Hidden Lake Overlook Trail- 2

The trail left the boardwalk as you can see here.  The knees were happy with the change.

We did some climbing and trudging over rocky terrain, but soon leveled out.  My knees were aching and I was almost ready to turn back when we met some other NC hikers our age who said, Keep on!  You don't have far!  It is so worth it!"

The level area had this gorgeous little pond that I loved enough to stop right there and stay a few days!

It really wasn't far at all to a little rocky ledge where we got this view of Hidden Lake below.  The trail goes on for hardy hikers to the edge of the lake below.  We were happy to enjoy our lunch right there.

And look who joined us for lunch!!  Mama mountain goat was wandering around us too and they both wandered back down the mountain as we did all the way to the pond.

Glacier NP is a really wonderful place!  The Amtrak train still stops at several places on the park edge.  Great Falls, MT airport is not too far away!

Hidden Lake Overlook Trail-1, Logan Pass, Glacier NP, MT

Here are a few photos from our favorite hike at Glacier as I promised.

 About half the trail is on strangely sloped boardwalk with many steps along the way to protect the delicate sub alpine flowers and vegetation.  This area is covered with wildflowers and many little waterfalls from 6 inches to larger distant ones.

The trail is described as a series of 'hanging gardens' and it crosses one after another as it climbs the rock ledges at the base of Mt. Elbert.

The snow was still melting on the mountain and it made lots of waterfalls coming off the mountain as we circled around it toward the Hidden Lake Overlook.

Part 2 will include photos of the Lake Overlook area, our destination and lunch stop.

East Glacier National Park, MT

After traveling the south edge of Glacier NP twice on the train, we had hoped for an extended visit someday.  The train stops at the East Glacier Hotel and we had wandered and wondered at the station there.  Even though it was high season for visitors, we followed the advice of a camper at North Cascades and took the chance on camping at Rising Sun CG on St. Mary's Lake.  It is located just a little west of this photo.  On our second day in the area we got a very private, spacious site there.  Yes!

The Canadian part of the park, Waterton Lakes in Alberta (about 50 miles north) was a perfect place to explore on the next day of heavy rain and fog.  The historic hotel there offered afternoon tea and typical English pub fare so we grabbed the rain gear and headed north.  Even in the fog the views from the dining room of the lake waters and mountains was wonderful.  Great tea and English Crisp (waffle fries, pulled pork, sour cream and scallions) too!

 
The Many Glacier Hotel area is the center of activities on the East side and it is about 15 miles north of the St. Mary's area where we camped.  They had a Ranger led tour of the historic hotel so we went north again.  When we entered the hotel lobby just beyond the red tour bus at the entrance a fire was roaring in the huge fire place and a violinist was playing for the guests scattered through the lobby.  Wow, just too lovely!  Not to mention the breath taking view! ( I really did get a headache because I forgot to breathe.)

On Sunday the weather prediction was at last good so we boarded the free shuttle for the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road and it's high point, Logan Pass.  The Hidden Lake Overlook Trail starts there and was described as crossing hanging gardens of wildflowers, to circle Mt. Clements and climb to an overlook of the Hidden Lake in a 3 mile roundtrip.  There are not enough superlatives in my vocabulary to tell the beauty in every inch of this hike!  It will always top my list!

 East Glacier has 4 separate areas of magnificent beauty to explore.  I'll try to blog more another time.  I took 66 pictures on the hike alone and we never even got to the Two Medicine Area.  We had to leave a day early when they closed our campground because a grizzly bear walked through the middle of the Campfire Program on Sunday night just after I was there for Evening Worship.  Glad I missed that program!

Tourists Again!

We left Ross Lake Recreation Area our home for the last month about 6 this morning.  Our time there gave us a great opportunity to explore the Pacific Northwest.  We had not been east out of the park so we have had such an adventure!

The sun lighting up the mountains of Washington Pass on the descent into the Methow Valley was fantastic!  Terry stopped for me to get this picture at just the right time.

We are on our way to Glacier NP and then on to Yellowstone.  It might be a few weeks before we add more notes and pictures.

Wonderful Whidbey Island, WA!

