Wallace Lake Buried in Snow

I took a nice hike yesterday to Wallace Lake in Wallace Falls State Park off of US 2 in Snohomish County. First time up the Greg Ball Trail. Nice trail and a fitting tribute and monument to the late trail advocate.

The hike up to the lake poses no problems. But wait till you get to the lake. Over two feet of snow in spots. Unbelievable since the lake is usually snowfree and only at an elevation of 1,800 feet.

The snow at Wallace Lake is a harbinger for hiking in the Cascades this spring and summer. Snow? Get used to it. I could have used skis or snowshoes up there. The hike to Pebble Beach on the north end of the lake was slow going. So was the way to Upper Wallace Falls from the lake. I think I'm planning on packing my snowshoes with me on most of the hikes I do this spring. I still have lots of trails I need to cover for my next book. And I can't let a little thing like a lot of snow keeping me from making my deadline now can I?

(photo-Wallace Lake 2/26/08)

Samish Island Cycling

When is an island not an island? When’s its Samish Island! While Samish ceased being an island in 1932 thanks to tenacious farmers filling-in mud flats and enterprising engineers building a dike for a highway, it still feels like an island. Slow pace, isolated and surrounded by marvelous maritime views! The views north to Lummi Island and the BC Coast range are particularly delightful. So is the one east to Baker rising above Blanchard Mountain. And of course there are great views too west to the San Juan Islands (real islands) and the Olympic Mountains. Yesterday Heather and I took advantage of a spring-like day and cycled from Padilla Bay to Samish and back. What a day- and what a beautiful corner of our new home, Skagit County. We could only reflect on how crowded the Burke-Gilman bike path back in Seattle must have been. You can have it! We’re never going back!

(photos- Heather at DNR Samish Island Beach, Lummi Island from DNR beach)

BC’s Campbell Valley is Hmm Hmm Good

Nestled in a quiet nook a mere couple of miles north of the US-Canadian Border is BC’s Campbell Valley Regional Park. One of the most popular places to go for a hike or horseback ride in the lower Fraser Valley, very few Americans have ever stepped foot in this 1,400 acre greenbelt. For the outdoors minded residents of Bellingham, it’s definitely worth braving the border and making the 25 mile trip north to this park.
Established in 1973, Campbell Valley is one of several parks managed by Metro Vancouver, a regional authority consisting of 21 municipalities in BC’s Lower Mainland. Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks consist of nearly 32,000 acres and all are easily accessible from BC’s main population base. They’re pretty easy to access from Washington’s north Puget Sound population bases as well.
Campbell Valley is an ideal place to stretch out your legs during the winter and spring months. With over 20 kilometers of hiking trails and several more kilometers of multi-use trails you’ll have plenty of terrain to explore. Highlights include extensive marshlands with boardwalks to bring you deep into it. The property also includes historic barns and a one room school house. There are lots of fields to roam too; small ponds to admire and plenty of wildlife and fresh air. The park is one of the nicest Northwest urban-area parks that I have explored. Check it out. From White Rock located just over the border exit BC 99 on 8th avenue and follow this road east to the park’s main parking lot and visitor’s center. Enjoy.

(photo-Little River Loop Trail CVRP 02/08)

Back by Poplar Demand

The Pacific Northwest is certainly known for its conifers. Some of these evergreens rank as the biggest trees in the world. But what few people realize is that a deciduous tree, the black cottonwood can give its coniferous cousins a good showing. A poplar and member of the Willow Family, Populus trichocarpa can grow to heights exceeding 200 feet. That’s tall for any tree and especially impressive for a deciduous tree. Cottonwoods love to grow along river banks and along British Columbia’s Fraser River you can find some impressive groves. On a recent trip to Fort Langley I spent some time hiking the trails of Derby Reach and Brae Island Regional Parks. Both parks occupy rich flood plains and river bottomlands. And both parks are graced with giant cottonwoods. Quite a sight-check them out sometime and enjoy the excellent trails of both these fine parks.

(Admiring a cottonwood at Derby Reach)

2008 BC

Okay, George and Abe might not be too happy with me, but Sir James Douglas surely must be! I spent this President's Day Weekend in Fort Langley, British Columbia participating in the third annual Historic Half Marathon and hiking some wonderful trails in British Columbia's birthplace. What a weekend too! Sunny blue skies with temps hovering around 45-50F. The race was wonderful-beginning in front of the 1931 Fort Langley Community Hall and heading out in to the farm country surrounding the community. Then one long tough hill and a nice finish inside the Fort Langley National Historic Site, the birthplace of Canada's pacific province. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the province's founding in 1858 as a colony. Although technically Vancouver Island, now part of BC was declared a colony earlier. BC joined the Dominion of Canada in 1871 as the country's sixth province. Of course, if you are American this is probably all new to you! Anyhow, come up to BC this year and help our Pacific Canadian friends celebrate thier province's grand anniversary!

