Big Creek and Lower Ellinor

 

Insomnia struck again and I had been fretting that I would not be able to find the time to hike this week.  Every non-rainy day was booked with single appointment in the middle of the day.  But when I could not go back to sleep after waking up at 5am, I realized I had time for a hike.

I packed up and headed for Big Creek.  This time I decided to wait until it was light before I hit the trail.  I parked up at the trail head just before sunrise and took my time putting on my boots and gaiters and scrolling on my phone.

I had a good hike up to the lookout with pure solitude, but I just had to go and ruin my solitude by heading up to the beautiful forest at the lower trail head.  It was so pretty up there though with the snow and the fog. It was so pretty and I was having fun taking photos, but then a very loud group came by.  I was off trail so they did not see me.  They were so loud and the stayed loud for.  Every time I thought they were gone they started making noise again.  Oh well.

Back down on the lower trail a guy saw me coming up behind him and he would not let me pass him.  He kept looking back and going faster and faster.  But he was so slow that even walking I was going faster than he was running.  It was so annoying, if he had just let me pass him I could have been rid of him instead of having to look at him for the next ten minutes.  Finally I said to the guy "why don't you just let me pass you".  He said he was about to take a side trail ( a side trail that used to be semi-secret) I wondered what that had to do with anything.   A  moment or two after I passed him I realized he might have just been trying to avoid being within six feet of me due to COVID.

I made it back down by 11am in plenty of time to take my kid to the dentist and to attend an online grief group.

I made a video of this hike but I'm not sure if it will get edited and uploaded since my computer is about to be shipped off to New Zealand and my wrist is hurting me.  I'll be working on my lap top for a few months until I am reunited with my shipping container. 

6 miles 2,000 feet elevation gain.