Hiking in 2017

It's a little late for this but...

Here are pictures from some of my favorite hikes from last year.

Umtanum Creek Canyon

With a couple of friends I drove across the mountains for a May hike in a branch of the Yakima River Canyon. I have rarely seen the hills of Eastern Washington so green!

Looking north toward Manashtash Ridge

Umtanum Creek

Balsomroot was blooming

Basalt Cliffs in Umtanum Creek Canyon

Apple blossoms in an abandoned orchard

An oasis in the dry hills

Wallace Falls

Towards end of May, daughter Anna and I went to Wallace Falls State Park and hiked up to the lake and then to the falls.

Wallace Lake

Wallace Falls

Lake Annette

In early June, Jim W. and I hiked to Annette Lake near Snoqualmie Pass. It was still winter up there!

The lake was still partly frozen

Spring was coming though

A stream along the trail

Teanaway Ridge

A week or so later, son-in-law Pierce and I went to one of my favorite destinations, the Teanaway Country, and hiked the Teanaway Ridge trail.

As we gained elevation, Rainier made an appearance

A view of the Stuart Range from the high point

Lupines!

Tolmie Peak

Our friend, Julie, was visiting from Sweden and I hiked with her and her two sons to the Tolmie Peak Lookout, one of my favorite places in Mount Rainier National Park. Perfect weather and good company!

Beautiful Eunice Lake

The Swedish crew

This is why I love Tolmie Peak

Mount St Helens in the distance

Second Burroughs

Another classic Mount Rainier hike is Second Burroughs. Another friend, Ingrid, visited from Sweden in mid-August and we had a group outing on a rainy day that cleared magically when we got to the trailhead at Sunrise.

In the parking lot at Sunrise

Somebody is looking confident. A recent PhD from CalTech can do that!

Nearing First Burroughs. You can see the trail to Second.

At Second Burroughs

Some of our group at the summit

An alpine meadow on the way back to Sunrise.

A meadow brook

Ebey's Landing

Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island is one of my favorite places. We decided to show it to Ingrid and Daniel.

On the bluffs trail

Looking down at one of the lagoons

Blue Heron!

Walking back on the beach

Heather-Maple Pass Loop

My last hike of the season was with Jim W. in the North Cascades in late September. The trail head is at Rainy Pass. As you can see, the scenery is spectacular. I need more North Cascades hikes!

The larches were just starting to turn color

I am so looking forward to getting back on the trail this spring!