Walks with Moss: Mount Walker, snow and howling wind

I am still following my vow to hike twice a week no matter what. Already after just 3 hikes the five pounds that have been bugging me the most have come off. I am so much happier too since I put me food down and decided to take care of myself.

Since I’ll be hiking more often, I am making plans to ride the bus again and soon I will be scheduling more dial-a-ride trips. I need to save wear and tear on my car! With my spouse being terminally ill, our household income is low enough that we qualify for food stamps, but I'm trying to avoid applying for them. So saving gas and wear and tear on my car and selling a few calendars does not hurt.

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This video is too shaky, I'll work on that.

I rode the #8 bus leaving the Mason Transit Center at 8:10am and then transferred to Jefferson Transit #1 at Triton Cove State Park. The transfer is seamless as the two bus systems have their acts together. The Jefferson Transit Bus dropped me off at Mount Walker Antiques at 9:30am.

At first it was raining so I donned my rain pants and rain coat while still on the bus. At the trail head I shed a few layers so I was just hiking in very thin long underwear with my raingear on top. The higher up I got the harder the wind blew. Soon being too hot in rain gear was no problem as the wind cooled me off and seemed to blow the rain clouds away. Closer to the top there was snow on the ground and then it was actually snowing. I was not expecting that!

My hiking partner from Sequim summated first but she got cold so she went down to join me on the trail and then we summited together. There was no view and the wind was howling so we headed for the South Lookout. The snow started to really come down. At first the snow was just falling from the trees, but now it was falling from the sky. There was no view and it was too cold at both lookouts so rather than take a tea break we headed down the road.

The road hike was pleasant but windy. We took refuge under a bridge and had tea and coffee there. It was bone dry and actually dusty under the bridge. Patches would not stop barking for us to throw her rocks to chase. Too bad she was too blind to see half of the rocks that we threw for her.

As we headed down the road the nice snow turned into rain. We got back to my partners car at 2:30, she drove me to the bus stop and there I waited until 3:07. The bus should have been there sooner and I was worried that I somehow missed it. The schedule shows the bus taking a break in Brinnon, but there was no break. I guess they opt to take the break elsewhere.

I made another seamless transfer at Triton Cove State park. I was a bit sleepy and I managed to get some sleep between Hoodsport and Twin Totems. The bus dropped all the passengers off at the Mason County Transit Center at 4:25.

When I got off the bus I could smell fried chicken and that made me hungry. I’m not sure if the smell was coming from Safeway or a shop inside of the transit center. I did not stop for chicken though, instead I drove home.

The 110 mile round trip bus ride up the canal cost me $2.00

7 miles with 2,100 feet elevation gain

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Beautiful images captured while hiking hundreds of miles in one of the most scenic places on earth, the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. This artist is a professional photographer with years of experience hiking, blogging and photographing in this unique part of the world.