Eager to take a vacation from the day to day grind, I started thinking of a destination around mid April. I didn't want to deal with the crowds or heat of the summer but I needed to take it ASAP to preserve my sanity. So, I settled on the week after Labor Day.
Since I was doing this alone, I focussed on the things I like; seeing new places, being outside and taking photos. One strong candidate was to pick up where Crimson and I left off during our journey from San Diego to San Francisco. But when I started looking into Oregon and Washington state, I found there were other destinations calling me, the mountains and great hiking.
It took me weeks to plan the trip. The general idea was to fly into Seattle, drive to multiple day hiking sites in Washington and Oregon and fly out of Portland. I settled on dates, places to stay and a few areas to explore. Right in the middle of my planning, tragedy struck. While returning from college visits in South Carolina, Crimson and I were in a car wreck that totaled my car. Fortuantely, neither of us were hurt but finding a new car became first priority.
Once I had a new car, I got back to planning the vacation. I had hikes to pick, supplies to buy, routes to map and more. I was going to stay in hotels at night but be busy as hell during the day. Every day had multiple hike options so I could pick and choose based on how much energy I had and how much time was available.
The weather forecast looked great for my trip. Only one day had any chance of rain and that was only light showers. Temperatures were forecast well below the 90F heat and humidity of an Atlanta summer.
Everyone had advice for me on this solo trip. Everything from getting a gun to bringing bear spray to deal with the wildlife and whatever else I might run into. Being a fairly experienced hiker, I was prepared but not paranoid.
DAY 1 - DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
Early Saturday September 8th, I took off for Seattle, arriving mid-day. The weather was beautiful with only a few puffy clouds in the skuy. My first destination was Akli Beach which was supposed to have great views of the Seattle skyline. I snapped a couple great shots and headed for downtown Seattle.
I arrived at Pikes Place Market, a popular tourist spot, and parked the car. I quickly realized Seattle was a lot hillier than I thought. It was going to be a workout just walking around the city. The market was crowded but a great experience. All the food was so enticing. I settled on some smoked salmon for a snack.
After getting my fill of the market, I went off to check out some architecture. I walked to the Seattle Public Library and checked out the unique interior design. Apparently I wasn't the only one doing it as there were at least 10 other people in there taking pictures. From there it was on to Smith Tower and a plan to check out the observation deck. Unfortunately, it was closed for remodeling. I walked back along the waterfront to Pikes Place Market and ate some more good grub (orange chicken and kielbasa skewers). I grabbed a pear and canolis on the way out. It was time to get to the hotel and get some rest. Some flatbread pizza and one of those canolis finished my day. A thought briefly went through my mind that this would be the best food day of the trip. In hindsight, it was.
DAY 2 - DOWNTOWN SEATTLE PART 2
Most of my days would start early and end well before my usual bedtime. I figured if I stayed on Atlanta time in would help me maximize my hiking. It was a plan that worked out quite well.
I started this day at the Seattle Music Experience and Sci-Fi museum, a short walk from my hotel. I enjoyed all the displays, some of them more than the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. From there it was down to the Olympic Sculpture Park and more waterfront views.
I planned on heading out of Seattle early to get to my next hotel, 1.5 hours North of Seattle, in time for the Denver Broncos game at 5PM. However, I was stopping at a few more places on my way out of town. First, Kerry Park for some excellent skyline photos. Next was Gas Works Park, a neat industrial site turned into a nice public space. Finally, the Freemont Troll.
I arrived at the hotel with just enough time to grab some groceries for the next week of hiking and sit down in front of the TV to watch the Broncos win their opening game.
DAY 3 - MOUNT BAKER
I awoke early, ready to hike. Frankly, I was a little worried. All the walking in Seattle had left me a lot sorer than expected. I had 5 days of hiking in front of me with no non-hiking options. Worries be damned, I was going to push myself and see what happened.
The first stop was more sight than hike, Noonsack Falls. Far from the most spectacular falls I've seen but nice to know I was on my way. From there I continued to drive higher and higher up into the Mount Baker area until reaching the end of the road at Artist Point. Despite some fairly heavy cloud cover, the views were spectacular.
I got out of the car to see a glacier meeting me at the end of the parking lot, 37F temps, and visibility of about 100 feet. I was literally up in the clouds at about 5500 feet. I started to worry that I didn't bring enough warm clothes. I set off on my first hike, a 3 mile round trip to the top of Table Mountain. It was a good first hike, challenge up on a narrow rock path. I realized just how tough a thin atmosphere can be. Prior to this hike, I never did one above about 2500 feet. During this trip, I'd hit 6500 a couple of times. There was plenty of snow up there but no people on this path. The peace and quiet was great.
