08/24/03 Hiking Excelsior Mountain Trail (6.5 miles round trip):
I took one day off and then yesterday was spent in Bellingham. The 'Check Engine' light came on in the truck, probably indicating a computer sensor was going bad. Rather than have the truck go dead on me in the boonies, I headed for Bellingham, 60 miles away, where I could get help if needed. The Dodge dealer service department was closed on Saturday which is just as well... the light went off. I hung out the rest of the day doing chores, etc. and came back to Mount Baker early this morning.
This morning was like a fall day, in the 40's and stayed brisk and cool most of the morning.
The hike got off to a rousing start. I hadn't gone but 1/4 mile when I spotted a black bear just off the trail. It knew I was there but seemed confused as to where to go and what to do. It started forward, then went back and then got up on the trail and came towards me.
I think it heard or smelled me but didn't quite know where I was. Then it saw me, turned around and took off up over a high bank. Then I saw two cubs scooting up different trees. That's probably what confused the mama bear, knowing the cubs were on the other side of the trail and I was on the trail.
Meanwhile, I was just backing up and trying to get the camera out. Once I saw the cubs I knew I was fortunate not to have gotten myself between her and the cubs. Unfortunately, by the time I got the camera out, turned on and focused, they were gone.
The trial forks in 1/2 mile mile with Boundary Way and Canyon Ridge Trails going off to the left and Damfino Lakes to the right. A ranger was asked the names of the lakes and he said Dam if I know and that became their name. They're really just a couple of small ponds.
I followed the trail past the lakes a mile up through the forest up to a small meadow on the first part of a 1600 foot climb. Passed a couple of dumb looking/acting brown chicken things on the way, probably grouse. Then through a stand of trees, a larger meadow and up a steeper hill.
Here I found a sign to the High Divide Trail and turned left onto it. The first big knoll is Excelsior Mountain. Uninterrupted views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan and all those other peaks to the south with the many Border Peaks on the Canadian border and beyond to the north. Great views everywhere.
I wanted a better view of some of the peaks to the northeast that were partially blocked by knolls so went another mile or so farther to what appeared to be the largest knoll in sight. Here I had more great views of the same. I had lunch there and watched a pair of Peregrine Falcons (I think) soar over the valleys before disappearing into the distance against a background of Mount Shuksan glaciers. Great stuff.
08/30/03 Hiking Ptarmigan Ridge Trail (12 miles round trip):
Today was supposed to be an off day but it looked so nice when I got up I selected Ptarmigan Ridge to hike. I didn't get up to Artists Point until 9am and by that time people were pouring in to get out on the trails, this Saturday, the first day of the Labor Day weekend.
I started up the trailhead with a couple of guys from Vancouver. They had to come down here to hike because their parks are closed because of all the wildfires. They soon outdistanced me and I had the trail to myself for awhile.
The first mile is along the side of a steep, rocky slope and then forks, the right branches off to the Chain of Lakes while Ptarmigan Ridge is to the left.
Towards the end of the first mile I had to cross a wide glacier that sloped steeply, downward. A misstep would result in a 200 yard slide down to the edge of the glacier. You probably wouldn't get hurt (much) but you'd have a long climb back up to the trail.
Mount Shuksan had been present over my left shoulder as I watched Mount Baker in front of me. Heavy haze and the sun's position made Shuksan somewhat difficult to see. At the top of a ridge, Mount Baker really appeared in all its glory. Another mile brought me to another ridge and even better and closer views of Mount Baker.
Another mile and a couple more glacier crossings took me up a couple of small ridges where I had lunch 1/2 mile from the base of Mount Baker. I didn't know where the trail went from here but while having lunch, several people went by. I watched them climb 400-500 feet over this big rocky hump. The far edge of the hump seemed to be the edge of the trail for I could see little stubby trees (people) moving about for some time. Unfortunately, my legs don't go uphill after a lunch break. I'll really have something to look forward to because the hump ends right at the base of Mount Baker.
On the way back several of us watched 12-15 mountain goats on a distant glacier. They were too far away for a picture but binoculars brought them a little closer. After 20 minutes they worked their way down to the bottom of the glacier and disappeared.
Back at the first ridge I found a group of people watching 3 more mountain goats graze just off a snow pack. These were a lot closer and I got one picture where if you try real hard, you can see the goats.
This is definitely a do again trail and only gains 1400 feet in elevation.
09/01/03 Hiking Ptarmigan Ridge Trail (again):
I woke up this morning without any doubt about where I would hike. Yesterday was a rest day and today I was raring to go. Got to the first ridge in 1.5 hours. Walked past it and there were 6 mountain goats resting .25 miles away.
Met a backpacker coming down from over nighting and while talking to him I spotted a mom and a kid out on one of the snow patches. The skies were much clearer than in recent days with little haze nearby. Mount Baker shown in all its glory and Mount Shuksan was as clear as I'd seen it.
I finished the 6 mile, 1400 foot trail in about 3 hours. When I got to the rocky hump right in front of Mount Baker I had spectacular views in every direction. I could even see Glacier Peak and Mount Rainier off in the distance poking up through distant haze.