If you live around here, you remember Sunday’s dramatic storm. I think we saw just about every kind of possible weather event that day, from overcast skies to driving rain to sunshine, from spring-like warmth to freezing cold. And wind. Oh, did it blow! The southeasterly became a driving westerly, coming against a strong ebb tide coming out of Deception Pass. I wandered West Beach during the storm, energized by the power and beauty of the wind and the waves, and eventually driven off the beach as the sun fell behind massive storm clouds which soon unleashed snow, hail, and even colder temperatures. I turned up the heat in my truck as I drove home in the brooding darkness, watching Mt. Erie get coated in white. The next day, all was peaceful. Waves lapped on the shore. Clearing skies suggested warmer weather ahead. Seagulls and songbirds graced the air with their flights of music. I met up with a hiking group called Fidalgo Hikers, a four-year-old collection of local hikers who like to get out every week and explore nearby trails. They had chosen to walk the Dunes Trail at West Beach in Deception Pass on this day. Sometimes they wandered off the paved walkways onto lesser-known paths of the dunes. We took a detour to visit the Wetlands Overlook, revealing Cranberry Lake overflowing its banks from all the rainfall the past few months, flooding the marshes and wetlands nearby. Red flowering currant colored the sides of the trails. We marveled at a ground juniper bush, the only one of its kind known to be in the area. At the south end of the park we left the back dunes to cross over the primary dune down to West Beach. Eagles claimed personal territory in aerial displays above us. The Olympics claimed prominence on the horizon to the southwest; Lopez Island rose sharply on the skyline to the west. The cold air teased moisture out of our noses and we pulled our hats on a little tighter. A couple more people joined our group as we hiked north on the beach, with Deception Island and Sares Head rising beyond. Having a group to share a hike gave opportunities to chat and get to know each other better. And we were still free to wander off and find flotsam and jetsam as the tide receded, to take pictures, or just enjoy the beauty of this wilderness beach on a quiet morning. In my mind I pictured the crowds of cars and campers that would be here in a couple months. Today all was calm, quiet, and composed. Even the jets were grounded for now. More hikers joined us as we walked to West Point and turned east to also hike North Beach, intending to walk to the base of the bridge and then back. I had an appointment to keep, however, so I left the group and walked back to the parking lot at West Beach, glad for the companionship while I could, and happy to have been encouraged to get up early on this Monday morning and go exploring around these sand dunes, wetlands and beaches so close to home. jack If you are interested in venturing out with a small group like this in the Fidalgo area, email Terry or Lois Slotemaker at [email protected] They call themselves the Fidalgo Hikers (formerly Saturday Hikers) and welcome all who are at least two weeks past their second Covid vaccination shot. They hike on Mondays, and other days too sometimes. Phase Three hiking guidelines say to wear masks and distance six feet when meeting hikers not in the group. You will be asked to sign a liability release agreeing to comply. It’s an informal group that ranges in number from two people up to twenty sometimes. There were ten of us today. For a story about the ground juniper written by park staff, visit https://deceptionpassfoundation.org/news/bog-juniper/ Directions: From Highway 20 at the bridge, drive south one mile and enter Deception Pass State Park. Follow the signs to West Beach. High water covers some of the parking lot right now. The Dunes Trail is to the south, about a half mile in length.
Accessibility: the Dunes Trail is paved, though there are some rough areas where roots have disturbed the pavement. The beach has limited access as storms rearrange the shoreline logs. But the view from the parking lot is amazing. Transit access: Island Transit has a northbound stop near the gas station on Highway 20 near Cornet Bay Road, and a southbound stop just south of Cornet Bay Road. It is a mile long hike to the beach from there. Note: A valid pass is required to park in a State Park. However, this Saturday is a free day, as is Earth Day later this month.
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