Today I did a solo hike to the Portals. I had a turn around time in mind and thought I'd see how far I would get. The smoke was back in the air, mainly at the high elevations. It was interesting how the colors of the sky in the photos looked different, depending on which way I was taking the photo. Some of the photos had a very dingy looking sky and others looked much clearer.
As I said I marched along and made it to the Portals by my turn around time.
The sun through a smokey sky at the start of the day. looking back towards the Artist point parking lot.
Looking across the valley at Shuksan.
Looking at the trail before me.
A hint of fall color on the bushes.
Finding the trail in the rocky sections.
Looking towards my destination & the Coleman Pinnacle on the right.
Goat lake.
First look at the Portals
I ate half of my lunch at the Camp Kiser area, before heading up the last section of the trail.
A nice wind break camp area at the top of the Portals trail
Views from the trail
Baker lake from the Portals trail.
A snow field walk up to the Portals, with Mount Baker looming ahead. It was hard to find the main trail to the end, there were a lot of social trails meandering along. I went on a couple that weren't the correct way and had to find my way back.
Mount Baker
I walked out to the end of the trail as far as I dared. I realized I wasn't comfortable with my route finding to go to the very end alone. I took a photo to show I was actually there and of the remaining rocky area that I didn't do behind me.
The Portals
The white dots or patches in the dirt area below is a herd of Goats, visible in the distance but not good with my camera. Zoom in and you may see them easier.
I ate the other half of my lunch before heading back down the trail.
Marmots on a side hill spotted as I made my way back towards Goat lake.
With all of the backpacking we'd done in the last few weeks, I realized quickly that my body was more tired than I had thought. My legs began cramping, I had plenty of water and paced myself and drank as much as I could to ensure I could get back to the car. The downhills seemed to affect the cramping the most and that was pretty much what the trail was back to the car.
The trail ever before me.
The last stretch towards the Artist point parking lot, boy was I happy to see the end in sight.
One more look at Shuksan, still a bit of smoke in the air.
*Google photos made a panorama of two photos zipped together❤
I thoroughly enjoyed "my" day in the high country, even the cramping!
I stopped at the first store on the way down the highway and bought a large bottle of Gatorade and guzzled it, my legs said thankyou😊
Garmin stats:
Total miles -11.3
total ascent - 2349 feet
total descent - 2297 feet
