Day hike. 14 1/2 mile round trip...

[JackOfAllTrades]

Over 9,500' elevation change.  Huckle berries are still green. Salmon berries are all done. Blue berries in full sun and south slopes have sun burned tops/blooms. They never really budded. No berries. Some bear sign but didn't see a bruin in 12 hours of daylight. Kinda sucks when the fog rolls in.
 
 
-Steve

[ICEMAN]

9500', wow, what a hike.

[CAMPMEAT]

......................I'm outa breath already !

[JackOfAllTrades]

Ibuprophen on board!  I'm a bit sore this mornin. Solo trip. It always takes longer to get where I wanna be.. I got back to the truck at just dusk. I would have stayed back in there longer, but that last 3,500' decent out is a rough one to be doing via head lamp with only one good/functioning eye.
 
 
-Steve

[netcoyote]

Wife and I did a 14 miler down at Goat Rocks about a month ago on a day hike going in to Heart Lake. Sort of reminded me of my climbing days. Too much emphasis on destination and not enough time to take it all in and enjoy the trip. So it's a mixed bag...I like any time out in the backcountry but I prefer a more leisurely pace.

Looks like some great country Jack'.

[6.8mmARHunter]

Nice looking country...

[hoyt5199]

looks  awesome

[dmv9]

REI has some stuff called Sports Legs that helps with the soreness to prevent it in the first place. So far I've used it a couple of times and seems to help tremendously.

Ibuprophen on board!  I'm a bit sore this mornin. Solo trip. It always takes longer to get where I wanna be.. I got back to the truck at just dusk. I would have stayed back in there longer, but that last 3,500' decent out is a rough one to be doing via head lamp with only one good/functioning eye.
 
 
-Steve

[Ripper]

Nice country out there. Beautiful!

[JackOfAllTrades]

REI has some stuff called Sports Legs that helps with the soreness to prevent it in the first place. So far I've used it a couple of times and seems to help tremendously.

Thanks.. I'll look into that..  14 miles isn't so bad, I can do that in my sleep most any day, it was just the incline & elevation change involved that has made me feel it. I hike down hill much faster than most people. Straight up kicks my tail. Cool thing was that there were several water sources for much of the trip. =Katadyn.
 
 
-Steve

[Skyvalhunter]

NIce, atleast you were on a trail

[JackOfAllTrades]

NIce, atleast you were on a trail

I like to advocate to others to stay trail bound if hiking solo. I don't always live by that rule, and had the fog not rolled in, I would have been off trail in a heartbeat since I wasn't seeing what I was hoping for. Just last week a guy died from going off trail up here when he split up from his partner. He might still be alive if his buddy at least knew where he fell to.  http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/08/13/3145369/twin-lakes-hiker-died-from-falls.html
 
 
 
-Steve

[Austrian Hunter]

Nice pics!!!!  God's Country!! 

[skagitsteel]

was near that area ' little further down the ridge'  on friday.  Similar story no bears, few ripe berries, not nearly as much bear activity as last yr at this time (had seen 5 or 6 by this point last yr) atleast for me

[JackOfAllTrades]

was near that area ' little further down the ridge'  on friday.  Similar story no bears, few ripe berries, not nearly as much bear activity as last yr at this time (had seen 5 or 6 by this point last yr) atleast for me

You went up that 'other' trail with all the switchbacks? 
 
This was more of a scouting trip than anything else. I had sidearm but did not take rifle. I was looking to find berry and other forage condition. I was surprised at the water source availability. This same area was pretty dry last year at this time. But then I find Blueberrie tops that were scorched, yet grasses and other plants were green and wet.
 
 
-Steve