Hiking Log: Maple Pass Loop
Still on the agenda - finishing my photos and actually writing up the hiking log for my 6-day West Highland Way + Ben Nevis (Scotland) journey. It was amazing and beautiful, and I need to get to it before the details start fading from memory. My feet are still peeling. I think the memories are safe until the body heals, at least.
Today I finally did Maple Pass Loop.
Mileage: 7 exactly
Buttkicking factor: I don't know. I'm in pretty good hiking condition right now, so it didn't faze me at all. 2.5 late season North Cascades Stars?
I tried to do this hike a few weeks ago, but the forest fires were burning and there was too much smoke in the air. My eyes were burning as soon as I got out of the car, and I was worried that my asthma would kick in if I tried to hike in it. That said, I am so pleased I waited (even though that meant doing the long drive out there twice). The views today were out of this world.
There's not much else to talk about. I didn't find it a particularly strenuous hike, but I'm also at my late summer peak hiking fitness right now. (WHW + Ben Nevis was 100 miles, and I've been out every weekend before that since June.) One of the best things about it was the route down was along the spine of the mountain. I adore thin ridge hikes! They're not particularly common to find on established trails, so this was really lovely.
But absolutely hilarious coincidences for the win! Nearing the top of the pass, before heading down on the ridge walk, I passed two people with a lovely dog. I didn't pay attention to the people, but admired the spotted dog and petted him. Then I came home and loaded up my pictures onto my Flickr. At the same time, one of my Flickr contacts loaded his pictures up. The dog! IT WAS HIM! I guess we've never actually met in person. It's so funny... we've been chatting online for years, and here we just passed breezily on the trail. It's probably happened before - I occasionally catch signs on the hiking boards that I did the same hike as someone I knew online- but never quite like this.
And the dog (not my photo):
Today I finally did Maple Pass Loop.
Mileage: 7 exactly
Buttkicking factor: I don't know. I'm in pretty good hiking condition right now, so it didn't faze me at all. 2.5 late season North Cascades Stars?
I tried to do this hike a few weeks ago, but the forest fires were burning and there was too much smoke in the air. My eyes were burning as soon as I got out of the car, and I was worried that my asthma would kick in if I tried to hike in it. That said, I am so pleased I waited (even though that meant doing the long drive out there twice). The views today were out of this world.
There's not much else to talk about. I didn't find it a particularly strenuous hike, but I'm also at my late summer peak hiking fitness right now. (WHW + Ben Nevis was 100 miles, and I've been out every weekend before that since June.) One of the best things about it was the route down was along the spine of the mountain. I adore thin ridge hikes! They're not particularly common to find on established trails, so this was really lovely.
But absolutely hilarious coincidences for the win! Nearing the top of the pass, before heading down on the ridge walk, I passed two people with a lovely dog. I didn't pay attention to the people, but admired the spotted dog and petted him. Then I came home and loaded up my pictures onto my Flickr. At the same time, one of my Flickr contacts loaded his pictures up. The dog! IT WAS HIM! I guess we've never actually met in person. It's so funny... we've been chatting online for years, and here we just passed breezily on the trail. It's probably happened before - I occasionally catch signs on the hiking boards that I did the same hike as someone I knew online- but never quite like this.
And the dog (not my photo):