Heather Lake

Back in December I decided to do a winter hike. I hit the trail with my 9 month old Labrador, Baloo. Heather Lake is one of my favorite hikes to do in the winter time. It’s a winter wonderland! The climb is worth the views. If you go in the winter, wear your crampons; it is an icy hike throughout. I made the mistake of not wearing mine.

You will want to get to the trailhead (TH) early if you are going on the weekends, as parking will be limited. Be mindful of the insane amounts of pot holes on the way up to the TH. They are no joke. The trail is blessed with streams, I believe we went over 3-4 streams on the way up. Be sure to wear waterproof hiking boots. If you can, wear boots that give you some ankle support. It does become very rocky and rooted throughout the hike. The trail is well marked and it is nearly impossible to get lost. 

Directions:

From I-5 in Everett, take exit 194/ Snohomish Wenatchee, then take exit 204 (Lake Stevens). Follow the road for 2 miles, then turn left onto Highway 9 (N. Granite Falls). Follow Hwy 9 for 1.5 miles, turn right onto E 92/Granite Falls. In 6 miles, you’ll come to a roundabout that has a log sign for Granite Falls. Take that roundabout to Quarry Road. Stay on that road through two more roundabouts. At the stop sign, turn left onto Mountain Loop Hwy. In 10 miles, you will pass the Verlot Ranger Station on your left. If you need a Northwest Forest Pass, stop here and pick one up. A mile after the ranger station, cross a blue and gray bridge and immediately after that, turn right onto Pilchuck Access Road, FR 42. There will be about a 1.4 mile road of gravel to reach the TH. The sign is on the left. 

Trail Info:

Distance is: 4.6 miles, but I calculated more around 5.2 miles. 

Elevation Gain is 1034 ft.

Time: 4-6 hours is what it usually takes for me. I am a slow hiker and I also like to snap some photos on the way up. 

Dog Friendly? Of course! Be mindful that this is a popular hike and there will be a lot of dogs and humans on the weekends. 

Restrooms are vault toilets and there is a garbage can. 

This hike is rated as moderate and can definitely be handled by older kids.(10 years old +)

Happy trails,

Jillian

Goodbye and Then Hello.

It has been a very long time since I’ve blogged. Life has been incredibly busy, sorrowful and wonderful at the same time. I moved to Washington State for work and Simon came with me. Sadly, Simon has since left this world. He went peacefully a few months after we moved, on September 8th, 2016. I had almost 16 years of incredible adventures with Simon; he was just a month shy of his 16th birthday. My heart broke into a million pieces when he left. He had an amazing life and I am so proud to say that he was mine.

It took almost two years to add another dog to my life. I was broken for 2 years. A co-worker of mine told me about a litter of puppies her aunt just had. I didn’t think I would fall in love, but I did. There were 12 puppies, chocolates and yellows, everywhere. I am happy to say that I got a new hiking companion. His name is Baloo Huckaby (yes, he is named after the Jungle Book character). The name Huckaby comes from a hike that Simon and I used to frequent in Sedona, Arizona. I wanted to keep Simon “alive” in a way.

Baloo is just a little over a year old. I will be active as much as I can. My job keeps me pretty busy, but I try to get a hike in at least once or twice a month. Stay tuned…

Happy trails,

Jillian

 

Bright Angel Trailhead - 1 photo »

Consider Everything.

I’ve learned to be savvy about hiking. You are to NEVER forget anything! You never know if you will be hiking longer than you originally planned. Many people think that if you have a known trail, you’ll be fine and there is nothing to worry about. You better think again! Although I have never encounter such a luckless hike, there are things I always carry and maybe you should consider them too. I’ll post pictures. They are much more interesting than reading. 🙂

Merrell Barefoot Series

These shoes are perfect for day hikes or longer hikes. I’d recommend bring an extra pair of shoes when hiking. Your feet need a break too. I hike up in the blue and hike down in the purple. Your feet naturally start to swell when you exercise. I prefer to hike in higher elevation for the views so my feet take a beating. I don’t wear socks with these shoes. Their name says it all…Barefoot! They are odor resistant so you don’t have to worry about that awkward smell after you use them. I would work for Merrell because I love these shoes…and the rest of their products! They have cute colors. There are different types of “models” of these shoes. Some range from being really open and breathable to closed and warm depending on what weather you rendezvous to. The blue ones are called, Lithe Glove. They are warmer than most. The purple ones are called, Pace Glove. These are mesh on the top. My shoes are great for walking, running, hiking, biking and pretty much anything.

