First (real) hike of the year, up the Baker River above Baker Lake. Still a lotta snow up there!
Pool in Baker River.
Suspension bridge for hikers!
Gravel bar and log-jam on the Baker River, STILL a mile or so OUTSIDE North Cascades National Park! This area is an ideal gateway to the park and deserves to be added to it! http://americanalps.blogspot.com/
Peaks peek through the trees.
Now that's clean water! (Just enough "glacial flour" to give it that emerald-green color.)
The end of the trail for us today. This bridge over Blum Creek was closed last July when I was here, but then it was just sagging a bit. This winter must have done it in.
The substructure had rotted-out. Too bad, the best views were still ahead. Hopefully the area will be added to National Park and park-quality structures will be built AND maintained!
Hidden Creek, roaring with spring melt!
"Zorro Falls"
Wild rose
Bleeding heart
A meadow of bleeding heart
New maple leaves have that bright glowing green color.
Moss garden
After a long soggy spring the blue sky and sunshine felt really good!
Saw quite a few of these tiny frogs, about the size of a quarter! They say you know an ecosystem is healthy if it has frogs. Let's hope this area is added to the National Park and remains pristine!
Mt. Baker!
Mt. Shuksan, seen from a pull-out on the Baker Lake road, seems almost impossibly scenic.
