Skyline Divide Trail

Another weekend and another fantastic hike!   This weekend, we conquered the Skyline Divide Trail.  We traversed steep switchbacks through miles of firs and hemlocks, and were rewarded with a breathtaking view of Mt. Baker - and, Shuksan, Ruth, Table, Goat, Winchester, and Kulshan.   We saw them all!

There were fourteen of us all together - five adults, seven kids, and two dogs.  Just as I've always known, friends do make hiking more fun.

Freckle was hilarious.  We found snirt - snow/dirt - and she was in heaven.  Freckle?  Freckle? Where are you?

There were plenty of times that the trail gave way to a snow field.

And there were a couple times when the snow field was so huge that we couldn't find the trail again.   Which way do we go?  Which way do we go?

It's a good thing Sean was willing to do a little recon for us and scout the edges of the snow field and put us back on the trail.   

Henry, Matt, and Bonnie.  Hiking, hiking, hiking.

After a couple miles, we were rewarded with some great views.  Henry looks... crabby/serious/miffed.   But he really was having fun.

Melinda, me, and Kerry.  No doubt about it - we had a blast!  It was great being with my girlfriends.

Wilderness Area.  This is how you know you're on a serious hike.

 Up, up, up we go.   Alice thought it was great to hold Freckle's leash - made it a lot easier to get up those hills.

Matt was in charge of the old lady, Bonnie the Dog.  We figure that Bonnie is about 90 years old.  And she hung in there for the entire hike.

Melinda and Kerry.

Almost there.  So close we could taste it but that last hill was a doozy.

Reward!   It took a 1500' elevation gain to get there, but it was worth every step.

The open ridge of Skyline Divide.   As one trail guide stated: "..you will be greeted with patches of snow, resplendent meadows, and a view of 10,781' Mount Baker that will knock your Smartwools off!"   That it did.  I was amazed.

We were happy hikers.

Guyan had to take it all in.

Two boys, a bag of Pirate Booty popcorn, and an incredible view.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a picnic lunch with this nice of a view.

There we are!  Sean, Melinda, Guyan, Owen, and Freckle the Dog.  Matt, Kerry, Riley, Chloe, Jack, and Bonnie the Dog.   Me, Henry, and Alice.   Oh, and a watermelon.  Sean, strong man that he is, carried a watermelon in a backpack up 1500'.   It tasted so good... Thanks, Sean!

So happy to share this with my kiddos.  Wish Dan could have been with us.   I guess that gives us an excuse to do this hike again next year.

Sean and Melinda hiked here during their first week of dating, many moons ago.   They have a photo of the two of them in this exact spot.   So glad they brought us along this time and let us share this fantastic hike.

The Cool tree pose.   You'll have to ask them.  It's just what they do.

Too much snow for the much-promised "alpine meadows abundant with wildflowers" described in the guidebooks.  These pretty little yellow flowers were the only ones brave enough to make an appearance.

Matt and Kerry.  We had such fun together this weekend.

And me.  Too bad I'm not creative enough to Photoshop Dan in this photo.

The girls.

And, the boys.

Love this photo of Chloe and Alice.  They had such fun together.   And, they were troopers!  They totally smoked the boys on the hike up.

Then it was time to head back down.   Getting down was a bit more tricky as the snow was a little more slushy and I don't think one of us got back to the car with a dry butt.

We love to hike!