Picture of the week ~ Trail Gnome

Oyster Dome lollipop hike

Today hike was a lollipop, just as the shape implies. an out and back with a big loop in the middle.

We started on the stick part for our hike up the Oyster Dome trail from Chuckanut drive.

My rain poncho stayed on all day.

The weather stayed misty and dark all day. There was a low fog that stayed in the trees for most of our hike.

We hiked up the trail and turned off at the Samish Overlook junction, instead of going directly to Oyster Dome. This section of our hike began the loop or circle of our lollipop.

I don't take many selfies, but here I am with the view from the Overlook over my left shoulder. The sky wasn't too socked in at this point of the hike, we had a fair view of Skagit Valley.

We then took the Larry Reed trail to Max's shortcut.

Again we were hiking in the low fog and drizzle.

We hiked up and through a small section of snow.

We then connected to the trail that leads to the Oyster Dome overlook.

I was so impressed with this skookum bridge that had been placed over a small creek on the trail. It's definitely ready for some heavy traffic on the trail in the coming years.

Not too much of a view from Oyster Dome. The wind was blowing and it was raining, so we hiked back down the hill a short distance to a sheltered spot and ate our lunch and much anticipated hot cocoa.

After lunch we headed down the trail and rejoined the trail that junctioned with the Samish Overlook trail and resumed hiking back on the stick part of our lollipop.

Our lollipop looks kind of freakish, but still a lollipop hike!

Satellite view

Map view

Garmin stats:

total miles hiked - 9.9 mile

total ascent - 2,490 feet

A good "up" training day.