There was a slight break in the weather this morning, so I took the 8:00 shuttle bus up to High Bridge to get a half day of hiking in. (Tomorrow is the last day the shuttle bus runs, so getting upvalley will be a little less convenient after that.)
I started with the Agnes Gorge trail. This trail goes for 2.5 miles, on the opposite side of Agnes Creek as the Agnes Creek trail (the one I came into the Stehekin Valley on at the end of my backpacking trip). Unlike that trail which climbs high above Agnes Gorge, the gorge trail contours just above the creek for a couple miles and then drops into the Agnes Gorge. It is a pleasant, nearly level low-elevation forest walk ending at the beautiful gorge. The fall colors are probably a week away from their peak at this lower elevation. There were a few drops of drizzle and a few small sunbreaks.
Agnes Gorge took exactly two hours, which gave me just enough time to go to Coon Lake and still catch the 12:15 shuttle home. It is 1.3 miles and maybe 500 feet of elevation gain, through more open forest with some views across the Stehekin Valley and up to McGregor Mountain. I watched a duck feeding in the lake for a few minutes, but never got any decent pictures.
Critter notes: Agnes Gorge is considered one of the best places to see bears (I have seen them there before). And the trail to Coon Lake is considered one of the best places to see a rattler. Unfortunately, I saw neither. (This is my third time hiking the Stehekin area, and I have never seen a rattlesnake, although they are by no means rare around here.)
This afternoon I finished the slow movement of the clarinet sonata, while the rain started up again. The locals seem pretty surprised by the amount of rainy weather this past week. The forecast calls for sunny weather Friday-Sunday: I will probably backpack up to North Fork Bridge Creek then—my last backpack trip while I’m here.
View 15 photos from these hikes.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-
Purple Pass/Boulder Butte 16 miles, 6,200 feet elevation gain and loss Mountain Goat on Boulder Butte Summit View all of the photos from thi... -
The sky is cloudy but clearing this morning. There is fresh snow on the high peaks. There was a great blue heron on the shore right in front... -
The deck, where I tried to work earlier this afternoon, but the sun was too bright. I'll have to find the sweet spots of the day, when i...
4 comments:
What are rattlesnakes doing in a rainy, green, mountainous area?
Doesn't seem like their regular habitat.
That first pic is great. Appreciate the photos and the comments!
Vanguy: it's really a pretty dry climate here on the east slope of the Cascades. It's been unusually soggy since I got here. There's a trail that goes downlake 20 miles or so from here--I guess you're practically guaranteed to see them down there.
That makes sense. I forgot there's a lot of rattlesnakes in the southern Okanagan - BC wine country - which abuts the border. Cascades must be basically straight south from there.
Think I read once that there is a continual desert/arid stretch from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
Post a Comment