Next up was the Artist Ridge hike, a 2 mile round trip. Near the end of it I encountered the only rain during my trip, just a few drops as I headed back to the car for lunch. A steadier rain came as I sat in my car eating a hikers lunch of granola and cereal bars. The rain stopped as I headed to my next hike and presented my with a great opportunity to capture a nice rainbow between the mountains.
Bagley Lakes Trail was the third hike of the day, a beautiful 4 mile hike around a glacial lake in the valley between some mountains. By this time I had forgotten about any soreness and just plugged on and on enjoying the sights.
With enough energy left for one more 2.5 mile hike, I hit Horseshoe Bend on the way out. This was a nice riverside hike through woods with moss covered trees. A bit different than the previous hikes but enjoyable in its own way.
I had finished the day hiking more miles and hours than I ever had in a single day. I was sore and tired but thrilled with the start. That was encourging because I had another full day ahead. The last and heaviest rain of the trip came as I drove back to the hotel. Some great timing.
DAY 4 - NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK
I awoke more than a little tired and sore but the crystal clear skies made it easy to get out and hit the trail. With an 1.5 hours of driving to get to my hiking area and another 3.5 hours of driving at the end of the day, I had no time to waste.
The drive alone was woth this trip; but I had multiple stops planned too. The first stop was the Diablo Lake Trail, a 5 mile hike along a beautiful lake to the top of a mountain. Unlike my previous hikes, there was little to see along the way because the trail took me far from the lake and into the tree cover. However, upon reaching the mountain top, I was greeted by a breathtaking view of the full lake and mountain peaks all around me. It didn't make for the best pictures because of the numerous powerlines leading to the dam's power station, but it was a sight I had to soak in for a good half hour before heading back to the car.
From there it was just a short drive to my next hike, Thunder Knob. This was a tiring hike with climbing for the entire 2 miles up to the peak. Until this point of my journey, I hadn't seen a single person on the trails. However, when I got to the peak, I ran into a young couple. The strangest part is they had a dog with a University of Georgia collar. Around home, this is almost an every day occurance but to see it thousands of miles away on an isolated trail, it made me laugh. We enjoyed the viewed, swapped tales of our adventures and I headed the 2 miles back downhill to the car.
The next stop was a simple overlook, not a hike, but it offered the most stunning views of Diablo Lake.
My last stop was a short 2 mile hike down to Ross Dam. I knew I was in trouble when it was painful walking down the steep trail. With almost 10 tiring miles of hiking already behind me on this day alone and a 3.5 hour car ride awaiting, I knew climbing back up that steep incline was going to be very difficult. With my most ambitious day awaiting me the next day, I did have thoughts of turning back. I continued the slog down, saw the dam and quickly turned back up. The climb was easily the toughest of the trip so far. I had to stop a couple of times for fear of falling due to exhaustion. I was barely concious of my surroundings until I had nearly reached the top and ran into to a couple of border patrol agents carrying M16 rifles. I figured their business was none of mine and simply said a casual "hello". Later I wondered why they were there, relatively far from the border. Was it a coincidence that this day was 9/11?
I jumped back in the car and hit the road, traveling back through Seattle and South towards my next destination, Mt. Ranier. I had heard that this towering mountain can sometimes be seen as far away as British Columbia on a clear day. I was 100 miles to the North of the mountain scanning the skyline when the mammoth peak caught me eye. WOW!
DAY 5 - MOUNT RANIER
Mount Ranier is a 14,500 foot stratovolcano the simply dominates the area. My plan was to hit two areas of the national park, Paradise and the White River Area. This would involve a lot of driving in addition to hiking but I was willing to do it based on all the reviews I had read and the hikes I had planned. Plus, my next day wasn't quite as hectic. I headed out just as early as I possibly could leaving the southern suburbs of Seattle behind.
The drive to Mount Ranier was beautiful as well. I had another gorgeous day with hardly a cloud in the sky. Unfortunately, as I got near the park I saw warnings of road closures ahead. They specifically referred to the passage I would need to get to the White River Area. The Ranger at the park entrance confirmed it for me and I was forced to reconsider my plans. After some time looking over maps of alternative routes, I decided the White River Area was not feasible. It would have added another 3 hours to my already strenous schedule and I simply couldn't justify that for the one hike I planned in the that area. Since I was pretty worn out from the previous few days, I opted not to add too much and instead simply extended one hike and took my time enjoying the area. I must have stopped at ten different vistas on the way up to the trails.
