BACK ON THE TRAIL!

This day dawned early with a long ride planned up past the Mt. Baker Ski area. We originally planned to do three short hikes from our starting point, but after getting updated information, we changed to one long hike-Chain Lakes Loop. It seems that when the rangers look at us they have serious reservations about our abilities and often discourage our taking the more strenuous and technically difficult trails. Today we found a Forest Service Volunteer that actually listened and told us to go for it. We had originally been discouraged because of the long snowfields that had to be traversed. We have experience in this area and do not feel intimated and are always willing to give it a try. Philip started the day with us and then turned around and went back to take the car to our ending point. BLESS HIS HEART! Saves us a out and back and MANY miles. Our trek today was only 6.5 miles.

We started the day with a stop at Picture Lake. BEAUTIFUL! Jim gave us a short devotional while there that he later wrote down for me. He is our "Guest Blogger" tomorrow and YOU MUST come back and read his profound words. That is all I will say as I don't want to give away his subject.

We then drove to the Bagly Lake Trail which was by a rolling mountain stream to the Heather Meadows Visitor Center. We had the MOST interesting conversation with a volunteer while there and I plan to tell you all about it after I have posted all the hiking days. His and his wife's adventures make ours seem tame!

The trail was a LONG way up and then back down and around a lake before heading to meet Philip on the other end of the trail. Beautiful scenery, rocky steep trails, long snowfields, and snowmelt streams all had to be conquered today. The views along the way keep you SO awestruck that you never think about what you are having to physically do (WELL MOST of the time).

There were MANY people on the trail today. Both ends of our hike had road accessibility which means the weekend tourists all come out for the view. The only time we saw LOTS of people was the weekend and they mostly appeared to be locals. So interesting after our experiences the past two years.

The day ended at "Artisans' Point" were there were long snow field. Two of our YOUNG girls felt lead to slide down the sled run-sans-NO SLED. A storm blew in while we were there and we had to leave off another trail to Table Mountain, but it would have been difficult for it to be much better than what we had already seen.

Picture Lake (SEE I WAS THERE!)

Philip climbed the rocks to let out a yodel.
The bridge at the beginning of the trail. We met some tourists from Singapore who made our picture for us. We saw them at the end of the trail where they had driven and all those young men were amazed that we had hiked the entire way.

The Stream Along Bagly Lake Trail

Bagly Lake

An Example of the Rocky Trails

If you look carefully, you can see the trail in front of us as it winds upward

We are headed to the pass on the left side of the picture.

Table Mountain

Looking Back At Bagly Lake Where We Came From.

Proof Again That I REALLY Was There.

Back down we go to the end of the trail.

Our Fun Loving Hikers Sliding Down

Obviously LA girls do not know that snow is WET!

BE SURE AND COME BACK TOMORROW FOR MY GUEST BLOGGER!