Chain Lakes Loop

On the first day of autumn, Mike was able to get in one final Saturday of good weather for a day hike to give him over 50 miles of hiking in 2023.  This was his easiest effort all year at just 6.7 miles and 2066 feet of ascent, but probably the most "bang for the buck" hike of the season in terms of scenery.  The Chain Lakes Loop is a very popular hike in the Mount Baker Wilderness of Northern Washington.  Starting from Artist Point, he did a counter-clockwise loop which addressed the most serious elevation section early in the day while his legs (and knees) were still fresh.

While the hike started with clear skies, by the time Mike got to his first view of Mt. Baker along the trail, the peak was already covered in clouds, but the view was still majestic.  

Hayes Lake along the Chain Lakes Loop in the Mount Baker Wilderness

Mount Baker and Chains Lake Basin from Herman Saddle

GPS Info

Here is the data from the GPS unit:

Maps

This Leaflet Map is provided by GPS Visualizer

Elevation Profile

This profile is provided by GPS Visualizer

Coordinates and other details

Mileage:	6.7 Miles
Elevation	2066 Feet
Time:	5:08:09 (total), 3:14:21 (moving)
Average Speed:	1.31 MPH (total), 2.07 MPH (moving)
Trailhead Coordinates:	48°50'47.5"N 121°41'34.9"W

The GPX file can be downloaded here.

Photos and Videos

Photos are available at this album.  I have also uploaded YouTube video, but the audio isn't great (there is a lot of noise... I need to figure out how to reduce noise on my GoPro.)

Cascade Pass & Sahale Glacier

Mike has a long-time friend who he hadn't seen in several years.  Out of the blue, Scott called Mike to tell him that he was on a months-long trip with his Sprinter van and would be coming through Washington state on his way back home to San Diego.  He wanted to know if Mike had recommendations on itineraries in North Cascades National Park, and if Mike would like to accompany him on a day hike.  Mike jumped at the opportunity, and offered to show off one of the premiere itineraries in the North Cascades:  Cascade Pass and the Sahale Arm.

Throughout the week, we kept an eye out on the wildfire situation occurring in the eastern part of the national park, but as Saturday approached, the air quality looked like it would be reasonable to attempt the trip.  We were not disappointed with the views in the least.  

The hike was a punishing 13 miles with 4500 feet of ascent that starts out deceptively mild, but the last third of the hike was a straight-up slog with steep grades.

North Cascades from Sahale Glacier Camp

Doubtful Lake on the Sahale Arm

GPS Info

Here is the data from the GPS unit:

Maps

This Leaflet Map is provided by GPS Visualizer

Elevation Profile

This profile is provided by GPS Visualizer

Coordinates and other details

Mileage:	13.2 Miles
Elevation	4478 Feet
Time:	10:05:06 (total), 6:20:07 (moving)
Average Speed:	1.30 MPH (total), 2.08 MPH (moving)
Trailhead Coordinates:	N48° 28.550' W121° 04.538'

The GPX file can be downloaded here.

Photos and Videos

Photos are available at this album.  I have also uploaded YouTube videos of Cascade Pass and the Sahale Glacier.

Mason and Rainbow Lakes

On another free Saturday at the end of July, Mike headed out for another adventure to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to bag a couple more lakes, namely Mason Lake and Rainbow Lake.  The leisurely 5-hour day hike comprised an in-and-out hike of 10 miles with 3000 feet of ascent.  There was an abundance of hikers from the trailhead to Mason Lake, but continuing on to Rainbow Lake, there wasn't even a single hiker passed.  He peacefully enjoyed the entire lake by himself for lunch.  The temperature and weather conditions were perfect, with some wispy clouds adding perspective to the reflections in Sir Richard's Pond situated between the two lakes.

