Plant a hiker’s garden, p.26 See orcas, p.34 Stay hydrated, p.31 WASHINGTON TRAILS March + April 2010 » A Publication of Washington Trails Association www.wta.org » $4.50 Reading the Rocks: Interpreting the Geologic Forces that Shape Washington’s Landscape Take Steps Into Wilderness With WTA, p.12 Day Hikes and Cheap Sleeps, p.28 Hiker’s Primavera Pasta, p.35 » Table of Contents March+April 2010 Volume 46, Issue 2 News + Views The Front Desk » Elizabeth Lunney An attempt at expressing gratitude. » p.4 The Signpost » Lace Thornberg If your life on trail was an album, which days would you play again? » p.5 Hiking News » Updates on Cape Horn, the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, the Stehekin Road and more. » p.6 4 WTA at Work Holly Chambers Trail Work » Alan Carter Mortimer WTA’s volunteer crew leaders show dedication. » p.10 On the Web » Susan Elderkin Spring is here. Where will you be hiking? » p.14 Action for Trails » Kindra Ramos “Rookies” prove to be great lobbyists for DNR funding. » p.16 19 Membership News » Rebecca Lavigne Fireside Circle members meet winemakers, swap trail tales. » p.18 On Trail Special Feature » Volunteer Geologists A look at the geologic forces that have sculpted Washington. » p.19 Maggie Brewer Feature » Pam Roy Yard work is okay, but not when it stands in the way of hiking. » p.26 Feature » Lauren Braden Not ready to pull out the tent? Check out these trailside B and B’s. » p.28 Backcountry The Gear Closet » Allison Woods Learn more about your bladder. The one in your pack. » p.31 How to Do It » Leif Wefferling What’s that cloud mean? Amaze your hiking friends. » p.33 Nature on Trail » Erika Klimecky Have you ever seen a whale while hiking? You can! » p.34 Take a Hike » Select trip reports from across the state. » p.37 34 Erika Klimecky A Walk on the Wild Side » Janice Van Cleve This Month’s Cover » Photo by Jim Cummins Eating with a spork? A few recommended wine pairings. » p.46 Headwaters of South Fork Tieton River and unnamed peak (point 7527) in the Goat Rocks Wilderness www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails About Us « 3 WASHINGTON TRAILS 2019 Third Avenue, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Owner & Publisher Suite 100 WASHINGTON TRAILS ASSOCIATION President Seattle, WA 98121 Editor CRAIG MCKIBBEN, Seattle 206.625.1367 LACE THORNBERG VP, Advocacy Gear Editor www.wta.org DAVID SCHOENBORN, Vancouver ALLISON WOODS VP, Board Development Washington Trails Editorial Intern MICHELE COAD, Seattle Association is a volunteer- MEGAN ELDER VP, Fundraising & Membership driven nonprofit member- Copy Editors MELISSA STRAUCH, Seattle ship organization working MARK CANZIARO, JIM CAVIN, REBECCA KETTWIG Treasurer to preserve, enhance and DOUG BRECKEL, Seattle promote hiking oppor- Secretary WTA STAFF tunities in Washington ROB SHURTLEFF, Seattle Executive Director state through collabora- ELIZABETH LUNNEY tion, education, advocacy AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Advocacy Director and trail maintenance. CAROLE BIANQUIS, Seattle JONATHAN GUZZO Washington Trails LISA BLACK, Everett Bookkeeper Association was founded JEFF CHAPMAN, Port Townsend DEB HEMINGWAY by Louise B. Marshall KIRK CLOTHIER, Seattle Communications & Outreach Director (1915–2005). Ira Spring LANGDON COOK, Seattle LAUREN BRADEN (1918–2003) was its TODD DUNFIELD, Spokane Chief Crew Leader primary supporter. Greg DAVE EGAN, Fall City MIKE OWENS Ball (1944–2004) founded TIM GOULD, Seattle Development Director the volunteer trail main- WENDY WHEELER JACOBS, Sammamish REBECCA LAVIGNE tenance program. Their RICHARD JOHNSON, Sammamish Field Director spirit continues today KATHLEEN LEARNED, Seattle ALAN CARTER MORTIMER through contributions CHAD LEWIS, Tacoma Membership Manager from thousands of WTA DAMIEN MURPHY, Redmond KARA CHIN members and volunteers. KATE ROGERS, Seattle Office Manager STEPHEN TAN, Seattle HOLLY CHAMBERS Northwest Washington Crew Leader WTA Advisory Board ARLEN BOGAARDS Susan Ball, Mark Boyar, Joan Burton, Bill Outreach Coordinator Chapman, Karl Forsgaard, Kevin Hall, Ken KINDRA RAMOS Konigsmark, Tom Lucas, Margaret Macleod, Project Coordinator Ken Mondal, Susan Saul, John Spring TIM VAN BEEK Southwest Washington Regional Coordinator Washington Trails is RYAN OJERIO printed on recycled Trail Programs Director WTA has earned paper (interior pages, 30 DIANE BEDELL Charity Navigator’s percent post-consumer Volunteer Coordinator highest rating three waste, cover, 12.5 per- ALYSSA KREIDER years in a row. cent) and printed using Web Content Manager soy-based inks. SUSAN ELDERKIN Youth Programs Coordinator © 2010 Washington Trails Association KRISTA DOOLEY Youth Programs Specialist CHRIS WALL WTA is a member Washington Trails (ISSN 1534-6366) is published bimonthly by the Washington Trails Association, 2019 Third Ave., organization of Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98121. Annual membership dues, which include a subscription to Washington Trails magazine, EarthShare are $40. Single copy price is $4.50. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Washington. Washington Trails Magazine, 2019 Third Ave., Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98121 4 March + April 2010 » Washington Trails www.wta.org News+Views The Front Desk » What Words Cannot Express Every time I sit down to write this column, I with an encyclopedic knowledge of snow bugs. wonder if this will be the day when the muse Professional models, theologians, bird biolo- takes a vacation and I come up with eight gists, and, yes, the occasional aerospace engi- inches of blank space. Over the years, Andrew neer or software programmer. and, now, Lace have been very patient with my liberal interpretation of deadlines. I thank them What a wonderful crowd to have stumbled for that. into some eleven years ago. I consider myself most fortunate to have had the opportunity It’s not easy trying to articulate the profound to nurture and build WTA as it grew to serve and the intangible: the gratitude I feel for each more hikers, to lead more volunteers, and to and every person who chooses to give to WTA give greater voice for trails than ever before. and the inspiration I feel from working with vol- unteers on trail or running into a fellow hiker This past fall, I announced my intention to deep in the wilderness. And then there’s the step down as executive director in order to legacy we’re creating together, of a place where devote time to other, more personal pursuits. hiking trails are well cared for and hikers are Chief among them, I hope to spend more time free to roam far and wide through forests, over with my young son. I even dare hope to spend mountains and across windswept sage. a little more time out on trail. (Who doesn’t?) How can one ever hope to translate all that The board of directors is interviewing through a few moments of hunting and pecking candidates for WTA’s next director. I have the at a keyboard? somewhat ambitious goal of having my desk clean by the time he or she is ready to come on And yet, every day, working at WTA, I am board, at which point I’ll stick around to make reminded again and again how real our work is. a few introductions and maybe share a few It’s a bridge we’ve built; it’s a trail we’ve helped trade secrets. Then, I’ll dust off my hard hat, plan and lay out; it’s a couple dozen hikers polish up my hiking boots, and join the ranks of dressed up and marching on the Capitol; it’s a WTA’s many contributors and volunteers. trip report with a photo of a balsamroot flower just when you thought winter had bleached all I hope I see you there. the color from the world. Elizabeth It’s these daily gifts that tell the true story Lunney of who we are, the sum total of a vibrant and Executive Director dedicated community of hikers. Young people [email protected] growing up in the wilderness and the gray- haired generation staying young. People who volunteer, people who hike, and people who dream. I’ve met someone who collects photo- graphs of wilderness boundary signs. Another www.wta.org www.wta.org March + April 2010 » Washington Trails News+Views « 5 Take Part in The Signpost » WTA’s Readers Poll! Share Your Greatest Hits! Available online Tell Us More! starting in March. This past fall, we ran a special feature on the favorite hikes of the Washington Trails Associa- tion staff. Now, we want to hear from you. We know our readers are the real experts. You rack up the miles, roam the hills, scale the summits News+Views and comb the beaches. If anyone has a good story to tell, it’s you! Each fall, when we peruse hundreds of photo contest entries, we are overwhelmed by all that our readers have seen and done in a year. We always want to know more. How did that field of lupine smell? Who is that cute little kid in the backpack and what did she think about her first trip to Mount Rainier? Tell us about your brush with a black bear! This spring, we need to hear from you! But, don’t worry, we’re not asking you to choose a favorite trail or divulge your top-secret camp- site. Not at the moment, anyway. Instead, we’re asking you to tell us about your greatest days out while hiking. on trail—the days you’d love to live again, days Hikers soaking where everything went right, or went right in the view from Best Day of Giving Back to Nature Mildred Point and, after they went wrong for a while. You can find From the water we drink to the air we no doubt, sharing an our Greatest Hits poll online at www.wta.org.