Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador

I am super excited to announce that I have been made a Gossamer Gear trail Ambassador!

Duckabush is for the Ducks today!

Three incredible fungi sharing one log
Fungi on the bottom is the fall oyster mushroom

Vincent Hill, Skokomish River Hunting Camp

Gear failure - Women's Marmot Precip Rain Jacket

  My Marmot Precip rainjacket is a failure.   I've treated it and I still get soaked.  It turns out that the seams are not sealed!  How can they call it a rain coat when the seams are not sealed?   My last Marmot rain jacket delaminated at the hood and is in for warrany repair right now.  Marmot recieved it on November 5th but has done nothing with it yet.

Mount Rose Turkey Burn

I always do a Turkey burn on Black Friday, it’s much safer than shopping.  This time I joined up with a meet up group.  We met at the trailhead at 8:30.  They all took off really fast and I knew I could not keep up.  I was sweating and my left calf was cramping up, it was not fun.  Then I decided to hell with it,  and just hiked at my normal pace.  One other hiker slowed down and hiked with me.  It rained and snowed most of the day.  I wore snowshoes for about the last half mile up and about 3/4ths of a mile back down.  We took the short route up and down.

Rain gear

I'm using this stuff to get my rain gear to work again.  I don't use the TX wash since I never need to wash my rain gear.  The rain keeps it plenty clean.    I'm using the TX direct to restore the water repellency.  The so called Durable water repellent finish on new rain gear never lasts for long.  Maybe should get some tyvek rain gear.  I don't sweat very much, so maybe I don't need the expensive high maintenance breathable rain gear.

North Fork Skokomish

 First hike with my refurbished GPS(r)

 

I got to leave the house an hour earlier than usual today.  Right before I walked out the door I decided to leave the dog at home and go to Staircase.  It was going to rain all day, so there was no point in climbing any peaks and Dry Creek was probably going to be too high to cross.  I left my DSLR at home and brought my waterproof point and shoot camera.   During the drive in I saw a bald eagle near the causeway.  The causeway bridge is closed again, I assume because both of the new culverts washed out. Oh well, I got to drive across it once in the last 5 years, I guess that’s all I get. 

King Boletes

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Little Hikes

Multnomah falls 4 miles with 700 feet elevation gain
Shady Lane         2 miles with no elevation gain
Lower Ellinor     2 miles with  300 elevation gain
Nisqually refuge 2 miles with no elevation gain

8 miles with 1,000 feet elevation gain to add to the count



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Multnomah falls
 

Park service runs wheeled vehicle down nature trail
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Wheeled vehicle on Shady Lane Nature Trail
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Park service poaches cedar from Shady Lane Nature trail
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Poachers, click to enlarge



New culvert at Copper Creek has washed out

Moss in my pockets

A bloody good day on the Dosewallips

Pluteus cervinus, also known as Pluteus atricapillus and commonly known as the deer shield^[1] or the deer or fawn mushroom

When my alarm clock went off at 7:30 I sprung out of bed because today was hiking day.  First I had to get my little one off to school and I had to take a bath.  I was out the door by 8:45, we fell back an hour on Sunday, so I will be hiking in the dark from now on if I don’t hurry.  I drove my car to save gas; I’ve been doing that a lot lately.  I got caught behind a slow moving sewage truck near Hoodsport so I pulled over to use the free public flush toilets in Hoodsport but the sewer truck stopped there too and there was a lot of confusion between me and the sewer truck driver about where we both were going to park.  I used the bathroom and realized it was going to be a very bloody day, much bloodier than I expected it to be… sigh...

One year ago today Ranger Davis stomped my Mushrooms

One year ago today Ranger Ken Davis at Staircase stomped my mushrooms and I'm still mad as hell about it. I was well within the legal limit of one quart in the national park. He greatly upset me and my 7 year old daughter. In commemoration of that event I have removed the song that was over the original audio so now everyone can hear what transpired

Park service poaching old growth cedar from Shady Lane Nature Trail at Staircase

Park service poaching old growth cedar from Shady Lane Nature Trail at Staircase

Park service using a wheeled device to  poach old growth cedar
 from Shady Lane Nature Trail at Staircase

No wheeled devices allowed on Shady Lane Nature trail at stair case.

Upper Ellinor via Big Creek

It’s been ten days since my last hike and I had to really force myself to get out on this day.  I’m sick again and I’m taking Iron and anti-biotics, they have opposite effects on my digestive system so it should all balance out.  Right?   I woke up at 6am but stayed in bed until 8am.  I almost talked myself out of hiking, but I remembered that I need to lose weight and I need to shatter records.  I finally managed to drag myself out of the house at about 9am.  

What's in my winter pack?

Here is my typical winter hiking gear list for when I am snowshoeing.  If it is raining hard I leave the heavy camera at home and bring a point and shoot and I take extra polypro base layers instead of a down jacket.   Click link below to read more: