Contented Si on the Trail

Little Si is a mountain near North Bend, Washington.  It's on the western side of the Cascade range.  It was made famous in the show Twin Peaks, which was filmed in North Bend.

Little Si, and much bigger sibling Mount Si are named after homesteader Josiah "Uncle Si" Merritt who built a cabin at the base of the peak in 1862.  He raised vegetables and hogs and kept an orchard. He had a Native American wife but when his other spouse, 'Aunt Sally' as the settlers called her, arrived from the east, the Native American wife returned to her tribe.  "Uncle Si" was also known for playing the fiddle.



Separated by a little valley, Little Si stands next to larger Mount Si.  It has a different trailhead and is known for its own beautiful trails and also challenging rock climbing and bouldering.  My friends and I were out for a hike on this Saturday.

Little Si has an elevation of 1,576 feet (480 m).

This sheer cliff attracts adventurous rock climbers.

Here in the center of the picture you can just see the gleam of a hanging rope

Here's a party of 3, ready to go straight up

Further discussion, strategizing, and testing before the journey begins

Here's our June day near Seattle, but the weather didn't deter us

A scattering of climbers around the top of the moderate trail to the top of Little Si

A sigh of contentment at the peak of Little Si.  I did it!

A lovely look into the distance




Enjoying the view?

Or is this something more sinister?



No, nothing sinister here.  All's well that ends well on Little Si

Lund's Gulch - The Baby Salmon Are Hatching

Visitors to Lund's Gulch, a Snohomish County Park, are first greeted with sweeping views of the northern Puget Sound. Starting on top of the little cliff, you can see for miles, especially on this sunny Memorial Day. This view shows the Olympic Peninsula in the distance.




Lund's Gulch is a beautiful park right in the middle of the suburbs of Lynnwood, just about 20 miles north of Seattle. In 1878, early pioneer John Lund homesteaded Lund’s Gulch.



In 1968, Snohomish County acquired 114 acres of Lund’s Gulch. How fortunate we are to have this beautiful park right in our neighborhood.



Since 1996 the City of Lynnwood, in partnership with the Brackett's Landing Foundation and Snohomish County, has purchased over 77 acres in Lund’s Gulch with Snohomish County Conservation Futures Program funds to protect the sensitive areas and wildlife habitat from impacts of development, and to preserve this undisturbed natural area in public ownership.



Here's the Ranger's sign showing the different salmon, and cautioning not to disturb the spawning fish, and the surrounding wildlife. The gulch empties right into the Puget Sound, and makes a peaceful spot for the salmon to spawn. Now it's spring and the baby salmon (called Fry) are hatching.



Here's the pretty gulch.



Here's the easy trail.  You have to walk down from the top of the cliffs on the paved trail about 400 feet through a mature forest of Douglas fir, so going back up hill is a bit of a climb, but very manageable. Once you reach beach level, you're on forested trails like this.  If you're looking for a long day hike, you're in the wrong spot.  This is a pretty walk, almost 3 miles, and plenty of beach to play on.



A mass of yellow flowers along the way.



And also flowers that are going to turn into berries this summer.



Here's the great, family park grounds, and just on the far side is the entry onto the beach.



See the beautiful sunshine through the tree tops on the trail that is alongside the bubbling gulch. This walk is dedicated to my friend George, G-man. He was a wonderful friend to me and to many; he always made you feel good. I always looked forward to hearing from George. An ever-loyal 12th man, a fisherman, such a good person and family man. A Marine who passed away on Memorial Day, far too soon. George, you are missed.

Spring Wildlife Abounds at Camano Island State Park

This majestic couple welcomed us to Camano Island State Park, as they survey their 173 acre park. Beauty meets beauty on high, overlooking the forest, the rocky beach, the Sound, views of Whidby island, and spectacular views of the Olympic mountains.

 

A sight to behold.

 

                                                                                                                         photo by Barb Schustek
A lone look out unintentionally poses for the camera while intently spying the water from this beach perch, perhaps looking for signs of a late afternoon dinner.  Originally the Snohomish Indian tribe had named Camano Island Kalutchin which translates as "land jutting into a bay".  There is lots of sea life, and we heard reports from locals of gray whales sightings, although they were not to be seen on our day.