On Tuesday we returned to Fidalgo Island and crossed over to Whidbey Island on the amazing Deception Pass Bridge.  The morning fog was just beginning to lift off the bridge as we walked out across it.  The view to the Strait below was too scary for me to make the walk over the water.  Terry loved every step across!

Two tugs were pulling a float of timber under the bridge so I had lots to watch while he walked.

Next stop was lunch at the lovely little town of Coupeville (in the spring a headland area slipped into the Strait here).  The hanging Baskets of flowers all over town and the sea salt air filled the streets with fragrance and I wanted to stay for days!!  We visited the town Museum a part of the only National Historical Reserve in the US.  The community joined together to preserve the community and surrounding prairie farms and the Park Service created a local Trust Board to mange it.  We didn't find the local Reserve farmland coastal walk, so now we will have to return!  Whidbey Island is at the top of my Favorites List now.

The Coupeville wharf area and Mt. Baker and the North Cascades ( our Park) in the distance.

We ended our day at the Admirality Head Lighthouse (with a 4th order lens).  Another lovely spot!
It was fun to share stories with the volunteer hosts there.  I think we'll start a Lighthouse visit list too.

San Juan Island National Historical Park

Here comes the 9 am Friday Harbor Ferry!  We arrived at the Anacortes Terminal about an hour early to get the first ferry and spend the day on a visit to San Juan Island NHP.  The crossing weaves through   4 islands and takes about an hour.  We have applied for a Sept.-Oct. job there and wanted to check it out.

The view looking back east includes Mount Baker and just south our present home, the North Cascades NP range (still snow capped).  The Ferry Terminal is about 90 miles west of the NP.  On San Juan we were surprised how quickly we left the busy little harbor town and found rolling hills, lakes, farms and meadows.  Our first stop was English Camp where 400 British soldiers lived for 12 years as arbitration for ownership of the San Juan Islands was negotiated.

The English Camp included a school, library and formal garden fenced in beyond the flagpole.  We met a very helpful volunteer host who told us all about working there and directed us on a walk through the 2 campsites on the hill above the old Hospital Building.  No view there, but the grounds along the bay are beautiful as you see.  Lots of sky and grass which I love!

This is the American Camp on the South end of the island.  It also has 2 hosts and sits on a restored prairie on a sunny, dry hillside above the ocean and opposite the Olympic NP mountains.  We got a very distant sighting of Orca whales and a nice long chat with the volunteer here.  We could be very happy at either Camp.  The views, trails and beaches at this end of the island are most awesome!

As luck would have it the Ranger who might hire us is off for 2 days.  We left our card and will call on Thursday.  Terry has always loved islands and I think I could have a little fun here myself!  We'll see.

From the Land of Turquoise Waters

The waters of Lake Diablo at North Cascades National Park are filled with glacial water and the 'glacial flour' or tiny rock specks that reflect with more turquoise than this photo can show.  It is an unbelievable color!  Our campground, Colonial Creek, is located on both sides of the bridge below on the south end of the lake.

There's a great little trail, Thunder Knob, at the edge of the campground that climbs the knob and gave this view of the highway bridge.  About a half mile up is a view of the glaciers on Colonial Peak.  I was truly stunned!  It does seem like the 'American Alps' right out our backdoor.

The North side of our Campground (CG) has only 42 sites with Colonial Creek roaring through it.  The trail crosses the creek twice to reach this campsite.

  The South side across the highway has 96 sites with 21 hidden from view in the woods, 30 packed together on the side of the lake and the rest being dark little dens up in the giant trees on two loops that circle on the larger one.  It is a CG Host nightmare!   We host at the CG Kiosk entrance on the South side from 8am to 11:30 and do our 'count roves' on both sides. ( I am enjoying weeding the wildflower rock garden around the Kiosk that is covered by grass and tree starts.)  We have a break from 12 to 4pm and repeat the duties until 5:30 pm.

Most of all we are having a great time traveling in the area!  We love Anacortes, WA.

 Next Tues. we'll be ferrying over to San Juan Island to check out a possible Fall Host job there at the National Historic Park.  So many wonderful places to explore!!

Traveling Time

We left Heceta Head and Washburne Campground on Friday morning.  My eyes were brimming with tears of joy and sadness all at once as the fog lifted from the beaches and across the headlands in front of us.  A last morning of incredible beauty was a perfect goodbye for wonderful memories and fine friends!