Mason Lake

Rainbow Lake

Wildflowers were at their peak as well in all sorts of colors:  Red, yellow, purple, and white.  He spotted all of the following:

• Fireweed
• Wenatchee Paintbrush
• Pearly Everlasting
• Woodland Penstemon
• Dwarf Dogwood
• Bead Lily
• Beargrass
• Rosy Spiraea
• Wandering Daisy

GPS Info

Here is the data from the GPS unit:

Maps

This Leaflet Map is provided by GPS Visualizer

Elevation Profile

This profile is provided by GPS Visualizer

Coordinates and other details

Mileage:	10.0 Miles
Elevation	3029 Feet
Time:	6:53:26 (total), 4:58:30 (moving)
Average Speed:	1.45 MPH (total), 2.01 MPH (moving)
Trailhead Coordinates:	47.42441, -121.58301

The GPX file can be downloaded here.

Photos and Videos

Photos are available at this album.  I have also uploaded a YouTube video and time lapse.

Source, Snow, and Gem Lakes

On Monday July 3rd, 2023, Mike was having one of his worst days at work since joining Microsoft nine years ago.  He had been spending weeks trying to debug a design he inherited, and progress was slow.  Working six days a week, as long as 12-14 hours a day while watching the project schedule erode was taking an emotional toll.  Monday was particularly trying for its dead-end paths, wandering in circles, and general mud stuckedness (if that's even a word.)  Adding insult to injury was the fact that it was a long weekend for most concluding with Independence Day on Tuesday, and while many were enjoying festive celebrations, Mike was having none of it because of the stress at work.  What he wanted (needed?) most was a long hike in the mountains during some epic summer weather.

And then, a tender mercy occurred.  Around 6pm on Monday night, Mike had finally figured out the root cause for the bug he had been troubleshooting, and all tests indicated that he was definitely on the right track.  That meant that he would have an opportunity to take that hike after all.  And what better itinerary than a trip to Alpine Lakes Wilderness to bag three lakes he had never seen before: Source, Snow, and Gem Lakes.  The 13-mile hike with its 3500 feet of ascent may have been physically challenging, but it was great for the soul.

The beauty of the area is not to be denied as evidenced by the photos and videos that he took.  Unfortunately, Mike left the SD Card for his GoPro at home, so all footage was with the cell phone, but fortunately, the area was photogenic enough to take great pictures all by itself.

Snow Lake

Gem Lake

There were a handful of wildflowers captured with varying quality on Mike's cell phone.  (He really needs to figure out how to get his phone's macro mode to work better.)  With Suzanne's help, they identified the following flowers:

• Lewis Monkeyflower
• Fivefinger Cinquefoil
• Thimbleberry
• Dwarf Bramble
• Sitka Mountain-Ash
• Mountain Meadow-Sweet
• Red Columbine
• Pink Mountain Heather
• Bear Grass
• Pacific Bleeding Heart

GPS Info

Here is the data from the GPS unit:

Maps

This Leaflet Map is provided by GPS Visualizer

Elevation Profile

This profile is provided by GPS Visualizer

Coordinates and other details

Mileage:	12.9 Miles
Elevation	3555 Feet
Time:	9:17:40 (total), 6:47:38 (moving)
Average Speed:	1.39 MPH (total), 1.90 MPH (moving)
Trailhead Coordinates:	47.4444, -121.4231

The GPX file can be downloaded here.

Photos and Videos

Photos are available at this album, while a YouTube video is available here.

Orlando, Florida

It had been two years since the family was able to connect with Mia, so we decided to fly across the country to visit with her and meet her boyfriend, Mike, in Orlando, Florida during Northshore School District's Mid-Winter Break, as that was a week that Suzanne could take off from seminary.  

It was great to spend quality time as a family, get familiar with Florida, see some of the attractions in the area, and also relax at Mike and Mia's home with some board games, movies, and great food.  

Blue Springs State Park - We saw several manatees as well as an alligator at this spring with crystal clear water.

Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center

Activities

Harry P Leu Gardens

While our hike We spent about 2.5 hours at this sprawling garden setting on Lake Rowena in Orlando.  It has a wide array of trees, ferns, flowers, and succulents.  Adding to the setting were quaint homes, restful gazebos, terraced patios, and water fountains.  We enjoyed views of the lake, and couldn't help but gawk at some of the intricate flowers and oddly patterned tree trunks.

