A lovely day for a leisurely hike along the Old Sauk River trail, just outside of Darrington. Deep azure sky, scattered cotton ball clouds float overhead, light breeze, the embrace of the ancient forest. The trail is 3 miles one way or 1.2 miles of an interpretive loop trail. I did a little of both. The trail is flat and easy. The loop trail had a small pile of bear scat in the middle of it- probably a cub- which Templeton found. I looked around as I always do when I find scat thinking the critter might still be nearby. Quiet.
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| Deer fern, lots of deer fern |
I stopped along the river for lunch and a break. The river pools were full of caddisfly larvae wandering here and there over the silt-covered rocks.
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| Not a caddisfly larvae-this is Templeton |
The sound of the river rushing, wind tickling tree boughs and leaves, and the occasional but regular song or call of a bird soothe the soul. It must be around 70; the air feels neutral-not cold, not warm- perfect to me. There were a variety of birds- western tanager, black-headed grosbeak, rough-winged swallow, Swainson's thrush, robin, spotted sandpiper, hairy woodpeckers, red-breasted sapsuckers, varied thrush, winter wren, vireo, flycatcher, and a fast moving hummingbird.
Dallying at the blue huckleberry bushes, I decide to leave some for the bears. Lunch was cherries and peanut butter and crackers, topped off with the blue huckleberries. Deliciosum! (plant people will get this)
We continue our wandering after lunch. The ground cover flips between twinflower and deer fern all along the trail. I wonder how something (twinflower) so small can smell so luscious?
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| Twinflower |
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| Beautifully gigantic Douglas-fir |
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| Wintergreen (Pyrola) |
There are other subtle wildflowers scattered along the trail- wintergreen, bunchberry, foxglove attracting bees and butterflies, foamflower, bleeding heart, goatsbeard, and more.
By 2pm the breeze has died down, the temperature has warmed up and the air has become humid. Time to wander back.
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| Bleeding heart |
I stop periodically to infuse myself with the healing energy of the ancient western redcedars and Douglas-fir and I finally embrace the quiet and peace of the forest, completely. It is another enchanting ancient forest trail that has the power to restore and ground the soul. I am grateful for this day.
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| bigleaf maple |
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| Foxglove and swallowtail. |
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| giant burls on bigleaf maple |
All who wander are not lost.
