary area, where fresh water meets salt water. Estuary areas are rich in wildlife, as an edge ecological zone, and therefore make for great fun for traipsing around.

We took the trail to the end, and came upon a local conservationist who lives on Fir Island, and who had all sorts of great information about the migratory birds and what they like to eat.  He also pointed out that we might be able to seals if we hiked out to the point, which was basically along the river and through mudflats.

Seth had brought the family dog--who's name is momentarily escaping me, apologies, Seth-- who was thrilled to jump around through the mudflats. Right now, the cattails are at full height, which made our little trek through the flats that much more of an adventure.

I don't mean to make this more than it sounds--we were only out for a couple hours.  What I like about this place is you can see so much cool ecology in such a short time. It's not really a runner's destination, though I suppose loops could be done.  It is more of a naturalist's exploration and delight.   Hunters like it too, for birds. Such is the nature of shared conservation spaces.

We ended up seeing all sorts of birds--herons, eagles, warblers, gulls-- and we made it out to a point, across from Camano Island and Whidbey Island.  We weren't so fortunate to make the full point and see the seals, but there's always next time.  This site is particularly favored in the winter, when there are more migratory birds in the area. Seeing the area in summer, with berries, cattails, and different birds makes for a wonderful contrast.

Some day I'm going to carry a chair out here and just sit for half a day, taking note.

Wind Horse Half Marathon

I ran the Wind Horse Half Marathon today in Bellingham.  The course is an out and back on the Interurban, out to Clayton Beach and back to Fairhaven Park.  The race is a benefit for the Blue Sky Education Project, who's mission is to assist with child education in Mongolia.  The race also seems to honor Bellingham's sister city relationship with a city in Mongolia, amongst others.

For me, this was the right measure for this Saturday.  After many days of relative heat, today we had light rain, light wind, and cooler temps. Perfect for running, and questionable for alternative adventures in the high country.

As far as my running goes, I struggled, with start and stops on the way out.  It seemed like I cracked things after that though, and there was some genuine running for parts of the way coming back. Mostly, though, this horse was winded.

The last few months and even year have been full of big change--as things settle down, I'm hopeful to find my legs again. I'm not worried about how much endurance I build--I just want to have a steady, good run. Might have to mix in some bike and other activities. I was pretty happy though when I finished up today.

The picture above is the bridge in Arroyo Park. Could've worked harder on pics, but it's the Interurban, which is not news for local trail runners. The Interurban is a rail trail most of the way, with a bit of single track in Arroyo. I run this trail routinely, and it's part of many other races, such as the Chuckanut 50k, the Chuckanut 7 Mile Run, and at least part of a few other events.  As familiar as it is, that doesn't change the good fortune we have to have such a gem in our community. The race had a few aid stations which serve double duty, since its an out and back. The course is slightly slower than a road half marathon, I think, because of a few small hills and gentle up and down inclines.

Great medals and shirts with a horse on them, and mongolian beef kabobs at the finish line. Good to see Bill, Lindsay, and a few other familiar faces.  Thank you to the Race Director and the volunteers for all their work too. Success!

Great way to start the weekend. I'll just keep at it.

Summer Evening Run

Last night I ran a short run around Mount Vernon.  We've been in something of a heatwave for the last few weeks in Northwest Washington. "Heatwave" is a relative term, as it rarely gets up to around 90 degrees around here, and the sunglasses and shorts come out somewhere around 60 degrees.

I ran the Kulshan Trail, which is near the house, and is a paved arterial cutting from near the Skagit River to the eastern side of town. Blackberry bushes are prospering, and they get picked fast once the berries turn. A friend called these an invasive weed, and I suppose they are, but they make for a good pie and smoothies. I usually keep a carton of berry cups in the back of the car for spur of the moment picking this time of year. Northwest Washington is known for some of the best berries in the world.

My stride is a struggle, but the evening heat seems to make it easier to loosen up then I find in any other time of the year. The other night I was out on the roof until 10 PM, cleaning up. The long days too make it easier to get out. Nice to see kids walking around, soccer games and frisbee golf in Bakerview Park, and smell a bit of barbq.

At home, I've got three different types of bird seeds going, which has brought in murders of crows (is that how you say it?), stellar jays, bushtits and titmouses, pileated woodpeckers, and a family of squirrels. I'm trying out tomatoes in pots, and even have a couple hot pepper plants. After the run, I completed some transplant operations.

Not too much more to say here, and this wasn't anything spectacular to post. The thing is, as I was jogging last night, I was just struck by what a beautiful night it was. The right summer evening is full of the good stuff.