“The snow has not yet left the earth, but spring is already asking to enter your heart.” -- Anton Chekhov Punxsutawney Phil emerged yesterday from his home on Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania and saw his shadow, so winter continues there for six more weeks. Here on Fidalgo, Groundhog Day was cloudy, so our winter is now giving way to spring. At least that’s what I predict; our marmots are still safely sleeping in their dens and unwilling to comment. Kath and I explored our local Gobbler’s Knob, Goose Rock, on the north end of Whidbey Island. The sun was out, the day calm and kind of warm, almost like spring. As we walked the trail east from the park office, our cares sloughed off our shoulders and a joy returned to our steps. We saw dozens of trees fallen from the winter storms. And we saw the new growth of spring, subtle but unmistakable throughout the forest and meadows. Buds were expanding, this spring’s leaves growing within and ready to burst forth to herald a new season. Green growth carpeted the sides of the trail, a salad of plant life celebrating the coming spring. Some mosses underfoot had created a canopy of green a half inch above the dark soil; we looked up and saw a canopy of green a hundred feet above us. It’s all relative. The intimate, close-up details mirror the larger world we live in. We saw huge tree trunks scarred by fire yet still alive and sharing life. They reflect the stories of sorrows from days past, yet a determination to carry on and continue growing upward. We continued upward, climbing the south slope of Goose Rock. The path is steep, a steady climb; our breathing was labored, but the ever-expanding views encouraged us to carry on. At the top, 484 feet above the sea, we caught our breath and soaked up the scenery of Deception Pass and North Whidbey. Beyond we could see the Cascades and Olympics draped in gray, and the Straits below a pageant of blue, with whitecaps riding the waves. An eagle drifted along below us. The bare rocks invited us to sit a spell and savor this special day. Shore pines gloried in the warm afternoon. We gloried in the sunshine and beauty. The madrones, meadows, and rocky balds of the hilltop gave way to deep wet soil, tall firs, salal and sword ferns as we took the northeast trail back down, through the shadows and coolness hidden from the sun, past old growth trees still here centuries after their first spring. Walking along the perimeter trail we got a peek-a-boo view of the bridge, and looked over to the cliffs of Fidalgo Island, then Strawberry Island, then Ben Ure Island. Heading south, the ferns gave way to grasses and sprouts of new flowers. Big billowing puffball clouds reflected sunshine back onto the woods and trail. Soon madrones again filled the forests; buds expanded on huckleberry branches, ready to sprout. The warmth of the sun filled the trail and our hearts. We followed the trail along Cornet Bay and then back to the park office. It’s the halfway point, Imbolc, the middle of winter. We know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But sharing here with you, the readers of our hiking blog, and basking in the warmth of our hearths and hearts, I can't imagine a better fate than the remainder of this long and lustrous winter. jack In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” -- Albert Camus Directions: From the Deception Pass Bridge, drive south three quarters of a mile. The park office is on the left, or east side of Highway 20. The trail starts in the turnaround of the parking lot.
By Bike: Highway 20 is narrow in this area, but the shoulders have enough room to ride single file. The bridge has no shoulder at all; plan accordingly. By Bus: Island Transit 411W northbound stops at Seabolts, just below the park office. Southbound it stops near Cornet Bay Road on the west side of Highway 20, a couple hundred yards below the park office. Mobility: The trail is inaccessible for wheelchairs and other mobile devices. The Goose Rock trail is steep and rocky from the south side, a little less steep and mostly packed dirt going up the northwest trail, and steep and filled with roots going up the northeast trail. The Perimeter Trail goes around Goose Rock, but does have some steep sections, with a trail base that is rocky, root-filled, and/or hard-packed dirt.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
March 2024
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