Third Group HIke (June)

WHEN: June 29th

WHERE: Mt. Townsend

(Michele & Richie's 2nd attempt, this time with the group and minus the snow.)





Elevation: 3250'-6200'
























Snow Level: None - Yippee!











Distance: 8.2 miles roundtrip


































About the Hike: One word - - Gorgeous!

The views were incredible. Photos below:





















































































What we learned...
Wear sunscreen.















Eat...













Even if it is Gu.















Mt. Townsend is easier (and the views are better) without snow, but hard to make snow angels. :)


And probably the move valuable lesson of all on this trip... See "Timmy's Tips" below:

Mt. Walker - Again?!?!?!

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen... We have tackled Mt. Walker again. (June 15th)




Very serious training day. (Thanks, Mr. McCloud!)















The Plan:
Hike up the Fire Road (4 miles), down the trail (2 miles)






A speedy break....









Just enough time to take snap some pictures...























Vern: "The Plank Master!"















"This strawberry is making me thirsty!"






... Rinse and repeat - except in the opposite order - Up the trail, down the Fire Road.

Lena Lake Hike

When: June 8th

Where: Lena Lake

Mileage: 14 miles roundtrip





























Pack weight: About 20lbs. Fast and light day hike. No mountaineering boots, just tennis shoes.

Elevation: 650'-4550'

Snow Level at Upper Lena Lake: About 3 feet deep


This was a fun hike for us. We had been training really hard, and just needed a break from the daily routine. The trail was pretty empty until we hit the campground.

The weather was pretty overcast and a bit chilly. We didn't get any rain until the very end of the trail.




































































The trip back to the trailhead was really quiet. There was no one on the trail and we had walked a ways from the rushing water. As we were trekking downhill, we both stopped in our tracks when we heard - what sounded like the creaking of a tree splitting and starting to fall. Scary! Low and behold, it was a harmless woodpecker! He was oblivious to his audience - just focused on the task of pounding his little beak into the tree trunk in search of food.

































We saw big trees, downed trees, foot-long worms, snow, rocks, and spiderman look-alikes.

































Another great adventure for the Muffolettos!

Marmot Pass, 3-day trip

On Memorial Day weekend, we took a 3-day backpacking trip from the Lower Big Quilcene Trail to Marmot Pass.

Mileage: 22 miles round-trip

Pack weight: 60 lbs. each (Yes, we were on a death march.)

Elevation: 1200'-6000'

Calories Burned: 10,000+

Day 0 (zero): We packed

...while Willis (our dog) watched, patiently.


Day 1: With a late start (Michele worked until 11am, so we didn't get to the trailhead until 3pm.), we hiked from the Lower Big Quilcene trailhead through trees and over bridges...

and decided to stay at Camp Jolley for the first night.

Here, we met a father-son team and their dog, Tanner - a beautiful golden retriever who kept watch over night - while snoring.

Day 2: Left Camp Jolley, hiked 30% grade while crossing various terrain - including downed trees (it was a harsh winter), waterfalls...

streams, typical dirt trails...

a few dead trees, but mostly green ones!

Talus - the accumulation of broken rock that lies on a steep mountainside.

(Or what we call TONS OF ROCKS!)

We went snow shoeing for the first time!


(Yes, that's Michele in the pink shirt.)

And we ended the day at Camp Mystery.

This was our first time snow camping. If you were a fly on the tent wall or a marmot in the pass, you would have giggled at our conversation... Richie thought the cooking stove might melt the surrounding snow...

and I thought the tent might slowly sink into the snow throughout the night from our body heat.

Imagine sleeping soundly, warmly cuddled in your sleeping bag, and you wake up a foot lower! Or you wake up and step out to answer nature's call, only to walk into a wall of snow! Luckily, neither happened.

Day 3: We hauled it down hill (mostly) from Camp Mystery back to the Lower Big Quilcene trailhead.

Truly an adventure!