Hike Details: 

• 1.07 mi
  Distance
 
• 42:31
  Moving Time
 
• 39:28 /mi
  Pace

Audubon Center for Birds of Prey

Located on the shore of Lake Sybellia in Maitland, Florida, we visited this facility that houses rescued raptors.  We knew it was going to be a special place when we were greeted at the ticket counter by a blind bald eagle that volunteers read to.  We saw vultures, falcons, hawks, and owls among many other birds, both large and small.  We also saw turtles among the lily pads of the lake.

Kelly Park / Rock Springs

This popular destination for floating in crystal clear waters made for an enjoyable 1.2-mile hike.  The trail took us directly to the cave from which the head of the spring emanates.  The path is lined with tall trees and ferns.

Hike Details:

• 1.20 mi
  Distance
 
• 34:53
  Moving Time
 
• 29:03 /mi
  Pace

Space Coast

On Friday, February 17th, we took the hour and a half drive east from Orlando to visit the Kennedy Space Center.  We oohed and aahed at all of the exhibits, displays, rockets, artifacts, and history of NASA's primary launch facility.  We saw glimpses of the future of space travel on display, as well as a plethora of space-flown items on display, such as the Apollo 14 capsule, the Gemini 9A capsule, and Gene Cernan's spacesuit from the Apollo 17 mission.  It is the last spacesuit to touch the Moon, back in 1972.  We also saw the massive Saturn V Rocket, and Atlantis Space Shuttle.  As if that isn't enough, the entire Apollo 11 control room is also on display, including all of the original equipment in its original configuration from the 1969 mission that landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon.

After spending several hours at the visitor complex, we drove to Cocoa Beach to feel Florida sand and touch the Atlantic Ocean, a first for all of us.  Even though we arrived at 6pm, there were still quite a few people at the beach, enjoying a pleasant evening of surfing, swimming, and beachcombing.

The day finished up with an actual SpaceX rocket launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Inmarsat I-6 F2 payload.  We waited a couple of hours at a viewing area about 12 miles away from Space Launch Complex 40.  We enjoyed seeing a rocket launch live as it lit up the entire night sky, but a low cloud cover meant we could only see the rocket for a few seconds before disappearing.  

Blue Springs State Park

After watching a rocket launch late on Friday evening and then driving back to Florida, we got little sleep that night, as we decided to wake up early on Saturday morning, because the weather forecast gave us our best opportunity to see manatees at Blue Springs State Park.  We ended up spotting several manatees, all of which had been recently released.  Each of them had trackers and buoys on them that made them easier to spot above water.  Unfortunately, it was difficult to get a decent picture of them from the viewpoints where we saw them, but it was awesome to see such large, graceful creatures in the clear spring water.  As a bonus, we even got to see an alligator in the wild.  Fortunately, they were on the other side of the spring, sunning on a log, so we were able to admire it without feeling threatened by its presence.

Hike Details:

• 0.98 mi
  Distance
 
• 30:16
  Moving Time
 
• 30:43 /mi
  Pace

Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom

We figured that as long as we were in Orlando, we had better do at least one theme park, so we opted to do Disney's Animal Kingdom this time around.  Part zoo, part amusement park, we spent nearly 12 hours exploring the park and waiting in lines.  We were surprised at how crowded WDW can be even in February!  Here is what everyone said their favorite attraction was:

Person	Favorite
Mom	Kilimanjaro Safari
Dad	Festival of the Lion King
Mike:	Gorilla Falls Trail Aviary
Mia	Feathered Friends of Flight
Raymond	Feathered Friends of Flight

Walk Details:

• 3.96 mi
  Distance
 
• 2:02:19
  Moving Time
 
• 30:53 /mi
  Pace

Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum

One of the weirder attractions we visited was the eclectic Ripley's museum in Orlando.  From intricate matchstick models to large carved horns, a flight suit signed by Buzz Aldrin, and Han Solo's blaster, you really never knew what (or even why!) you were going to see around the next corner of this place.

Showcase of Citrus

No visit to Florida would be complete without a visit to a citrus farm!  We visited the Showcase, which is one of Central Florida's most popular farm attraction, complete with farm (and not so farm) animals.  We enjoyed fresh squeezed citrus slushees from the bar, and Dad even spotted a favorite childhood beverage that he hasn't seen in many years.

