Whistle Lake, Anacortes Forest Lands

This is a pretty lake and the hike around it is easy.  Probably about 3.5 miles with a little upward climb on the back side.  Pretty rocky balds and nice secluded places to sit and eat lunch.  Lots of kids, young adults, and families swim in this lake.  The young adults leap from the rocks and land in the water 20 or 30 feet below.  It looks fun, but I wouldn't do it.  There is also a flat area that looks like an old parking lot when you first get to the lake (taking the left branch).

I like this lake for the reflection shots I can take while hiking around it.  I use these for my paintings.  See www.nancycanyon.com  There are beautiful reflections of alders, rocks, lilies, and Madrona trees.  Just the sky reflection and the wind ruffling the surface is spectacular.

The last time I hiked, I slipped on a mossy rock and went down on my right hip.  It was a dumb fall...I didn't have my poles and I wore my running shoes that had worn smooth in the heel...bald shoes.  From now on, I'll wear my hiking boots.  I think doing Pilates has strengthened me enough to give me bulkier muscles.  I hit just right, not to injure my bones.  Lucky me.

This lake is an easy to find.  You head into Anacortes, circling around the round-about, going straight up the hill away from the water.  When the road comes to a T...take a left.  Take another left at the cemetery entrance.  Follow around the cemetery and keep going to the end of the road. You'll see a sign for the turnoff to the left.  Follow the signs to Whistle Lake.
Enjoy,
Nan

Whistle Lake on a still day.

Where the kids jump off the rocks.

Beautiful lilies!

Madrona tree overlooking lake.

Church Mountain

The last leg of the climb is pretty steep, but doable.

I made it thanks to my REI poles and Pilates!

A friend and I climbed to the top of Church Mountain the last week of July. The turn off to the trail head is just past the utility sheds up Mt. Baker road.  The hike climbs at a reasonable rate three miles up to the meadows and another two miles (steeper) to the top where the lookout used to reside.  We set up camp in the meadows.  I rested a while, then climbed the rest of the way.  It's an amazing view, 360 degrees of mountain tops, distant valleys, the San Juan Islands.  Breathtaking!

I feel this climb to be a big achievement for me as a sixty-two year old.  I know lots of folks are stronger and have more stamina than I, but making longer and more difficult treks is helping me to grow stronger and to feel more confident.

Right now I'm having a astrological transit that's activating my Aries sun.  I believe the ram energy is wanting to climb.  I want to be at the top and look out over everything.  I'm even dreaming about standing on pinnacles and observing the land below.  Very interesting energy.  I suppose there is another way...looking a photos perhaps.  But Aries is a physical sign, so working the energy is a good idea.

We camped in the meadows where a stream ran through, tumbling down a waterfall where it disappeared into the woods.  To the west, where we set the opening of the tent, we had a perfect view of Mt. Baker.  To the east, beautiful rocky ridge in a c-curve.  Amazing. 

We heard marmots, picas, ravens, Douglas squirrels, flies, and mosquitos.  We saw no bear nor mountain goats.  Where we hung our food in a tree, a marmot was spotted.  Other than that, it was a quiet night with the exception of a little wind.  Perfectly clear with stars that you could dream on.  And in the night, the tent lit up.  I woke, thinking someone was outside with a lamp.  It was the moon rising...phenomenal.  

If you can get to wilderness, do.  It will rejuvenate you in a way that restores the soul.

Peacefully yours,

Traveling Nan   

Fragrance Lake

I've been hiking this summer, getting stronger, making it to the top of local peaks: Church Mountain, Yellow Aster Butte, Sky Line Ridge.  Shorter hikes have been good to, for instance, Frangrance Lake or Alger Alp both have a decent elevation gain.

Getting back into hiking has been important to me for several reasons.  For one:  It proves my strength as a woman over 60.  Another reason, achieving a goal builds my esteem. You know what they say:  Why do you climb the mountain?  Because I'm proving something to myself.  I can do it.

