A Short Hike on a Short Day

 The Winter Solstice, December 21, 2024; the minimal amount of sunlight for the year. 

Sunlight is often at a premium in the winter up here in the Pacific Northwest. And it is often occluded by rain coming from those gray clouds hanging between my noggin and the sun. My wife had just flown into Seattle for a Christmas visit and adventure, she chose not to pack her hiking boots nor any of that famous Texas sunshine. But she and her worn-out tennis shoes were up in Washington with, that's what matters.

"Short day, long night my love; how do you want to spend our precious daylight today?" I asked. 

She said she'd like to take a hike in the great woods out here in Western Washington. I considered the Boulder Creek Trail, an 8.6 mile hike up the road in the mountains near Darrington with a worthy waterfall at the end. Over eight miles with just a small amount of daylight, no hiking boots and the fear that the three severe wind storms so far this winter season would have likely have downed a lot of timber across the trail, as well as the reports of very boggy transects in spots, made us thing better of trying the Boulder Creek Trail. I suggested an alternate, a scamper along a good network of trails to Little Cranberry Lake above Anacortes. Our choice was made. The rain threatened, but was light. We walked into the woods for what we estimated would be about a 2 1/4 mile trek, both into the woods and then out again.

The verdant shores of Little Cranberry Lake, Anacortes, Washington

We encountered only a few trailmates, jogging females, families on two legs and four. The four legged members sporting their ugly dog Christmas sweaters.

We'd done our miles, we'd gotten to experience the great woods, carpets of ferns and mosses brushing our feet on relatively level trails. We we a bit chilled, not very wet, and kind of in the mood for food.

We circled off the mountain and into Anacortes, looking for tea and gluten free crumpets. Instead, we found Rockfish Brewery, serving fried oysters and an ale for me and a salmon sandwich on a gluten free bun for her. Great grub.

We found that my SUV was taking us to Washington Park at the edge of town, know for it views, hiking and geology of exposed rocks thrust up from the earth's deep mantle. My SUV seems to know just what we like.

Washington Park, Sue stands on an outcrop of serpentine

A cold and blustery day on the coast.
We stop, but we don't terry long outside the SUV in these conditions 

It was a day short on daylight but long on pleasures and adventures. We made the most of the Winter Solstice.