Photo above by Susan McClung Spring. She takes a deep breath, and on her exhale the leaves on trees unfurl like tiny flags heralding her revival, trumpeting the good news to all who will listen. We stand in awe, as we too are reborn. This is when we fall in love, again, speak without thinking, say yes to things we would normally refuse. It becomes more difficult to say no when the whole world around us appears to be an astounding affirmation of the resilience, richness, and regenerative power of life. Springtime inspires us to believe that along with the earth, we too might change, becoming renewed as we embrace the growth of light, life, and love. I asked the readers of this blog if anyone wanted to join me on a hike around Whistle Lake. Five people from three different towns and walks of life gathered at the parking area. We followed the gravel path to the lake, interrupted a short while by the brash noise of unmuffled motorcycles. But soon the peace returned, and we lost ourselves in the beauty and tranquility of the lakeshore trails. Fallen trees lay around us and hung up at odd angles against other trees above. But the destruction of last winter’s winds was already being hidden by the new growth of ferns and flowers, with leaves unfurling, stems extending, colors flying. So too our legs and lungs strengthened and expanded as we climbed the hills to get their good tidings, resting beside still waters, listening to the quiet of forest glens and whispering breezes, and gazing at the splendor of spring amid the richness of new life. What new experiences and adventures would we discover in our travels and explorations? Our pace was easy, resting often, stopping to take pictures and to take closer looks at flowers like paintbrush and serviceberry, listening to nearby bird songs, smelling odiferous skunk cabbage, navigating rocks and root-filled twists and turns in the trail, expressing glee at a trailside patch of white fawn lilies, finding dragon stumps and rock-like roots, and being humbly impressed amid the carnage of even more fallen trees along the trail. As we started to drop down after climbing to the top of the southern ridge, a white head in a nearby tree caught my attention. I motioned to the others to look quietly beyond us as a bald eagle carefully surveyed its surroundings. Soon we saw another eagle nearby, then a third one even closer, spreading its wings to dry after a fishing trip at the lake. After marveling at the sight of these majestic neighbors living in their lakeshore world of tall trees and rock outcroppings for several minutes, we descended to the outlet of the lake, crossed a footbridge and entered a gentler world of flat, lush wetlands and marshlands. And what is that smell? More skunk cabbage! Ascending back to the northwest shore we found views out over the lake again, places where in summer local kids will jump off these rocks into the deep waters below. But today, we looked across the lake, and there were the eagles again! One was a juvenile, mostly dark in color, resting against a tree trunk as its parents patrolled the lakeshore. Along the trail we found mushrooms and bracket fungi, flowering Oregon grape, more fawn lilies, cedar and fir, ducks and woodpeckers. And the smell of skunks yet again? More skunk cabbage! Here the trail follows the lakeshore closely, at lake level, affording us front row seats as we took the scenic route instead of the faster roadbed trail far from the shoreline. It soon brought us back to where we started. Completing the loop, we celebrated the discoveries we had made, and the chance to share them together as new friends, connected by our love of these trails and the wild and beautiful lands they traverse. Spring. We too felt renewal. jack Directions: From Anacortes, go south from the Commercial Avenue roundabout. Take a left at the T onto Fidalgo Avenue, left again on Hillcrest and then right on Whistle Lake Road. Follow the signs, entering a dirt road just before reaching the parking lot.
Accessibility: the trail to the lake is a wide dirt road, slightly uphill. The trails around the lake are narrow, twisting, full of roots, rocks, ups and downs, and occasional difficult stretches along slanted rock faces a few feet at a time. Transit: none available. Bicycle access: there are no shoulders on Whistle Lake Road, but the traffic volume is very low. Note: motorcycles are allowed on many of the trails in the ACFL, including the main route to the lake from the parking area. We saw (and definitely heard) three young riders going on trails that are off-limits to motorcycles.
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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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