Spring Hikes 2014

Spring found us heading out to some of our favorite hikes.   Hamilton Mountain, Elk Mountain, Coyote Wall, Forest Park, Eagle Creek, Indian Point and Dog Mountain were some of the ones we enjoyed.  We hit a few of them at a prime time for wildflowers.  Coyote wall was especially spectacular.  I spent time relearning the names of the common wildflowers.  It has been awhile since I've been hiking a lot in the spring.  Usually I'm spending my free days paddling to train up for a summer trip.

Here is a slideshow set to music to show you the beauty of Elk Mountain.

Elk Mountain Hike

Here is a slideshow to show the beauty of Coyote Wall in spring.

Coyote Wall Hike

Trillium in Forest Park

A snail crossing the trail on a rainy day

Sulfur Buckwheat at Coyote Wall

Bumblebee

Sky and flowers

Kirti and Jenny on the trail

Shelly, Gerry and Thia at Coyote Wall

Ladybug visit at Lunch

A Reptilian View

An unusual purplish blue bachelor button

Coyote Wall Trail

Larkspur on Hamilton Mountain

Jenny on Hamilton Mountain with a view downriver

Lupine on Coyote Wall

Jon and Kirti walking the switchbacks on Hamilton Mountain

Indian Paintbrush

Bleeding Heart

A view from Elk Mountain in the Coast Range

Mt. Hood in the distance from Coyote Wall

Cross Country Skiing 2013-2014

Our 2013-2014 ski season got off to a slow start.  We had less snow than normal in most of our regular ski areas. We skied at Mt. Hood Meadows, Teacup, Bend, the Methow Valley and Anthony Lakes.  Anthony lakes actually got decent snow so we went there several times.  It was our favorite place to ski this year.  Jon and Kirti signed up for a trip to ski across the country of Finland.   Therefore, we did a lot of classic skiing to help train for their trip .  We joined the Millennium ski team and participated in several races.

A figure at Mt. Bachelor's Nordic Center

Wonderful snow and wonderful grooming at Anthony Lakes.

Anthony Lakes 

A view from the Elkhorn Byway

A view looking out over the valley from the top of the downhill ski area.

Anthony Lakes Cozy Nordic Center

Jon and Kirti pausing for a picture.

Building up the classic ski muscles

We're launching the boat into what?

Friends happy to be skiing

Methow Valley River

Our group skiing over the suspension bridge

One of the open meadows that you can ski around

A view looking up the Methow Valley

A view looking down the Methow Valley

Jenny and Kirti at the North end of the Methow Valley