The aptly named Paradise area was simply amazing. It's a network of criss-crossing trails starting at about 5500 feet and leading up Mount Ranier across all sorts of terrain. Frankly, I could have spent a week in this area. Unlike my previous hikes, there were a lot of people in the area. I imagine that on summer weekends this place is packed.
My first hike was along the relatively easy, 2 mile long, Nisqually Vista Trail. Great views of the mountain as well as the tree and flower covered hillsides.
Next up was a series of 3 hikes tied together to create one 6 mile hike. I started up the steep Skyline Trail to the Alta Vista Trail. This was the steepest climb of my trip and went from about 5500 feet to about 6500 feet. My legs could really feel it on the way up and the thin air certainly made it challenging; but the view at the top was amazing. Even at the top of my hike, there was still 8000 feet of mountain in front of me! I came back down the Alta Vista Trail and my knees ached. Hiking down steep trails isn't so easy. From there I crossed over the Waterfall Trail for a nice look a waterfall backed by this huge mountain. After grabbing a brownie from the Paradise Inn, I drove to my hotel in Castle Rock, the nearest city to my next destination, Mount St. Helens.
I should have stayed in my car in Paradise, or slept on a trail or in a roadside ditch because the hotel in Castle Rock was a miserable experience. I should have turned away the moment I opened the door to the room and let loose a stench that was probably decaying flesh of the previous inhabitants. Too tired to move, I grabbed a book and their 1960s hotel chair and sat on the sidewalk reading as I attempted to air out the room. From there it was on to the local Mexican eatery. It had great service but the food left a lot to be desired. I returned to the stink filled to room to watch some TV before sleep to discover 1/3 of the 30 channels were in Hindi. Somehow I doubt most of the visitors in this area speak Hindi and it had more to do with the hotel staff. This made it all the harder to understand the rules of cricket.
All I needed was a good night sleep and the rest of the stay could have been ignored. Instead I woke up in the middle of the night with a burning rash covering half my body. I don't know if it was the detergent they used to clean the sheets, the disinfectant they used to clean up the blood stains or some weird contagion. If I had a little more energy I probably would have gone down to the front desk and strangled whoever was there. Instead, I covered myself in clothing and slept on top of the comforter for the remainder of the night.
To all future Mount St. Helens visitors. Skip Castle Rock. Stay in Kelso-Longview and trek back to the mountain. You've been warned!
DAY 6 - MOUNT ST. HELENS
I couldn't get out of that hotel quick enough. Even if they had a free breakfast, there was no way I would have eaten it. Ironically, I wasn't in much of a rush this day as I had low expecations for the Mount St. Helens area and less driving to do. However, I figured I rather risk my life next to an active volcano than stay in that seedy little town another minute.
Upon entering the "blast area", it was pretty clear this was a different kind of landscape. Not since my trip to Iceland had I seen areas that looked so much like a wasteland. Yet here, 30 years after the blast, were plenty signs of life. Brush has grown to cover much of the land and small trees poke up all around.
The visitors center reminded me very much of the volcano shelters I had seen in Japan. I'm guessing the facility had a dual purpose. Although I was a good 4-5 miles from the volcano itself, it was still an ominous sight seeing that living breathing volcano right in front of my eyes.
The day started out a little hazy but quite pleasant. The only thing to content with was very strong winds. I headed out on my first hike, the 4.5 mile Borderline Trail. This trail follows a ridge with great views of the Mount St. Helens crater. It was a fairly easy walk until reaching the end point. About 1/4 mile from the end the trail got treacherous. The trail underneath was composed of very loose rock; off to the side was 800 foot drop. As I got closer and closer to the end point, the trail got narrower and narrower, to about 2 feet across. With hikers headed both directions, some with big packs, it made passing very tricky. I passed one couple who had decided to turn back because it got worse. I plugged on thinking I could handle it. However, the stiff breezes combined with everything else made me have second thoughts. When a couple rocks from above passed by my head, I decided enough was enough. It's one thing for a volcanic blast to kill me, it's another thing to slide off a trail. It wasn't much of a disappointment because the view at the end was about the same as the view from where I was at. On to the next trail.
The Hummocks Trail was easy 2.5 mile hike through a primarily grassy area. I really didn't have high hopes for this hike but it produced a couple of my favorite pictures from my trip. This hike was supposed to be a good example of the post volcano rebirth and it lived up to that with plenty of plant life coming back to this once ash and rock covered area. I even got my one "encounter" with a bear as I saw a "brown rock" move in the distance, down by the river. Not wanting to be the stupid hiker who gets mauled taking pictures, I did as taught and kept moving.