If I were to recommend a workout to a woman my age, or any age, first I'd say do some Pilates. Pilates will build your core strength and keep you steady on your feet.  Then walk every day.  Then, plan some short day hikes.  Something that you can do easily...say three miles around a small lake.  Here in Bellingham there's a local walk around Lake Padden that is about 2.9 miles.  It's stunning year around...though plan on some mud in winter and spring.

Then get the right gear.  Hiking poles have helped me immensely. I need them on the downhill to protect my knees.  Also, with Pilates, my arms are strong.  So using my arms to help my legs is easy.  I'm sore the next day, my feet, my back, my legs, but it's okay.  It's only about a week of soreness, and Ibuprofen or  Arnica helps with pain.  Buy good shoes.  And rain gear and tops that aren't made of cotton.

Now, most of us don't want more pain.  But with steady workouts, pain lessens with repetition.  The more I workout, the less I hurt.  I'm strong now and a climb, though difficult, sweaty, hard breathing, I'm doing it and loving it.  Getting to the top is worth it.

Old growth cedar stump!

Path around Fragrance Lake

Path around Fragrance Lake

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Snowy and Sunny

Here I am up on Mt. Baker snowshoeing last winter. Let me tell you, it is hard work--you need to have some stamina and a good lunch to eat in the sunshine. Lots of layers of clothing, so you can take it off and put it on, and determination. I only did one trip this year, but I have hiked across snow at Hannigan Pass and Yellow Aster Butte. Today, here by the bay in Bellingham, rain and wind. I heard high winds--but we'll see.

Recently I've seen a coyote and trumpeter swans, oh yes, mallards, Canada geese, Bufflehead ducks and loons. Oh and 12 great blue herons huddled in everygreens down by the water.  
Happy New Year!
Nan

Orcas Island

Here I am sitting on a tree hanging over Mountain Lake.  I've taken a lot of photos of reflections at this lake, beautiful ones that have become paintings. It's a pretty little lake on the way to Doe Bay, one of my favorite places on Orcas. I've stayed at Doe Bay more than once, kayaking out to the Pea Pods with a friend one weekend, doing a memorial to his mother. It was lovely. A giant Steller's Sea Lion slide off the rocks and into the water when we passed. Very cool.

Nan

Reindeer

Well, it isn't really, but being just after Christmas it could be. This is up at Hart Pass. There was snow at the top and couldn't proceed, but turned down this road and sat for a long time watching this buck wander toward us, feeding, watching us, feeding some more. The woods had burned up at the top at one point, near a little ranger cabin. I have some cool pictures of those trees, bark half black and bare. Very pretty in a way.

I love the woods. Back in the 70s I lived at Priest Lake in Idaho with my husband at the time. We worked at Hill's resort and when not working or playing music or skiing, we'd be up wandering back in the mountains. The roads get piled pretty high with snow up there. Beautiful

Nan

Ballard Camp 7-4-2010

Here's my friend David when we camped at Ballard Camp on the other side of the mountains. It was the fourth of July weekend. We'd been up to Hart Pass and had come back, gathered wood, made some dinner. It cools quickly in canyons along rivers, so we needed our jackets. The fourth is always my favorite weekend of the year, better than Christmas. I just love fireworks. Not everyone likes the racket or the sulfur in the air, but if I can get out to fireworks, I do. I've had several amazing experiences lying on the ground watching the blooms overhead. Truly amazing.

Up here on the 4th of July, a bit of rain, and cool.  We gathered wood, so much down wood that's dryer than a desert, I just wondered how quickly fire could race through.  We kept the fire small and we did get some nice heat from it and  cooked part of our dinner there.  Well, re-heated I think, since we'd brought along cooked chicken on ice.  Up at Hart Pass we picked up some containers of snow to help refrigerate our food for the rest of the weekend.

This was the weekend Sid had just had the silt from his bladder washed out and had been put on special food.  I'd watched him for the day and he was doing better.  They wouldn't have been able to see him until we got back, so I decided it was okay to go away.  I must say I was a nervous cat mom the whole time.

I hadn't camped for years and now will camp.  It just gets some taking used to again.  The hard ground--even though I have a pretty good mat, it's my hips these days, getting older. But seeing the stars at night, man-oh-man, it is worth it.  Nature makes me feel good, no great.  It truly feeds my soul.