Goodman Creek Hike

My friend Kate was in town for the weekend, and we decided we needed an adventure in the woods. But it was supposed to rain. A lot. Snow would keep us out of the mountains, and with foggy conditions all over, it didn’t feel worth climbing a hill. I’d never hiked from the Hardesty Trailhead, even though I’ve traveled past there a dozen times. So, with no plan, we set out.

Karou was a little skeptical of our plan.

The hike was a great excuse to get into the woods. Old growth douglas fir surrounded us, with some trees as much as five or six feet wide. And while there weren’t any vistas, there were occasional views.

There were a couple of giant trees across the path, and at least once it was difficult to figure out which way the trail went. Although it’s winter, so a lot of trees were bare, that was more than made up for by the number of trees covered in brilliant green moss. Karou had some trouble fording a stream once, but after I was half way across she jumped right in. She really impressed me when she hopped right up on this bridge.

She definitely didn’t like it though, and slinked across the log, shivering the whole time. Not too long after that we realized we should probably get home, so we turned around. By the time we got back to the car, Karou had started to shiver.

Overall, my first experience hiking in a hard rain was a lot better than I’d expected. I managed to keep warm, even though everything I had soaked through – pants, jacket, and hat. I should probably treat my pants again, but the Mountain Hardware Finder jacket was brand new. Karou wore her jacket as well, which definitely helped, but if we’re hiking in the rain any more, she’ll need something warmer. Similarly, while my hat kept me warm, if the hike had been much longer, water would have started running off it down my face. A wide brim hat may be in my future.

I also desperately need to remember to bring a nicer camera than my iPhone 4S.