Favorites

Here is what each family member said their favorite activity was:

Person	Favorite
Mom	Manatees at Blue Springs
Dad	Kennedy Space Center
Mike:	Playing Board Games (especially Hot Seat)
Mia	Manatees at Blue Springs
Raymond	Feathered Friends of Flight

Photos and Videos

• Photos
• GoPro Videos

Spider Gap - Buck Creek Loop (2022)

Almost a decade ago, Mike went on his first 50-mile backpacking trip with BSA troop 525.  The trip was so spectacular, that when he was invited to repeat this itinerary with friends Ted and Dave, he said "Absoutely!"  The Spider Gap / Buck Creek Loop in the Glacier Peak Wilderness has some of the most amazing scenery of Washington's Cascade Mountain range.  But, don't take his word for it, look at the photo gallery from the trip and decide for yourself.

It is agonizingly difficult to come up with a picture or two that can act as cover pictures for this blog, but Mike settled on showing the views from the campsites.  

Campsite on Larch Knob overseeing Spider Meadow and the Phelps Creek Basin

Sunrise on Glacier Peak from campsite at Buck Creek Pass

---

Report

Day 1 (8.4 miles / 2411 feet of ascent): Starting from the Phelps Creek Trailhead from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the trio began their hike with a sneak peak of the type of views they would enjoy during the trip.  After a couple of miles of gradual ascent they entered Glacier Peak Wilderness.  The next few miles would be a gentle amble through the forest, with several creek crossings, until arriving at the first gem of the trip:  Spider Meadow.  The U-shaped valley is evidence of the massive Spider Glacier that once carved this valley into the beauty that it is today.  After a casual lunch at the meadow, they picked their jaws off the ground and made the arduous ascent up to Larch Knob, where they camped with views of Spider Meadow from high above the valley floor.

Day 2 (7.1 miles / 1803 feet of ascent): To say that day 2 was the shortest mileage of the trip doesn't do justice to the difficulty of the terrain.  They first had to slog up Spider Glacier, avoiding a crevasse along the way.  At the top of Spider Gap, they were treated to views of Lyman Lakes Basin and Chiwawa Mountain.  Past Upper Lyman Lake, they had to ford Railroad Creek before descending along the Lyman Falls to Lower Lyman Lake.  Finding ripe, delicious mountain huckleberries in the lower part of the basin made for some slow going, as the temptation to stop often and pop a few in their mouths was just too great.  Eventually, however, they made it to the campsite at Cloudy Pass before sunset, but the bugs drove them into our tents fairly early in the evening.

Day 3 (11.0 miles / 4724 feet of ascent): A day of literal ups and downs, they had to climb up to Cloudy Pass with spectacular views of Spider Gap and the Lyman Lakes Basin to the south and their first glimpse of Glacier Peak, after which came Suiattle Pass and our overlap of the Pacific Crest Trail.  It was here where they met a through-hiker named Steve (trail name: Rocky).  His YouTube channel catalogs his hike from the Mexican border to the Canadian Border and also features a cameo of Dave, Ted, and Mike.  They passed several other through hikers on the long descent to Miner's Creek, which included a choose-your-own adventure route over an avalanche field of downed trees. After leaving the PCT, it was an arduous ascent to Middle Ridge.  One would have hoped that three passes were enough for one day, but no... they still had to drop down to Small Creek and finish at Buck Creek Pass, where they set up camp with a perfect view of Glacier Peak.

Day 4 (10.7 miles / 945 feet of ascent):  The sprint to the end of the trail was mostly downhill to the old mining town of Trinity, WA.  Of course, they didn't sprint, because there were still too many photo opportunities to pass by.  By the time they had reached Trinty, the temperature was in the 80s, made all too apparent by how exposed the trail was, especially the recent fire burn area where wildflowers were taking full advantage of the newfound sunlight.

