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| Apryle Climbing Mount Erie (April 2015) |
Due to the feeling of
invigoration after completing the final steps on the long road to becoming a
Physical Therapist, I have decided to increase the volume of posts on my blog.
Additionally, I hope to change up the format to reflect more of a small
trip/hiking/running guide. This post highlights the activities of our weekend
(May 6th/7th)
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| View From Mount Erie |
Luckily Apryle managed to
take a small break in her field work last weekend and we were able to have a
few miniature adventures within a reasonably short distance of home. We started
with a drive to Mount Erie, which is a 1273 foot peak in Skagit county and is
fully encompassed in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. We did a bit of
climbing on the summit rock and while I struggled to desensitize myself to my
fear of heights, Apryle was running laps up the rock. It did not seem like she
was rusty in the least, impressive considering the last time we climbed was on
Mount Erie last April.
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| Strava Map of Incomplete Anacortes Circuit |
The views from the summit
are impressive, Several mountains and ranges are visible including: Mount Baker
to the Northeast, Mount Rainier to the Southeast, the Cascades to the East and
the Olympics to the West. Not to mention the green and blue collage to the
south consisting of islands, lakes and Deception Pass. Probably not the most
interesting climbs in the Pacific Northwest but still worth the trip!
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| Apryle at the Botanic Gardens |
After climbing I convinced
Apryle to go for a run around what we affectionately referred to as the Anacortes Circuit. This run consisted of
a series of convoluted twists and turns over rocky single track in the
Anacortes Community Forest Lands. We snapped a photograph of the trail map
before we hit the trail and this was key to minimizing confusion. There are
four small named peaks in this section of Fidalgo Island, Mount Erie,
Sugarloaf, Little Round Top and Sugar Cube. Our goal was to link each of these
in a circuitous fashion, but a wrong turn and time constraints dictated that we
only visit three of the peaks.
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| Apryle Birding at Edmonds Marsh |
The views from Sugarloaf
and Mount Erie were spectacular, with little Round Top being quite
anticlimactic. However, the trails were perfect and carved through the forest
in a tortuous fashion. Compared with other similar sized parks in the area,
Anacortes Community Forest Land is one of the best. Dense forest, spectacular
views, immense vertical gain/loss and little competing traffic. Add the fact
that it is close in proximity to the ferry system, has rock climbing access and
is free of the city and it has become my new favorite place (east of Cascades)
to run.
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| Kruckeberg Botanic Garden |
The second day of the
weekend we decided to explore some Shoreline/Woodway/Edmonds local attractions.
The first stop on our trip was Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, which I had run by
numerous times, but never took the time to explore. The garden consists of both
native and exotic plants that blanket the four acre landscape. A trail meanders
through the property allowing easy access for viewing and identifying plants.
Apryle and I enjoyed quizzing each other on various botanical names as we
wondered.
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San Antonio Tower at LBJ
Wildflower Cente |
Although the garden may
not be as flashy and expansive as the Arboretum, it certainly captures the
essence of a Pacific Northwest garden. Because I am only five months removed
from Austin, Texas and because Lady Bird Wildflower Center was essentially my
backyard, I cannot help but draw parallels between the two gardens. Lady Bird
Johnson once said “…Wherever I go in America, I like it when the land speaks its own language in its own regional accent." I believe that Krukeberg accomplishes this for Shoreline, just as Lady Bird Wildflower center does for Austin.
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| Birding Edmonds Marsh |
Moving forward, Apryle and I decided go for a big evening of birding in the Edmonds Marsh. At first glance the marsh may appear to be a dull expanse of cattails and murky shallow water, but upon further observation it is full of life and delicious Salmonberry. Edmonds Marsh is an extremely important area from an ecological standpoint, because it is one of the only remaining urban saltwater estuaries in the Puget Sound area. It occupies 22.5 acres and is home to over ninety different bird species.
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| Crow Perched in Edmonds Marsh |
When looking for a place along the coast that speaks its own language, look no further than Edmonds Marsh. There is nothing more relaxing than an evening stroll along the boardwalk, binoculars in hand, searching the foliage for a singing bird in the restored estuary. There are plenty of places I can recommend for running, climbing, paddling, and finding amazing views, but I often struggle to locate a more low key simple activity. The botanic gardens and marsh capture the essence of this area and offer a undemanding adventure option.
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| Red-Wing Blackbird (Edmonds Marsh) |
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| Song Sparrow (Edmonds Marsh) |
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