Rucksack Evolution

I've been a bit under the weather lately, so the boy and I decided to try a short and easy hike near town. The threat of downpours and landslide risks also influenced our decision, so we headed down to a little park right on the Whatcom/Skagit county line near lake Samish. Squire Lake did not disappoint! We arrived at the trailhead after lunch, probably around noon. There were cars parked on the road but the parking lot was almost empty, so I'm guessing we missed the morning rush :) We ran into two people on the trail and heard a family at one point, so not secluded but not crowded, either. Other than some mud, to be expected in January, the trail was in excellent condition. Sawdust and fresh cuts bore witness to recent trail cleanup from the wind storms, so good job county in maintaining the parks! The boy and I headed out on the squires lake trail loop, then joined up to the beaver pond loop. We got off trail to walk up Squire Rd for a better view of the beaver pond

Yesterday morning dawned cloudy and drizzly -- par for the course in the north sound in January. I had narrowed our hiking destination to three coastal options -- two without a lot of trees in case the windstorm from Friday persevered into Saturday. (Tree in wind = deathly hazard.) I spent the pre-dawn hours looking over weather reports and making a decision. The wind had died down sufficiently, so I look for "sun holes" on the radar. Whidbey Island looked like the best destination, plus it is only a short 27 miles away. Nurse Log Growing the Next Generation We headed out to a little known and little used state park, Dugualla. According to WTA.org, this little coastal oasis was purchased in 1992 to save it from logging, and I'm glad it was! With no amenities, not even a pit toilet, it feels like the Open Space county parks of my Colorado youth -- just a parking lot then a lot of trails. This equals minimal tourism, since most people funnel into the nearby fully