Two active volcanoes in two days.

(Click the panorama for a bigger view)

A few good things and a few bad things about Mount St Helens. Good things: it was more amazing than I imagined. The weather was GORGEOUS, and I'm so happy Garry and I waited until the weather cleared up for us to go. Bad things: The road leading up to Harmony trail was closed until Early June (and it's early June! Hello!?) because of how high the elevation is, and there was still snow. Therefore, leading us to put this trail to a halt. Oh, and we spent the night in Kelso. We went in a restaurant, and I was the only colored person there. Awkward much?

However, Mount Rainier wasn't too far away. And it was on our way home. After much debating with Garry, we drove there, and stopped at Paradise. And you know, Paradise was COVERED in snow. No, not just a few feet, and believe it was about 15 feet. And since it was sunny Mount St Helens, we were wearing our shorts. And since there was no way for us to change, we went exploring in the snow with bare legs.

The incline was steep. And normally that wouldn't bother me much, but I was trying not to fall or sink in the snow. I had to keep rhythm. Going up I was digging my toes in, and on the way down I was digging my heels in. I wasn't a heel-toe-heel-toe normal walk. And there were cross country skiers, snow shoers, and even one snowboarder going down the path we were taking up. All the more reason for me to practice hiking steeper inclines so Garry and I can go Winter snow shoeing and camping :)

Geological scratches

Mount St Helens and Toutle Canyon

Garry and I on the Boundary Trail #1 with Mount St Helens and Toutle Canyon in the background

Beautiful 80 degree day on Boundary Trail

Turning back

It was SO amazing to walk through a pseudo-desert like trail.

And since Forest Road 99 was closed to Spirit Lake, we went to Iron Creek Falls instead.

Iron creek falls.

Me and the plunging and raging falls

At Mt Rainier, and I conquered!

You try hiking on top of dense snow with just hiking shoes

Toes in first.

Tatoosh Range in Paradise Valley photo by Garry.

Sunday May 22nd, 2011: Federation Forest State Park hike

Location: Federation Forest State Park in Greenwater, WA

Trail: White River trail

Elevation: 100-200

Duration: 1 hour

Miles: 1.5 miles

Level: Easy

I wasn't at all disappointed with the spectacular views at White River, because it made for an amazing picnic. However, I was a little disappointed on the level of the trail, and how short it was. Federation Forest does offer harder and a lot longer trails, but I am very snobby and love hiking next to bodies of water. Access to Federation Forest is incredibly easy, and I will come back for the other trails. I will also come back for those trespassing "hidden" trails I just adore so much as well. I was also incredibly disappointed that I didn't get to see the cute gnome that greets happy trail goers (No, seriously. There is a garden gnome that lives in Federation Forest). To much rumors and everyone getting my hopes up for decent weather. There was sun peak! Some cloud coverage, but that does not bother me.

Rocks along the trail near the river.

Crooked bridge.

Fungi!

Our picnic spot! :D

LICHEN!!

No Mt St. Helens? It's okay, there was always the trails at Evergreen!

I mentioned Evergreen in the title, but let me tell you the great news: I got into University of Washington! Hooray! I will be starting as a junior this Fall for an environmental studies degree. And this will be my second Bachelors degree. Let's hope this works the second time.

Now, onto the real deal. Garry and I were suppose to go to Castle Rock, Washington to the Mount St. Helens National Monument, but he couldn't sit in my small car for that long of a ride. We ended up hiking the trails at The Evergreen State College (the first college I graduated from, Garry's current school). I wasn't miserable, but it was pouring rain, and we couldn't reach the Eld Inlet :( We were descending down a really steep, and muddy trail that required baby steps, and looking for the safe paths down. It was so fun though. We both found a lot of interesting things on trail, which includes a voodoo doll. Yeah...