Bridal Veil Falls and Lake Serene 6.29.2014

Do this hike. It is hands down the best one we have done yet. The trail, like many, starts of with a logging road that quickly thins down to a nice narrow path. The first mile and a half zigs and zags through a dense sea of high grown Salmon Berry bushes. After having our fill of these tart natural treats we come to a split in the path. We choose the direction pointing toward Bridal Veil Falls. After half a mile of easy climbing ladder steps we can hear the immense roar of fast moving water. Upon arrival, we realize that the one thing we missed out on at Wallace Falls was proximity to the actual waterfalls. At Bridal Veil you can stand right under them. Wow. Thinking we had seen the highlight of our trip, we set out for Lake Serene. It is another 2 miles from the fork in the path. The next 23 switchback and over 430 stairs is a fairly grueling ascent, but it is most definitely worth it. Lake Serene has a genuine calming serenity that holds up to its namesake. As usual, the pictures speak loud than words. 10/10 Beauty 8/10 Difficulty
Click Image to view as 3D Sphere!
Click Image to view as 3D Sphere!
Click Image to view as 3D Sphere!
Click Image to view as 3D Sphere!
Click Image to view as 3D Sphere!

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Oyster Dome, Bellingham, WA 6.22.2014

Bellingham! I had heard about this hike from a number of my tattoo customers; touting "the best views in Washington". I certainly wasn't disappointed. The hike has a nice steep climb for the first 1/3 of the ascent. Mostly rocky dirt and tiny creek waterfalls. The 2nd third was full of root tangles and brief scrambles where the trail is temporarily hidden. There is a small boulder about half a mile from Oyster dome to the left of the trail; a nice P.O.I. Upon Arrival we saw what a popular hike this really was. Nearly every vantage was taken. The dome itself is fairly large; a slanted plateau atop a very large shear cliff. The view looks out across Bellingham Bay. Ships, islands, oyster farms, and sky! If you dip down through a little craggy trail off the front of the dome you can slide underneath and in front of the cliff face. The view from here allows you to see, obviously the cliff itself, as well as the caves below. From what I understand these are pretty neat and full of local cave fauna. Next time.
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Wallace Falls, Gold Bar, WA 6.15.2014

Absolutely breathtaking hike. From the very beginning it was enchanting. The trail follows the length of the river and rarely diverges further than 100 feet from the water, which created an excellent ambiance. The Lower Falls has a bridge that butts up to a nice fast paced bend in the river. From this vantage we could see the Upper Falls through the trees in the distance promising even greater views. Upon reaching the Upper falls, you get the best view I have seen thus far. 6 miles up and back wasn't enough for our group. We decided to press on to Wallace Lake; a meaty 12.5 miles. The lake was fantastic until the downpour started. The next 7+ miles were trudging through chilly 50 degree rainfall. Fortunately the Greg Ball Trail provided us with temporary shelter and a jaunty quick zig-zag series of switchbacks through a tiny hole cut into the overgrown ferns. If you are a downhill jogger, this rapid 3 mile stint is a real rush. Beauty 10/10 Difficulty 6.5/10.
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Mount Si, North Bend, WA 6.8.2014

After hiking Mount Teneriffe the week before we decided to head back to North Bend to tackle it's neighbor peak. When looking online we found that the hike was only 8 miles long and rated as a moderate. It was not. It was an arduous scramble through 20+ switchbacks. We were out of shape and paid for it. The trail itself was pretty enough but the view at the top made it all worth the struggle. Upon reach the "top", we realized that it was a false summit and the "Haystack" remained. After asking a fellow hiker about its difficulty and hearing that it required equipment we decided to save it for another day. Turns out, it actually doesn't and isn't any more difficult that the rest of Si! Next time.
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Teneriffe Falls (Kamikaze Falls), North Bend, WA 6.1.2014

Great Hike and our first since our move to Seattle. Absolutely gorgeous. We actually meant to do Mount Si and Mistakenly entered the wrong trail head next door on Mount Teneriffe. Once the falls become audible you can sneak towards them avoiding the switchback and find an excellent view of a tiny but magical waterfall. We didn't have time to summit. Intentions to revisit soon. 9/10 Beauty and 5/10 Difficulty.

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