The last stop in the area was Coldwater Lake. This lake was a former river dammed up by the debris after the Mount St. Helen's blast. It was a nice viewpoint but I decided to skip the hike and drive to Portland before rush hour.
After getting to the hotel and checking in, I could have just collapsed but I realized that Thursday around 4PM might be the best time for me to hit Voodoo Doughnut, a place notorious for long lines. A quick hop on the train and the tasty treats were mine.
DAY 7 - COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE / MOUNT HOOD
I wasn't done hiking just yet. So, I got up early again and hit the road. I was taking another day to leave Portland and cover the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood. First up were two vista points, Women's Forum Park and Crown Point. Unfortunately my early departure meant a bit of fog over the river but it was still worth the stop.
After navigating around a road detour, I made it to my first hike of the day at Multhomah Falls, a spectacular double cascade waterfall that apparently everyone in the area must see. It was by far the busiest hike on my journey. It was a pretty steep 1.5 mile climb to the top of the waterfall, via a series of never-ending swtichbacks. As usuaul, the sight from the top of the waterfall paled in comparison to the one below but I did have a sense of accomplishment.
From there I stopped briefly at another waterfall, the Bridge of Gods, and Hood River park for lunch. Time was ticking fast and I knew I had another hike in front of me near Mount Hood.
Like Mount Ranier, Mount Hood is a stratovolcano towering over 11,000 feet and the tallest point in Oregon. Unlike Mount Ranier, I really couldn't see it except in a few select places until I got to my hike to Mirror Lake. This particular hike was 2 miles uphill. It seemed strange climbing to get to a lake and after hiking close to 50 miles in the last few days, it wasn't easy. The trek was so worth it. There, framed by the lake and trees, was the gorgeous peak. With a crystal clear sky and smooth water, it was obvious how Mirror Lake got its name. This was an obvious Kodak moment (for those unfamiliar with Kodak, they used to make cameras and film and dominate the industry). Just a hike back down to the car and the non-urban hiking portion of my journey was complete.
DAY 8 - DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
Since my flight back to Atlanta didn't depart until 10 at night, I had a full day to explore Portland. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a lot that excited me. That doesn't mean I didn't like the city, quite the contrary. I could easily see myself moving there some day. I slept in, relaxed in the hotel, staying until 5 minutes before checkout, before hitting the city. This was is stark contrast to every other morning where I was racing to hit the road/trail.
I took the train into town and stopped at a place called Pioneer Courthouse Square. This local gathering place was full of people enjoying some sort of Mexican festival on this day. I relaxed and enjoyed the nice weather, dancing and "magic". From their it was on to the waterfront for a leisurely walk along the extensive park with views of the city's iconic bridges. I ended up at the Saturday Market where I got to eat from one of Portland's famous food trucks. I sat and watched the people (2/3rds hipsters) before walking to my last must see spot, Ground Kontrol.
To a pinball officianado, Portland is a great place to be. No town has more good places to play pinball. Atlanta with a metro population of roughly 6 million has less than 5 places with more than 2 pinball machines to play. It has zero locations with more than 5. In Atlanta, the best places to play are in collector's homes. Atlanta may be an extreme example but it is a lot closer to the norm than Portland is. Portland, in contrast, has a least 3 dozen locations with more than 5 machines and Ground Kontrol had 28 (in addition to 80 arcade games). I spent the better part of 2.5 hours dropping quarters and playing a lot of games I've rarely or never played. That's all my legs could stand after all the hiking.
I took my time getting back to my car at the hotel but still had a couple hours to kill before heading to the airport. I made a side journey to St. John's Bridge to take a few photos and went off to the airport. I did my best to sleep on the overnight back to Atlanta but had to use most of the next day to fully recover.
TRIP - WRAP-UP
The trip was an unbelievable success. I enjoyed every minute of it (minus Castle Rock) and would do it all again in a heartbeat. I saw some amazing sites and kept coming back to one word, breathtaking. I'd never hiked for more than 4 hours in one day and never did that much back to back. There were days on this trip where I hiked 10 miles and I hiked for 5 days in row, at altitude to boot. Add in some of the urban hiking and I easily covered 50 miles on foot. I dealt with temperatures ranging from 37F to 88F and a lot of isolation. Somehow, I survived it unscathed.
During the trip I took about 750 photos. It took me a couple weeks to go through them all, toss out 500 and tag the remainder. Out of that 750, I have about a dozen top-quality pictures, many of them featured here. Soon they will be adorning my walls.
I could easily go back to these same areas and hike some more. There are so many trails it makes my head spin; but chances are I'll explore somewhere else before returning. Where that will be, I'm not exactly sure but I know it won't be long until I'm planning again.
No comments:
Post a Comment