(Photos- Welcome to Fort Langley and me after the race inside the fort)

Weekly Trail- Casts just a Click Away

Its not enough that I'm providing you with weekly hiking suggestions through Hikeoftheweek.com. Now you can head on over to Green Trails Maps.com and download a weekly trailcast. Yep, you can skip the reading on this one. Just click, download and listen. Of course you'll still need a good map-a Green Trails Map preferably- and a good guide book- my Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula is a worthy suggestion- to still make the most out of your hike. But, hey-my TrailCast is meant to inspire you -to get you excited about getting out the door- to help get you motivated to hit the trail. And since most of our trails are buried deep in snow right now-what better way to get outdoors than by snowshoe right now. Check out the first Green Trails Maps TrailCast featuring snowshoeing Hurricane Hill in Olympic National Park. See you on the trail!

(photo-Hurricane Hill in Feb)

Aspetto per la Primavera

In all deference to the Lenten Season it feels like it has been raining for 40 days and 40 nights here in western Washington. And like Christians waiting for the return of their savior, I wait for the return of Spring. The snow has fallen hard and low in the Cascades this winter and I long for a sign of spring. Nature's lantern, the skunk cabbage should be blooming soon giving me hope that spring is indeed just around the corner-although its a long corner! On a positive side, the sun is now rising before 7:30 and setting after 5:15. Let there be light! And let Spring begin its procession of renewal.

(photo- skunk cabbage at Kalaloch Creek ONP: translation of title-I wait for spring)

Happy New Year!

Welcome the year of the Rat. This 4,705th year of the Chinese Calendar is a year for hard work. And since the rat represents the first of the 12 animal cycle, its a year for renewal. Hard work-renewal-I'm all about that. With an upcoming presidential election and an impending recession, hard work and renewal will most definitely be in play here in America in 2008. Its a good year to make a fresh start and rewards will be delayed for those who are resourceful and prepared. The Rat will in deed be a strong presence in this year of muddled direction.

(photos-Buddhist Temple Richmond, BC)

Time to Bring Back the CCC

Okay, before I begin, let me make one thing perfectly clear; I abhor the welfare state. The majority of welfare programs instil a sense of entitlement and do nothing to break the cycle of poverty. They are neither good for the recipient nor for the tax-payer. Okay. Now, let me make this distinction; I have absolutely no problem with workfare programs. Especially programs that not only benefit the recipient by allowing them to be proud of their labor and of being productive members of society but also benefit all members of society. That's why I'm all for bringing back the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC); FDR's Depression Era program of putting people to work in our parks and forests. Think about it. The military is a form of workfare and it is necessary for our society. An active army of conservationists and stewards is also necessary for our society. In the last 25 years the federal government has been shirking its responsibility when it comes to adequately funding and caring for our public lands. Now, with the all but absent presence of logging in our national forests there is practically no money being allocated to our great forest reserves. Bring back the CCC! Take young men and women, retirees, inner-city youth, non-violent criminals, heck anyone who wants to be a part of this program and put them to work in the woods. Pay them fairly and allow them to labor in the greatest job environments in the country. What a way to green bond our next generation too! And of course these new CCC disciples will not only be benefiting themselves- but they'll be caring for our natural resources and benefiting all of us in society. We tax-payers can be proud of their accomplishments and justify the way our government spends our money. With our country slipping into perhaps the worst recession in 25 years, what a way to help stimulate the economy. Putting people to work and paying them well pays dividends to a lot of workers in the private sector too. All of those CCC paycheck cashing folks need goods and services that the private sector will be more than happy to provide for them.

(photo-CCC Memorial Deception Pass State Park, WA)

Hike of the Week Good to Go in 08

I'm happy to announce that both Snohomish County Tourism and the North Olympic Visitors and Convention Bureau have agreed to sponsor Hikeoftheweek.com for another year. That's wonderful news for me, the tourists bureaus and you the hiker! So, keep returning to Hikeoftheweek.com each friday for tips and suggestions on where to hike each week. Posted hikes can always be hiked the day they go up on the web. That's the idea-to get you out the door. Destinations alternate each week between Snohomish County and the Olympic Peninsula. And all Hikes of the Week, over 165 of them in all, are always available for reference in the archives section. Have a great hiking season and don't forgot to visit Hikeoftheweek's sponsors' websites for great ideas for places to eat and stay after your hike.

(photos-Lake Crescent from Pyramid Mountain, Olympic Peninsula 04-2006, and Joan Lake from Scorpion Mountain, Snohomish County 08-2007 )