Mt. Higgins Lookout Trail

A party of MBC members hiked to the former site of the Mt. Higgins Lookout, west of Darrington. Late June; the trail was in good condition and snowfree until the last 500 ft. of gain. Remains of the snow-collapsed lookout still evident. Cliffs provide dramatic views and potentially lethal falls, be careful. Side trip to Myrtle Lake was well worth it. Lovely full pool thanks to beaver activity. Rock carved memorial “S Strom 1917” still clean and visible (look for it on way down). Many flowers.

Wild Rhodi's in Full Bloom

The Wild Rhododendron Preserve is located in the Skagit Valley Recreation area, south of Hope, BC. This beautiful and unusual northern display is on-time this year with the start of prime viewing in mid-June.

Lovely, surprisingly dry forest trail with many wild flowers, leads to the Skagit River headwaters, swollen to a torrent by the spring rains and snowmelt. This trail provides pleasant level hiking with only one detour of a 120 ft gain. Also, the trailhead was blocked by a foot deep “lake” but a two minute walk south along the road led to an easy seasonal boot track that bypassed this obstacle. A special treat along the trail were the numerous lichen crusted lava flows that glowed in the forest darkness just to the east of the trail. Landscapes in miniature made the short detours rewarding. We hiked in and out via the west entrance at the "26 Mile Bridge" TH on the Silver-Hope Road but a vehicle shuttle with Hwy 3 on the east would have made the 9 mile walk even better. This section of trail is part of the historic Whatcom Trail originally specified as "Noot-sack Road, cut said road suitable for a pack trail not to be less than six feet in width."

After the hike we drove another 10 miles south to Ross Lake. The campgrounds were vacant but inviting. We were disappointed that we weren’t spending the weekend there hiking and paddling. Maybe another day, but soon.

Sitka-by-the-Sea

I was especially excited to visit Sitka. Romantic thoughts of Russian America, the blending of many cultures, foreign and indigenous. The stunning vision of a beautiful snow capped volcano in full view of the city did not detract from my expectations as we landed at the ferry dock. Miles from the city a commercial bus company meets every ferry and for only $8 roundtrip provided drop offs anywhere along the way and in the downtown area. I managed to find a room in the old, historic, funky, and friendly Sitka Hotel. My travel companions thought me adventurous for opting for a “European Style” room. That meant I would have to walk across the hall for either a bath or shower room. It was really pretty tame.

There is a long list of places to visit in Sitka and I enjoyed all of the ones I went to. My favorites included the historic parks & sites all within easy walking distance and most with excellent interpretive signs. From totems to churches; Russian cemeteries nearly hidden by second growth forest to modern neighborhoods standing on ancient villages, there was plenty to see, and explore. The two highlights of my wanderings include the Sitka National Monument (totem poles & native culture) and the Sheldon Jackson Museum. I was delighted by the collections, the presentations, and the staff at both of these facilities.

On another day, I rented a bicycle and pedaled up a mountain trail to the snow line and then snow hiked to foggy viewpoints at the location of a former secret radar installation from WWII. Mountain views that would erupt from the clouds were spectacular and I later learned were as good to ski as they looked. Pushing on through a drizzle I wandered about the historic and natural areas at the far west recreation area. Waterfalls, shell middens, and wonderful wildlife viewing made the drizzly day more than bearable. Before leaving Sitka we had to wait four hours for the tides to flood enough water into the passages to allow the ferry to navigate out of Perilous Strait. I used this time to outline several outings that I could do on my next visit to Sitka-by-the-Sea.

Petersberg to Sitka, A Memorable Voyage

The ferry ride from Petersburg to Sitka is long but offered the most variety of any route I'd taken. Leaving the dock we passed huge sea lions, drowsy in the early morning light, seeming more like whales as they moved with surprising grace through the water. Soon we began to pass the real whales, humpbacks. Whatever the reason whether feeding, communication, or play; each one was putting on a show, rising up out of the water and slashing their gigantic pectorial fins through the air. The demonstrations were a wonder for us all. Small groups of Dalls Porpoises splashed by the ferry, delighting the few children aboard, especially because they mistakenly thought they were baby orcas.

Around the first island we made a much too short a stop at Kake, famous for having the world's tallest authentic totem pole. And it was incredibly tall! Then a long glide north as we passed the seemingly endless snow and icefields of the mountainous backbone of Baranof Island on the west and the ominously quiet Admiralty Island on the east. This island is famous for its Kootznoowoo Wilderness. The name poetically translates as "Fortress of the Bears." And that is what it is. The densest concentration of brown bears in the world. Averaging about one bear per square mile.

Entering Peril Strait it was obvious with the rushing currents and narrowing passage why it had this name. Turning west, we squeezed through several more even narrower passages including Deadman Reach. It was here, with the golden light of evening warming us, the boat gliding silently close to shore, that I felt we should see a brown (grizzly bear). Almost like an answer, within only a few minutes, I spotted one in a small protected cove, turning rocks over, looking for an evening snack.

As we finally left the tortuous and narrow passages behind we briefly were exposed to the open Pacific Ocean. It was daunting, looking out, realizing that west toward the ocean's horizon, the view would not be broken until reaching Japan. A turn south, and once again we were safely behind a screen of islands but what islands they were. Rising up like a broken Mt. Fuji was a beautiful symmetrical snowcapped volcano. In a few more minutes, passing waterfalls spilling snowmelt into the sea, we were coming into the ferry dock at Sitka by the Sea.