Although it rains most of the year here, the rain stopped after July 4th and hasn't returned yet. This has allowed for many fun opportunities to play outside. Not that rain deters us, but man, when you have views like the one above it is hard to motivate to play in the rain.
We spent the last weekend in August backpacking on the Pacific Crest Trail - our goal was to get to a spot called Windy Pass. This was an awesome trip because the trail started up really high....so we didn't have any climbing to do, just walking on relatively mellow inclines and declines. No complaints there, I almost felt like we cheated because the trailhead started up so high! Washington is loaded with outdoor enthusiasts, so sometimes it can be hard to find solitude in places that you want to be wild. This trail had a number of day hikers on it and even some backpackers. But everyone was so dispersed from one another that you didn't even see or hear them the entire time. Yipee!
We set up our camp on the Windy Pass ridge - and yes it was windy. Then Jay wanted to climb up Tamarack Peak (7200 ft.) which was just above our tent. I wanted to go too but it did get a bit scary steep with loose rock....that was enough to stop me. But then Jay kept going and I couldn't stand the idea him seeing the view without me, so I sucked it up and followed. Turns out, I stopped on the scariest part, and it was actually easier after that. Here is Jay with the prize view. Yahoo!
View from Tamarack Peak
I made it up alive (and back down, whew)
If you look in the trees on the ridge line closer to the camera (not the one in the distance) you can see the white of our tent. Whatta view! We loved the valley to the left in the photo. Click on the photo to make it larger to spot the tent.
The sunset wasn't very nice. I can't imagine why people want to hike out here.
The next weekend was Labor Day and we took advantage of the extra day to head north to British Columbia. A co-worker of mine had mentioned a great kayaking trip she did to
Cortes Island, way up near Desolation Sound and we decided to copy her all the way. She was right - it was totally worth it! On Friday, we hopped the ferry from Anacortes to Victoria, BC and drove north about half the length of Vancouver Island. Campbell River was our first stop and we arrived late and crashed into our camp in a regular ol' campground. We got up early the next morning to catch the first ferry to Quadra Island and then another ferry to Cortes Island. We finally made it! Excited to get in the water, we were thrilled to realize that I had locked the kayaks together and forgotten the keys! Yipee! We got totally lucky though because the boat launch happened to have bolt cutters and we were quickly in business. The paddle was fantastic...long, gorgeous, loaded with birds and marine life, and did I mention gorgeous? The visibility was so amazing that the water looked tropical....just look at the photo above! We stayed close to the shore so we could peer into the water and count sea stars. On the paddle back, I noticed a salmon jumping in my direction and I was even able to see the fish (TWO) swim under my boat. That was freakin' awesome.
Jay right in front of our lunch spot
We made it to Von Donop Inlet and set up a sweet camp right on the water. I can't remember how many miles we paddled, but boy, it was one of the longer paddles I've ever done (although I remember an epic paddle in AK with my friend Sean that may have topped this).
We brought fancy homemade pasta, homemade nettle pesto, and fresh tomatoes for dinner. And the wine, oh the wine.
I took this panoramic in the morning when there was no wind and the light was just perfect. It doesn't get better than that!
Julie paddling out of the inlet
In stark contrast to the waters in WA, the waters up here in the Desolation Sound area are "warm". It was actually "hot" by WA standards and I decided to go for a dip (Jay followed). Sadly, there were other people around on the beach we camped on during our second night - so I wore a bathing suit like a good girl. I had to put this photo in because it is probably the only time you will ever hear of me swimming up here without my drysuit on.
Sunset on our second night at Shark Spit
Indian petroglyphs (I was REALLY excited to see these.....) Doesn't it look like this dude is surfing? Jay, who is more serious about these matters than me, thinks it is a dude and his salmon. Jay is probably right, but I like the surfboard idea.
After gorging on wild blackberries while waiting in the line for the ferry back to Vancouver Island, we decided to stop in Campbell River to check out these waterfalls called Elk Falls. Not a bad pit stop but time got away from us because it was so beautiful there and we had to hustle back to Victoria to grab the ferry back home. I love getting off the ferry in Anacortes...it only takes about 5 minutes to be home and that is a nice feeling.
Hart's Pass hike photos at the end of this album:
Kayaking photos here:
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