Hidden on Dog Mountain
Recently a couple of us got together for a ‘guys’ weekend and ended up finding the spectacular Cathedral Falls. I knew this was something that I wanted to share with Theresa, so we came back to the area for our own weekend. I knew she would be as excited about the falls as I was, but I wasn’t counting on us stumbling over stunning views of Riffe Lake from the summit of Dog Mountain.
Dog Mountain isn’t particularly high (my topo maps show a height of 2133’) but it is right on the east edge of Riffe Lake and it has a large flat meadow that borders the shoreline. This combination makes it very popular with the hang gliding and paragliding groups. In addition to the lake, you have a great view of Glenoma Valley to the north.
We hiked up the dirt track whose entrance is locked with a gate. This is private land but the owners make it accessible to members of the Cloudbase Country Club. Apparently, if you pay your fees and sign waivers you get a key to the gate. We’d rather walk. For those of you who might be interested in membership, you can find information here.
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Our mission is a labor of love, but it does come with overhead. If you’d like to support our efforts we’d certainly appreciate it. Currently, we’re actively participating in the following field research:
- COASST Beached Bird Surveys
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This set of pillars made from columnar basalt at the terminus of Frenchman Coulee is popular among rock climbers. Read more about this in the link in bio.
We started our hike to the Frenchman Coulee Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge early in the morning to beat the heat. However, when we reached the bottom of the waterfall, it was already scorching hot. Follow the link in the bio to read more.
Stormy weather over Fort Worden.
Point Wilson Lighthouse at night. This is a hand held shot with the new iPhone. Hard to believe where tech has taken us.
Large waves from the evening storm crashed against the rocks at the base of Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.
Spending the weekend on the Washington coast near the mouth of the Columbia River. Last night it poured in camp, but this morning the sun broke throught for a bit. Make everything seem a bit warmer.
A road less traveled through the Northern Cascades during the fall season.
Sunset over a lonely section of coastline on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Enjoying the quiet and solitude of an evening camp on Whidbey Island.
A view of Baker River just south of Baker Dam. We arrived midweek and had the place to ourselves despite enduring some showers.
Theresa clings to her cap atop Goats Rock on the SW side of Deception Pass, admiring the view of Puget Sound after a steep climb.
This group of Common Rustgill were at our campsite on the Sagkit River. This is a great time to go out and brush up on your fungi identification skills.
Nature's masterpiece painted across the canvas of the sky, as fiery hues intertwine with the tranquil waters of Deception Pass. Last night's sunset at North Beach left me in awe of the world's endless wonders.
That time of the year to pull out the mycology reference books. Spending a week exploring the forests of the North Cascades. #MycologyMagic #ForestAdventures
Deception Pass State Park is our starting point for a 7 day camping trip through the North Cascades.
A view from last summers trip to Frenchman’s Coulee along the Columbia River Gorge. Missing the warm dry temperatures.
Creepy Night in Mossyrock
We decided to try and beat any ‘weekend’ camping crowds as there’s been a noticeable uptick in off-season camping this year. I needed to be able to work from the campsite so that meant picking a spot that had cellular connectivity. So we decided to use Tacoma Powers’ Mossyrock Campgrounds as our basecamp.
Pulling in on Thursday afternoon, I had a moment when I thought that perhaps I had made a terrible mistake. There was absolutely no one in the campground. The gate had been opened and checking one of the sites there was water and power so we went ahead a chose a site. The funny thing was that we’ve never been confronted with so many options and we had a hard time choosing that ‘one perfect spot.
I felt sure we’d have company before the sunset. That was not the case. It was wonderful sitting around the fire watching the mist form over the lake and hillsides, but as the evening wore on, it got decidedly creepy. I had to laugh at my reaction. It’s been some time since I’ve been spooked while camping!
all article photographs
Return to Cathedral Falls
As mentioned earlier, this was my second trip out to the falls, and I wrote about it here. What was different this time was the colder temperatures and snow on the ground. It gave everything quite a different feel. Even the drive up to the trailhead was much more gnarly. Bigger rocks had come down since last time, a few trees, snow patches on the trail, and a washout tree combination that had you committed to driving right on the cliff edge! Plenty of adventure even before you hit the trail.
We were joined by some friends, Erin and Connally, who were interested in seeing the falls. Due to our day jobs, we had all received our COVID-19 vaccinations so felt comfortable hiking together.
Once on the trail, we quickly made our way to falls and everyone’s jaw dropped; mine included. If you look at my previous articles photos you’ll see that the falls actually drop on a large granite boulder. Cool. This time it was very cool. That boulder was completely encased in layers of ice. It made for some interesting photos and a lot of excited conversation.
I’m already contemplating returning in the spring to see what the falls will look like with the spring melt coming over the edge.
