Wallace and Jay Lakes

Wallace Lake.  I don't like the sound of its name.  Maybe I'll rename it.

Back to Kirkland to deal with my Mother’s estate.  My spouse’s caregiver said “have fun” as I went out the door.  WTF?  Cleaning out my deceased Mother’s condo is fun?   I’m afraid that most of my spouse’s caregivers are about as bright as Patches.  As I left I wondered what they would break while I was gone.

With really foul weather predicted for the Mountains, I decided to do a low land hike.  Wallace Lake sounded like just the right length and elevation gain for me, but also kind of boring being in second growth.  I Hoped that the waterfalls would make up for the boredom of hiking through second growth.

I woke up on my Mother’s couch at 6:45 and I was out the door by 7.  I’m amazed at how fast I can get out the door when I don’t have internet.   I sleep on her couch as I have found it impossible to fall asleep in her deathbed.   I was at the start of my hike at Wallace Falls state park at about 8:30.  

I made one stop in Sultan to buy three pounds of hotdogs for Patches.  I’m trying to fatten Patches up a bit.  I think Patches is getting too thin.  She's also losing control of her bladder and peeing in the house all the time now.

My plan was to go up to the waterfalls and then take an old road up to the lake.  The sign at the trail head made it clear that the “old road” was actually a trail.  At the start the trail runs under a power line and under the power lines the wind was howling.  Was I making a mistake hiking in such stormy weather?  Maybe a tree would fall on my head!

As soon as I was in the woods the wind was pretty much gone.  The waterfalls were all nice, but the light was not the best for photography.  I headed up the upper grade and made it to Wallace Lake after passing though a DNR wasteland.  The wind was really howling in the barren DNR wasteland.

Jay Lake

The lake was nice and I walked around to the far shore for my lunch break.  To keep Patches from driving me crazy with begging I cut up her pound of hot dogs and scattered them in the brush.  She would have to hunt for her lunch.   The plan worked well and my lunch was more pleasant than usual.

After lunch I decided to head on up to Jay Lake.  I knew that I would be pushing it as far as getting out before dark, but I really wanted to see Jay Lake and get some miles in.

Scary lizard tree

Jay Lake was nicer than I expected and I really wanted to hang out there for a while, but time was running short and I thought that the state park might close at dusk.  Perhaps I would get in trouble for being parked there if I took too long to hike out?  I quickly headed back to Wallace Lake.

My plan to hike down the Ball trail went wrong.  I had trouble locating the trail at the end of Wallace Lake in spite of all of the signs.  I ended up hiking an extra mile.  It was pretty dark by the time that I got out and I ended up hiking 13 miles.  This was my longest hike of the year so far. 

I was startled by a trail runner near the lake.  Wow,  I wish that trail runners did not do that to me.  I was so tired that I calmed down pretty quickly though.

When I got home the next day I learned that my washing machine was broken and my spouse blames his caregiver, but I’m not so sure.

I made a video but I can't upload it from home due to my slow internet and my lap top is broken, so I can't go anywhere to upload it.

13 miles with 1,600 feet elevation gain

I wish I knew what this was.  It was very special to my mother and she told me once
but I forgot and now she's dead.  :(

Is this guy wearing anything under his poncho?

I have to remember how cute she looks here the next time she pisses in the house

Not sure how this happened but I like it

Sultan

Wallace Falls