Late summer/fall hiking is my favorite. The trails are dry and no longer covered by snow. The weather is reliably better, requiring sunscreen instead of rain jackets. And even if there are more people on the trails, it doesn't matter - there are enough mountain blueberries for everyone!
We did another loop of the Scott Paul Trail, this time without the loop up to Park Butte Lookout and back. 2 miles across Schreiber's Meadow and up through the woods, then across the swinging drawbridge below Railroad Grade. The glacial moraines that make up the shoulders of Mt Baker were littered with low berry bushes.
At one point we dropped below the trail a few feet to stuff our faces with almost black-blueberries. When we went back to the trail and turned around, we found that we'd been missing out on a whole buffets that were at elbow height uphill of us! It was truly a berry buffet.
One of the few hikers we passed going the other direction replied to our excited notice of their upcoming berry treasure with assurance that there were berries back where they'd come from, too. The last in their group asked for proof by telling me to stick out my tongue. We stood there for a second, silly berry-happy grins on our faces and blackened tongues evidencing our bear-like browsing!!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave me a nifty note! I'd love to hear from you!