First Aid kits…bring them!

You always need a first aid kit, always! I bought mine at Eddie Bauer. They have the perfect size first aid kits for a backpack. I LOVE EDDIE BAUER. It has come in handy many times on Simon and I’s hikes. Simon walked right into a stupid cactus field. Oh my goodness. It was intense. I got this kit for about $17 at Eddie Bauer. It’s a tri-fold kit.

Eddie Bauer.They are the ideal hikers packs. This particular pack has a built in emergency whistle, which I thought was pretty neat. I paid $39.95 plus a military discount, plus the EB had a sale going on all of their packs and gear. Always a bargain!!! It has 3 compartments built in this pack. You have to option to use it for school since it has a laptop holder, or use it for other stuff. EB is expensive, BUT they have a lifetime guarantee on ALL of their products. That’s a huge PLUS for this gal!!

Outward Bound Bowls- $5.99

Eddie Bauer has great gear!

Simon carries all of his stuff, including his bowls. They are super cheap and fold flat. They are $5.99 at Petsmart. They come in different colors. I got red since Simon’s jacket is red. I also got his hike jacket from petsmart too. It’s from the Outward Hound as well. It was about $30…give or take.

I always bring dog food for myself and for Simon. I use MRE’s for me and I bring about 3 days worth of food for Simon. Make sure you bring lots of water as well. I use a camelback and I also bring about 8 bottles of water for Simon then I bring 2 bottles of Gatorade too. Just to stay hydrated. I over bring stuff, but I am never going to have to worry about lack of food and water. Other items I bring are extra clothes, a jacket and a blanket. My pack is big enough to hold all this stuff plus more. I buy all my hiking stuff at EB, since it is able to fold down to just the size of my hands put together. Many items EB sells come in foldaway options. That’s how I like to roll.

Other stuff you might consider…baby wipes, matches, tooth paste/brush, bug bands (EB sells them for $5, works miracles!!), dried fruit, compass, walking stick, a gun, a knife (EB sells really nice ones, but I have a SOG Flash H)  and a few flashlights. Like I said before…I bring all this stuff with me, no matter if its a day hike or a 3 day hike. Stay alert, stay alive. 🙂

~ Jillian

The Bucket List, aka, The Therapy List.

I’ve added more excursions to my bucket list of things to accomplish this year.

I’ve had to face a lot in all the 26 years I have lived on this Earth. I’m a veteran of the Afghanistan War. I’ve seen things people should never see in their life, but I carry on because there is no reason to live in the past. We must learn to adapt and detach, in order to move on. My new additions to my bucket list are to hike for days and be totally out of tune with the everything. One thing I will be in tuned with is God’s beautiful creation and the peacefulness He brings to me. I am going on an excursion for 5 days and I will be hiking for about 20 miles. I’ll be enjoying the waterfalls and swimming in crystal blue waters for days. One thing I believe saved me other than God, is hiking. My therapy and now my passion is hiking. Walking into a trail where you don’t know where it leads, or what you will run into…there’s just some type of thrill about that I love.

After my lovely trip to Havasu Falls, I will be cave diving for the first time in my life. I’m super excited about it! If you have any suggestions for a first time cave diver, please share. I am a bit nervous about tight spaces and bugs, but I am needing to get over this fear of mine. Life is an adventure, live it…day in and day out. You never know when your time to be with the Lord is coming. Live life to the fullest.  I’ll post pictures and blog entries when I go on my hike and my first cave diving session!

~ Jillian

Havasu Falls at Night. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)