Forum Index > Trip Reports > Church Lake: 11/07/20
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fourteen410
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PostSun Nov 08, 2020 1:07 am 
After perusing satellite footage, road updates, and NOAA forecasts, the north cascades looked like the place to be this weekend. Headed up to Church Lake to get another visit in before snow settled in for the season. FR3160 had a thin layer of snow coverage on it, which actually made the ride slightly less bumpy than usual. The hike into the lake is short, but we took our time enjoying the first dusting of snow. The lake was beautiful as always - I love that short window between first snowfall and lake freezing. I had planned to head up to Bearpaw ridge for views, but I turned around in the basin after the clouds refused to clear. Skunked again by an incorrect forecast! I'll have to come back during a certifiable sunny streak some time. Still a lovely trip today - only other visitors were a bald eagle, a hawk(?) and two colorful birds. up.gif
ghost in the lake?
ghost in the lake?
P1070815-Pano
P1070815-Pano

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Bushwacker
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PostSun Nov 08, 2020 6:41 am 
Outstanding!!! Thanks for sharing smile.gif BW

"Wait by the river long enough and the bodies of your enemies will float by"...Sun Tsu
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Sculpin
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PostSun Nov 08, 2020 9:23 am 
fourteen410 wrote:
My first guess is the widespread No-Such Hawk.* Hawks are hard, and this one has a solid black tail which matches exactly none of our native hawks. But I think it might be a Swainson's.
That is a calendar-worthy shot of a Pine Grosbeak, which would be a new bird for me if I had actually been there. Spectacular!
And this is no doubt the lady friend of the handsome male Pine Grosbeak in the previous image. Thanks! Dang! I need to get out more in the shoulder seasons. *Little birdwatcher joke there, yuk, yuk, yuk.

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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fourteen410
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PostSun Nov 08, 2020 10:13 am 
Thanks for the grosbeak ID Sculpin! It was such a treat to see them.

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Brushbuffalo
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 8:26 am 
Outstanding area and you hit it just at the right time.....after the hiking crowds accessing the Canyon Creek Road but before deep snow and snowmobiles.
fourteen410 wrote:
I'm pretty sure this is a juvenile bald eagle. For your mystery birds I looked up what I thought were finches and concluded to agree 100% with Sculpin....textbook pair of pine grosbeaks. Your pictures of both male (left) and female are at least as good for ID as in some of the field guides.

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Brushbuffalo
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 8:30 am 
fourteen410 wrote:
Also, for future if interested Bearpaw is an easy scramble ( never more than class 3) on the south side. Go to the ridge left of the peak in this picture and a rising traverse right will bring you below the top. It is not climbed too often but is an impressive minor peak IMO.

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Sculpin
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 9:16 am 
Brushbuffalo wrote:
I'm pretty sure this is a juvenile bald eagle.
By golly, you are right! There really is no such hawk!

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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Brushbuffalo
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 9:30 am 
Sculpin wrote:
There really is no such hawk!
I knew you were joking. It's like in geology. If we can't identify a rock, it is an OFR* or maybe idunnoalrite** *old field rock ** "I don't know. All right?"

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Sculpin
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 10:07 am 
Brushbuffalo wrote:
If we can't identify a rock, it is an OFR* or maybe idunnoalrite
smile.gif And then there is this one: Amateur rockhound: What is this rock? Grizzled rockhound: That is leverite. Amateur rockhound: Should I keep it? Grizzled rockhound: Nope, leverite where you found 'er. wink.gif

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
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timberghost
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 10:46 am 
Nice pictures, catch any fish?

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fourteen410
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PostMon Nov 09, 2020 7:46 pm 
Brushbuffalo wrote:
Also, for future if interested Bearpaw is an easy scramble ( never more than class 3) on the south side. Go to the ridge left of the peak in this picture and a rising traverse right will bring you below the top.
I tried it last summer from the route you described. I followed a faint bootpath but must have gotten off track, because I was definitely on more than class 3 terrain. Visibility was low due to fog/clouds, so I'll have to try it again when I return on a clear day. Thanks for the juvenile bald eagle ID. There were actually three of them, but I was only able to capture one on the camera. Timberghost - I couldn't catch a fish if I tried. But the lake looked pretty quiet so I'm not sure how many fish were actually there.

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Church Lake: 11/07/20
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