Upper Big Creek / Mount Walker

Last week I placed a geocache on the Upper Big Creek trail and got to use my snowshoes some. I headed up the Ellinor Connector trail until I was sinking to my knees in the snow even with snow shoes on. Since then I've ordered 8 inch flotation tails for my shoes and am looking forward to testing them out.

This week I hiked up the Mount Walker trail and then back down the road. I found the three geocaches up there as part of my hike.

There is supposed to be a great view from the top of Mount Walker but not when I was up there last week!

The wind was really blowing and the rain was pelting my face. My newest Gortex Hiking boots are leaking again so I exchanged them again. Maybe it was the salt water that did them in. I went clam digging in them and the next time I wore them hiking they were leaking. I'll keep my new gortex shoes out of the salt water. Maybe gortex shoes are just a rip off but REI does have a good return policy so I guess I'll just keep taking them back if they keep leaking. I also got snow baskets for my trekking poles while I was at REI.

I feel lucky to have so much nice hiking gear. My ex boyfriend bought me some nice stuff and I have been adding to it. I don't want to contribute too much to consumerism but I sure like this nice new gear. REI tried to sell me some waterproofing for the outside of my waterproof shoes, it cost $7.50 for a tiny little bottle. I passed on that.

Next week I might go up the Ellinor trail from Big Creek again. I really want to do the glissade down Ellinor and am going to keep tabs on the snow conditions up there.

To the right is my GPS tracklog for my hike up the Mount Walker trail. I'm having a lot of fun with my GPS but I do worry that it might be detracting from my nature experience.

Doing the Dose

13.4 miles, I finally got in a good hike and I'm not suffering (much) from it. Dosewallips river road has been washed out for a few years now. The road is washed out 5.5 miles from the Dosewallips River Trail. There is fight going on between the Park Service and environmental groups that has kept the road from being repaired. About 1 mile before the washout there is a smaller washout that pickup trucks can drive over. I hiked down the road bed to the Ranger Station but on the way I took a .4 mile round trip detour to grab and log a geocache.



This is a pleasant area with moss draped trees and a rushing river below the road. I enjoyed my hike until about the 10th mile. I always seem to burn out at about ten miles and then I am no longer having fun but am in pain instead. The perfect hike for me seem to be to big log camp and back from the North Fork Skokomish trail head. When the Staircase gate is open it's a 10 mile hike. I could go on to camp pleasant but that makes for a 14 mile round trip hike and it's not so pleasant.

I need to get back in shape. I've regained 10 of the 20 pounds I lost after having my now two year old. Not good! I forgot to bring my camera on this hike so have no pictures to post.

Sinusitis

I hate it when school starts each September, it's the beginning of cold and flu and ear ache and sinus infection season. I've been down with a sinus infection for quite some time. I still try to hike each week but often turn back well before my goal because I am dizzy. I went to the doctor and got some powerful antibiotics and some beconase. I hope to be well enough to do a real hike soon. I'll try on Tuesday. Wish me luck.

I've been busy geocaching and oystering when I'm to ill to do the long hikes. We just got two limits of clams and oysters. My two year old even pitched in and collected a couple of them. By this time next year I think she will be able to collect her limit of oysters.

Ocean Shores

I "hiked" at Ocean Shores this week but it was cold and the wind driven rain was stinging my face and I was coming down with the flu or something. I only went two miles and then drove home. Now I am running a high fever. I'm going hiking with a friend on Sunday but it's only 5 miles round trip.

North Fork Skok

Yes again.. what can I say it's close to home and it's in the National Park. The gate is closed about a mile from the trail head. I hiked to spike camp and back. That's 9.6 miles according to my GPS. Just before I reached Spike Camp I was ready to put on my snowshoes.

I've been hiding geocaches all over my home town. I get lots of exercise while planting them and then checking on them.