"Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." - Soren Kierkegaard It was my fault. I was in a hurry. I had a little over an hour before an appointment in Anacortes, so I chose to hike around Little Cranberry Lake. I figured I could do that and still have a minute to spare, maybe even two. Besides, stormy snowy weather was coming. This might be my last chance for a forest hike for a while. It seemed odd to me that the parking lot on A Avenue was nearly empty on a late Saturday morning. But it was only 40 degrees and the rain had been relentless until just now. Maybe other people have more sense. I hiked north on trail 108, enjoying the quiet, the greenery, the trail meandering among cedars and firs and past the 32nd Street Swamp (this wetland needs a better name). I stopped to listen to Big Beaver Pond spilling over beaver dams into the swamp, took a minute to take a picture and video of the falling water, then realized again my time was limited and I proceeded on. But maybe I also realized that today didn’t have to go according to plan. I digressed down trail 123 to follow the shoreline of that pond. Across Big Beaver I could see a lone swan preening itself. Buffleheads dabbled nearby. The trail looked like a root farm in places, and a mud farm in places. Recent storms had dropped an alder across the trail. Park ranger Steve Phillips had already removed it. Dropping down to Little Cranberry, I turned left to go clockwise around the lake, starting on trail 132. I looked up trail 106 and saw a familiar face – Bob Jepperson. He called my name and I strolled over, greeting him with a joyous smile. If you don’t know Bob, spend any amount of time in the Little Cranberry area and you will probably run into him, armed with a camera and a deep understanding of what is here. He devotes much of his time and energy to knowing these woods, the life in the woods, the critters that call it home, and how their homes and lives grow and change through the seasons. Bob shared some of his observations about the lake levels, the impact of trails on turtle health, and the possible impact of the coming winter storm on the mating habits of red-legged frogs. As we talked, I had a clock running in the back of my mind about my desire to get all the way around the lake before noon. But in my heart, I knew that hearing these stories of real life from Bob was a far better experience. In the middle of our conversation, I heard five sounds from the edge of the water nearby. I can only describe them as quacks, in quick succession, but very subtle and subdued. We both listened. It sounded like oh- oh- oh- oh- oh, taking about 2 or 3 seconds; pausing a few seconds, then repeating. “There’s your red-legged frog,” Bob said quietly. It was probably underwater, advertising for a mate. We neither heard nor saw any responding female. My interest in hiking morphed into a far deeper interest in the life right at my feet and all around me, as my eyes and ears opened to the wonders of the woods. I eventually thanked him for the time together, and strolled along the east shore of Little Cranberry, listening to a kingfisher clack across the lake, seeing the vegetation returning in the burn area, detouring to the bat cave, climbing trail 103 to the top of the burn area, now listening to soprano Pacific wrens, and other birds in a tenor range. A slight rain shower floated through, and then I was back on trail 108 heading back to the car, slower and more deliberate in my steps, attuned slightly better to the magic, the mysteries, and the life that shares this planet with us, in its own pace and time. jack https://www.bobjepperson.com/ Bob has a delightful book out called Wild Love Story, and a new book of stories coming out soon. https://www.bobjepperson.com/soundlink for the sounds of the red-legged frog. A wild love story you can listen to. Directions: From A Avenue near 37th in Anacortes, park near the kiosk and walk in. I turned right on trail 108 to head to Little Cranberry Lake. From D Avenue, go to the west end of 29th. From Oakes Avenue, come up Georgia Avenue and turn right on Cranberry Lake Road to drive to the parking lot at the north end of the lake.
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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
April 2024
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