Tillamook Cheese Factory made us a great breakfast before we began our tour there.  We only purchased 'just a little bit' of cheese.  Next stop Fort Clatsop at Lewis and Clark Nat. Pk.  This one had been on my list since our trip out in 2011.  I especially enjoyed the Chinook and Clatsop history and artifacts that were on display since my experience as a docent at the Chinook Plankhouse in Ridgefield, WA.  So amazing to see the replica of the Fort, actually had a wooden floor and fireplaces!
We crossed the mighty Columbia River into Washington.  The River is so very, very wide!

Today we left the Ilwaco, WA area and headed north along the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The Bay area is absolutely spectacular!  Near the top of my list for beauty.  All we could talk of was a kayak to get out on it!  Put that on the list!

Our snack break as we entered Olympic National Park just happened to be opposite a Trailhead pull-off.  We had seen glimpses of the ocean and the Trail was headed that direction.  Better check that out.  Little did we know that it was also the Spruce Burl Trail.  The spruces here had huge burls of unknown
causes.  Look at this.

Notice the burl in the tree above the beach too!  What a welcome to the southwestern end of the Park!
We found a campsite at Heart O' the Hills and enjoyed a Forest Walk among huge trees.  Off to the Whidbey Island Ferry in the morning!       Traveling time is FUN!

The Light shines at Heceta and we give tours now!

June started off with a schedule goof that put us working 6 days out of 7.  We were so wiped out that we didn't even attend the Re-Lighting Ceremony on June 8.  I was sick for all of our 3 days off.  When we returned to work there was a general panic about getting everyone trained to start giving tours that began the day after the re-lighting.  It has been a true work week!  I've done about 5 tours now and my voice no longer trembles and I remember more and more of what I want to say.  I almost enjoyed giving my last tour!  Terry has found it easy and fun from his first tour on.  Here are some pics of the changes.

No luck loading rest of pics!

I've been having computer problems.  So I'll just do a catch-up.

We have only 3 work days left and will be very sad to leave this beautiful area and our new friends, but it is on to new horizons.  The good thing about our change in workdays for June is that we finish work on Weds. and will leave here Friday to travel up the coast of Oregon, across the Columbia River into Washington with a long awaited visit to Lewis and Clark NP.  Then on up to Olympic NP and then a ferry ride from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island and Rt.20 which will take us all the way to North Cascades NP.

This should be a bit of fun!  I'll post the new Lighthouse photos later.

Happy Summer--relax, read, and play!

Oregon Rain, Roves and Visitors

Our first 2 weeks of beautiful weather were a gift we can appreciate now.  The last 7 days have given us only one beautiful day and 2 days in my winter snow jacket to protect me from the biting wind and blowing rain.  On the cold wet days I hide in the Oil House and talk to visitors there with a few peeks from the door at the sea crashing on the rocks below and the waves rooster-tailing their way to shore.  The sea is absolutely beautiful in its strength and power on these days!  I feel so lucky to be washed in sea spray as we climb the trail up and down on the cliffs that follow the coastline.

On our days off we have traveled to tour Umpqua River Lighthouse about 40 miles south.  You can climb up into the lens there as it revolves around.  Very cool!  It is a dizzying experience!  We also went over to Eugene, about 70 miles east, for a little shopping and were surprised by all the lakes and rivers in the area.  We hope to go north to Newport one day soon.

We had a great visit with my sister, Jane, Kevin, Leland and Pat last weekend for the Rhododendron Festival in Florence. We had a lovely campfire evening on Friday.  On Saturday Jane and I got together at the flower show which included rhodie blooms from dime size to desert plate and every color, combo, blotch and freckle you could ever imagine.  It was truly awesome!   I had already spotted not one but two Quilt Shops in Florence and we shopped at both.  On Sunday Jane, Kevin and Leland visited with us as we worked at the Lighthouse.  It was great to share one of the most photographed lighthouses in the US with them.  Can you guess the other two?

Greg and Jennie, from our Great Basin family, spent Sat. evening and Sun. morn with us.  We enjoyed Oregon microbrews around the campfire with a light supper and lots of memories, laughs and adventures since we were last together at their lovely place in Corvalis.  Here are a few photos of their new home, an awesome woodland retreat!

