Oyster Dome Hike, April 2013

Oyster Dome
Date:
April 6, 2013
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Distance: 6.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1,900 feet / 579 meters
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Off of SR11, South of Bellingham, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Leashed Dogs Only
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass Required
Trail Conditions: Wet trail
Hiking With: Linna Freeman, Beatrice He, Andreas Wieberneit, Kathrine Howe & Macho my dog.

This is a type of hike you will want to do on a sunny day to cherish all the wonderful views of Puget Sound when you summit. Our group wasn’t that fortunate though, we had cloudy skies with occasional showers and a rare blue sky. I will definitely be back on a sunny day, the views are breathtaking even on a cloudy day.

You will drive right pass this trailhead if you are not looking for the tiny wood sign that says “Pacific Northwest Trail”…there are no indications that you are at the Oyster Dome trailhead. The parking lot is pretty much a widen shoulder on State Route 11 or also called Chuckanut Drive, which is a very serene driving road. For more details on this hike please visit the Washington Trails Association website www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/oyster-dome.

Lake Melakwa Hike, August 2012

Denny Creek Trail to Melakwa Lake
Date:
August 12, 2012
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Distance: 9 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,300 Feet
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Near North Bend, Washington
Users Group: Hikers & Dogs Only
Permits: Discovery Pass
Trail Conditions: Dry all the way to the Melakwa Lake.
Hiking with: Linna Freeman, Cathrine Howe, Beatrice He, Andreas Wieberneit and Macho the wonderdog.

I haven’t hiked up Denny Creek to Melakwa Lake this year and knowing that all the ice was gone from the lake it was time to gather a few friends to enjoy a body numbing experience. Linna (my wife) invited a couple that she recently met in Seattle, Andreas Wieberneit & Beatrice He. We all met up at exit 17, off of I-90 along with another friend, Cathrine Howe.

It was a sunny day with temperatures in the eighties, so by the time we got to the trailhead we had to park along the road due to the amount of people; I figured there would be many on a warm sunny Saturday. After the 4 1/2 mile hike up to lake I was more than ready for that body numbing experience! Yes, the water was ball shrinking freezing, maybe 36 to 40 degrees. After a nine mile hike on a hot day meant for a cold beer at the North Bend Bar & Grill.