Daily Itinerary	Distance (miles)	Elev. Gain (ft)
Phelps Creek TR to Larch Knob	8.4	2411
Larch Knob to Cloudy Pass	7.1	1803
Cloudy Pass to Buck Creek Pass	11.0	4724
Buck Creek Pass to Trinity	10.7	945
TOTALS	37.2	9883

The wildflowers were amazing.  Our trip may have been past peak for some of the higher elevation meadows, but we saw a burst of color in the lower meadows, including all of the following:

• Aster
• Pearly Everlasting
• Mountain Arnica
• Magenta Paintbrush
• Wenatchee Paintbrush
• Giant Red Paintbrush
• Howell's Pussytoes
• Subalpline Lupen
• Reb Willowherb
• Moutain Bog Gentain
• Fireweed
• Bear Grass

Photos

Here is Mike's online photos.  A more complete album including Ted and Dave's pictures is here.  A playlist of GoPro videos are also available on YouTube.

GPS Info

Flythrough Maps

Dave produced the following 3D maps of each day from his Suunto watch:

• Day 1 - Phelps Creek to Larch Knob
• Day 2 - Larch Knob to Lyman Lakes to Cloudy Pass Camp
• Day 3 - Cloudy Pass Camp to Buck Creek Pass (almost)
• Day 4 - Buck Creek Pass to Trinity - Back to truck

Overview Map

Elevation Profile

If you would like to use this info with your GPS unit, the full GPX file is here.

Sucia Island

Ahead of their 27th wedding anniversary, Suzanne and Mike took a trip to Sucia Island State Park, a member of the San Juan Islands in the Strait of Georgia.  Because there is no state ferry service to Sucia Island, most visit the island by private boat.  Because they don't have a boat, Mike and Suzanne got to their campground with a bit more logistical preparation that required them to:

1. Drive from their home to Anacortes, WA
2. Board the ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island
3. Drive to Eastsound, WA on the north side of Orcas.
4. Board a water taxi to Sucia Island
5. Backpack their camping gear from Fossil Bay to North Echo Bay
6. Hike back to Fossil Bay to prepare the kayak
7. Paddle from Fossil Bay to Mud Bay
8. Portage across the spit from Mud Bay to Snoring Bay
9. Paddle from Snoring Bay to campsite at North Echo Bay via South Finger and Justice Islands

They left home at 5am and were finally set up at camp with their kayak on shore at 3:15pm.  

Sucia is a beautiful island chocked full of gravelly beaches, hidden coves, large bays, intricate rock formations, forested paths, bluffs with expansive vistas, tranquil sunsets, and thrilling wildlife.  They saw otters, seals, herons, gulls, cormorants, eagles (along with a ridiculously large nest,) bats, snakes, lizards, mice (keep your food very secure on Sucia!), and naturally, plenty of ants and mosquitoes.

Dusk on Fossil Bay with Mount Baker in the background

Activities

The focus of this itinerary was threefold:  kayaking, hiking, and relaxing.  Hiking would typically happen in the morning, with kayaking in the afternoon, and relaxing in the evenings, watching the sunset and enjoying the view from the campsite.  They collected the following details from their GPS:

Activity	Distance (miles)	Elev. Gain (ft)
Backpacking	2.7	550
Hiking	16.2	2420
Kayaking	8.7	--
TOTALS	27.6	2970

Map

The following are the maps of hiking and paddling along with a GPX file with all of these hikes.  The maps and profiles are all produced by GPS Visualizer.  

Hiking

Kayaking

Profiles

Hiking Elevation

Kayaking Speed

Highlights

For a remote island accessible by boat only, the Washington State Parks service does a great job at maintaining the facilities.  The compost toilets were always clean, and the campsites well maintained.  The staff were occasionally spotted on their John Deere tractor, and they were all very friendly.  When they saw pedestrians on the trail, they would come to a complete stop until passed to keep dust off of visitors.

Favorites

• Mike: Enjoying the expansive scenery of the Georgia Strait, with boats, otters, seals, and birds enjoying the waters during sunset.
• Suzanne: Exploring the rocky coastline via kayak.

Lowlights

The biggest misfortune on the trip was Suzanne's fall that injured her right elbow.  Because she was no longer able to paddle, they had to limit their kayaking distance, since Mike had to do all of the paddling.  As a result, they weren't able to explore some of the areas they had hoped to.  

The mosquitos were annoying as well.  The bug spray did a reasonable job of keeping them from attacking, but both were bitten several times.  

Photos

There are 160 photos and a video of one kayak outing, which traversed Fossil Bay, Shallow Bay, and Fox Cove.  Click the links to view them all.