Watch for the Trail Markers

The Orange post means something.

So Friday we struck our on a quest.  I had in mind that we would find some place near the mountains where the blackberries would be ripe but not fried by our hot, dry summer.  I also thought a hike would be nice if the opportunity presented itself.  I had been thinking about a ski day long ago when for some reason the ski bus could not get to Stevens pass and took us instead to Mt Pilchuck.  It was a small, local place.  It had only two chairs and pretty spotty snow coverage due to its elevation.  We had a fun day and in my memory it was the perfect little place.  It closed in 1980 and I have been wondering lately if one could still find it and if so what it would be like.

So I found myself turning from my original destination towards Mt Pilchuck and talking to Rodger about my day long ago and wondering.

We drove to the trailhead.  It did not look familiar.  The A frame lodge was not there.  The chair lifts were gone too.  There was a trail to the top of the mountain and a look out that was said to have a fabulous view.  Should we try it?  The hike was 2.7 miles up, then the same back down again.  We walk that distance quite often.  No big deal right.  Well it was.  The 2.7 miles cover about 2300 feet in elevation.  We were going up, not something we ordinarily do.  That was fine until the trail turned into a rock field and it was hard to pick out the foot path.

The orange markers were there to keep us in the right path, to show the way to the top.  We got off track and got confused a couple of times, then looked for the markers and got back on the trail.

We started off on a whim, not really prepared for what lay ahead, we didn't bring water, or snacks, no 10 essentials of safe hiking.  We weren't sure if we were committed to get to the top and  sort of insured our failure by our lack of planning and preparation.

The scenery was beautiful and breathtaking.  We could see Mt Rainier from one side and Mr Baker on the other.  Far to the left we could see out to the sound and probably to the San Juan Islands and to the right the mountains that make up the North Cascades.

We talked as we picked out way up the mountain about the orange markers.  They got closer together as the trail got steeper and more obscure.  Is that how life is?  When things get tough in life do I stop and look for the orange markers or just plunge on ahead?  You know there are stories about ships and planes being a few degrees of their target and end up missing it by miles.

Note to self.  When life gets confusing, Make sure you are watching for the markers and are staying on the path.

The Spirit is there to guide us to our Heavenly target.  We only need to heed it's promptings.  The orange markers would have been easy to ignore.  We could have missed the mark.  What a great lesson.

Not our picture because the camera was at home.  No clouds in our picture but Mt Baker was just this spectacular.