It is great to be neighbors with Greg and Jennie here in Oregon and we look forward to seeing more of them before we head north next month!

We can't believe our first month here is nearly over!  We have already made great friends here and it will be hard to say goodbye to them and this incredible coastal beauty.

Our Work? day Duties

Our workday starts with a 2 mile drive to the beach below the lighthouse.  We park at the beach in the cove below and pick up trash in the parking lot and picnic area and then start the 1/2 mile walk up to the Lighthouse.

The climb is through a beautiful coastal forest.

The trail winds up to the front of the original Assistant Keepers' duplex.

The House was built in 1892 and is now a B&B managed by a Forest Service concession contract.  Isn't it a beaut?

The view from the Keeper's House shows the Lighthouse up a little higher.

After a short climb we arrive to open up the oil houses next to the Lighthouse.  One is a work room for us and the other a small museum with a video of the restoration that is still in progress.  Our jobs have included helping with the landscaping.  Terry spent a day hauling topsoil and gravel to fill spots on the road and around the Light.  We now help each day watering the grass seeds that have been planted.  I love chatting with folks in the Oil House about the historical photos and items that fill the museum.  We have had delightful fellow hosts who have worked there 4 years and share all their knowledge with us.

This week we had 2 additional hosts from National Fish and Wildlife who set up spotting scopes for the breeding Comorants and Murres on the rocks below.  We also have spotted whales several days.  On one day we saw 9 whales as they headed north around the rocks below.  The weather has been sunny and bright all but one day of the 8 we have worked.  We have enjoyed many pleasant chats with visitors and look forward to our workdays each week.

Wildflowers and Whales for my Birthday

I started year number 66 with a dream come true!  We watched whales from Cape Perpetua Visitor Center and the summit of the Cape (734 ft.) for almost 2 hours.  I watched one whale blow 7 times in a row.

We went to the Visitor Center to copy the names and uses of about 20 blooming native plant samples on display.  I had questions about plants I had seen there earlier from visitors at the lighthouse.  Just as I finished the Ranger shouted, "Look at the whales out there!"  We rushed to the wall of floor to ceiling windows and in minutes the whales blew again.

The Visitor Center is the roof seen to the far left of the photo. After an hour at the Center Terry wanted to try some radioing from the summit about a mile away, (mostly straight up).
 While Terry was connecting with his Noon Net on the radio, I found the sunny overlook was a fantastic spot to see that the whale blows we had seen below were from not 1 but 2 whales.  I  had another wonderful hour to look down and watch them both.  Here's my viewpoint.

Look closely and you'll see 2 little ripples on this enhanced photo.  The whales are just breaking the surface.  My little camera did it's best.  As you can see above I am far away!

After this awesome experience we went to a lovely oceanfront restaurant that had been recommended for my birthday lunch.  As we waited for our order and gazed at the pounding waves below, another whale just swam right by only about 30 feet from the shore.  After lunch we walked the beach path among bright sea pink blooms that I saw last in North Ireland with Gwen and Darrell.

It was one sweet day!

Our New Place

We got to Carl G. Washburne State Park on Sunday and had our pick of sites for our new home.  The campground is a quarter mile from the beach and in a dense, moss draped forest crammed with shrubs including rhododendron that is just opening up.  A creek gurgles just behind us and birds squawk through the forest.  Here's our spot.

The beach is just across the highway by car or under the creek bridge on a 1/2 mile trail to the beach.  It is a beautiful sand beach.  On our first visit the sea mist was just rolling in as I walked toward the lapping waves.  Hello Pacific!!

Tomorrow we start work with an orientation here at 10am.  Our work days will be Thursday to Sunday and we have 3 days off  (Mon.- Weds).    How nice is that!  Yesterday we had a delicious seafood lunch in Florence, 12 miles south and today we are enjoying the little town of Yachats ("Yah-hots") 11 miles north and it's fantastic library (200 yds from the beach), and next door to the Presbyterian Church!  Since we work on Sunday mornings I won't get to services there as I had hoped.  Here's a view of our new workplace.

The lighthouse is still closed for repairs so we won't be giving tours except for the oil house.  There's  a video there and we will answer questions too.  More later about our other duties.  It will be fun to finally start our volunteer work!