                                                                                                  photo by Barb Schustek
Oh say can you see . . . . dinner yet?




Spring love at first sight.



Me and my shadow.




Enjoy 3 miles of beautiful, lush trails at Camano Island State Park. It's easy walking, so you can take in all your surroundings.  You'll wander through forests of madronas, firs, old growth Douglas firs, hemlock, spruce, maple and more.  This picture is on the lovely Al Emerson half mile Nature Trail.  It's named after Allen R. Emerson who was a devoted park ranger at Camano for 22 years from 1952-1973.



The park is filled with flowers, we even saw some early this spring, foxglove, english daisies, rhododendron, and more.



Shhhh!  Sleeping deer, right beside our trail.



Sleeping beauty



You'll be treated to lots of sightings of different wildlife, and birdlife at Camano. 

Swimming flock.





Throughout the forest we heard echos of owls' songs, but were never able to catch them on camera. Their pretty song harmonized with other birds we heard, and the periodic eagle calls. I encourage you to attend the wildlife symphony near you and spring into a park near you. 

With some liberty, Robert Frost - "two trails diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled, and that has made all the difference."

I especially hope you're lucky enough to visit Camano Island State Park.

National Parks - Did You Know?

What was the first national park? How many national parks are in the United States? Think you’re already a national parks scholar? Take our online quiz and find out! At the end of the quiz you’ll be able to share it with your friends so they can test their knowledge. Want to learn even more about our national parks and NPCA after you take the quiz? Then watch this inspiring short video or explore the National Park System on our web site.   Sincerely, Clark Bunting President and CEO

Down By The Riverside in Spokane

Relish the flora and fauna at Riverside State Park in Spokane. Hike the surrounding Ponderosa Pines, Douglas Firs, and in the right seasons enjoy the glorious wildflowers.

Did you say you like your state parks with a smattering of wildlife?  You've come to the right place. These still waters hide red band trout and whitefish. The shores are a playground for reptiles and amphibians. Bald eagles and osprey nest in spring, and soar year 'round. Among the 180 bird species that can be sighted, there are shorebirds and great blue herons.

What about mammals, you ask? What size are you looking for? Small include chipmunks and marmots. Large include mule, whitetail deer, black bear, and moose.  And of course, there are cougars - but you knew that because we're talking about Spokane and that's so close to WSU in Cheney, Wa.



And did I mention the geese? Lots of geese sunbathing the day I hiked through.

Sunbathing and honking



Here's the Bowl and Pitcher story . . . .

And here's the real thing. Breathtaking! You've heard of the ripples a pebble can make in the water. Well, these are enormous boulders that will amaze you. 



Here's what it looks like crossing that swinging bridge over the rapids next to the Bowl and Pitcher. The original bridge was build by hand by the Civilian Conservation Corps. in the 1930's.  It was assembled off site, and brought to the park in 2 parts. At that point it took them 10 days to install the 216 feet of bridge.

No, this is not the original bridge. That was replaced in 1998 by a new bridge that was built using the same, original plans from the CCC.

The view from the bridge, swinging above the rapids that are churning past the Bowl and Pitcher

A weekend fisherman who is focused on a promising pocket amid the rapids. He exhibited real skill at his fly fishing.

The source of the Spokane River is Coeur d'Alene Lake. After tumbling over Spokane falls, the river zig zags it's way through this spectacular "Grand Park of the Spokane Canyon".

Hiking among the firs, you never know who may be watching you.

You'll love your visit to Riverside State Park in Spokane. There's so much to do in this beautiful setting. Hiking, jogging, biking, fishing, water sports, picnics, and lots more. The trails and all facilities are well maintained.

The Olmstead brothers visited this area in 1909 and were taken with the beauty. They urged the local population to preserve it as a park. In 1910 $1 million bond passed for the land acquisition.  In 1933 Riverside State Park was created for that generation, and generations to follow. 
Thank goodness!