Agnes Gorge Trail - Yesterday 5/14/08

Didn't post yesterday right after the hike; too tired and spent time processing images.

The day started off really overcast, but cleared by the time I got to High Bridge. The first part of the Agnes Gorge Trail (5 miles round trip; 300 ft elevation gain; rating moderate) was gorgeous. Lots Fawn Lillies (here they call them Glacier Lilies), trillium, including some in the purple phase, more snow morels (look like brain fungus), and these great little yellow and black millipedes. I chased a couple around with the macro lens.

There was still patchy snow on the trail, but it was passable. Saw a bear (well a bear's butt) scampering away when it heard me. Great wildflowers all along the trail. Probably took close to 3 hours to go up, and about an hour and half to make it back down. Only took another shot at the Gorge on the way down, otherwise it was a straight walk.

The Gorge itself was a little disappointing photographically; might be better in diffrent light. Continuing on the trail past the Gorge about a quarter of a mile was a nice waterfall on the left, and trail ended shortly after in the snow. There is apparently access to another trail which brings you to the waterfall and edge of the Gorge somewhat more easily, but it will probably have to wait. There was one stream crossing where I went in over my boot tops and there was no log or anything to walk on. Today is supposed to be hot (apparently predictions up to 90 degrees, so if anything that stream will be worse from increased snow melt. I am sure that by mid-summer it will be easily crossable.

One thing I noticed is that the streams along this trail had more moss, more like eastern streams in Shenandoah and the Smokies. The steams down in Stehekin are all bare stone. I wonder if it is because the lower altitude streams are more intermittent, too flashy and all the moss is rubbed off and washed away, or if there is some other reason.

Revised 5/31/08

Went down Buckner Lane toward the orchard in the evening; Sarah said it was nice walk. Planned to do some macro, but got side tracked to the orchard where I shot the mountains near sunset. Got the moon in some pictures. Unfortunately I can't get good sunsets in the valley because it shades the sun and you don't get the refraction that results in the reds and pinks.