Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
silly_traveler ~ roaming ~
Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue |
♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
|
Back to top |
|
|
captain jack Serving suggestion
Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 3389 | TRs | Pics Location: Upper Fidalgo |
S.T. wrote: | Captain Jack and I drove all the way to Yakima today to check out this neat canyon |
Our conversation last Tuesday went something like this.
S.T.: " So, you wanna drive 170 miles so we can hike a 3 mile canyon? "
Me: "Yuh huh"
I hiked this canyon a few years ago.
I was recovering from a broken baby toe at the time, so it was slow going, with no sides trips up to the rim. This time, 100% functional, so we explored everything in detail, west to east and top to bottom.
We left no stone unturned.
I'm a bit of a rock fan.
Not so much the group kind as the skin your knees kind.
I've always been fascinated by rocks and geology.
Cowiche got rock.
Sculpture Garden Rock Art Sleeping Giant
I was still 35 mm when I went last time, so pictures were limited, this time I got pictures of all the rocks that I missed on my last trip.
There are these marvelous crumbly stacks of rocks alongside the trail.
Potato Chips
They looked like a stack of Pringles.
Towering alongside these stacks is some massive vertical columns of basalt.
Basalt Columns
This is the view from the canyon overlook viewpoint, looking west, with the creek and trail winding down the canyon floor.
Cowiche creek, trail, and canyon
The sun warmed the sagebrush up, which made it very fragrant. I kept thinking I wanted roast chicken.
One thing I had never seen before was what appeared to be berries growing on the sagebrush plants. I was aware of flowers, but not fruit.
I wonder what these taste like ?
Sage berries
Flowers are coming in nicely, the next two or three weeks will be the peak for this area, so if you like wildflowers plan your trip here soon.
Purple kind Grande purple kind Pink and yellow hills
Silly was looking for this all day.
Lupine
I found one plant on a hill near Phils place.
A hiker nears the east portal
Phils little vineyard up on the plateau was a treat. He has a tremendous variety of grapes growing up there on 85 acres of perfect sandy soil.
Grapes and wildflowers
He is particularily proud of his Wilridge Reisling, which is sweet and fruity and drinkable at any time. It would be a great summer wine to just sit and enjoy. We both savored a glass on the porch in the afternoon sun.
Wine tasting is open Thursday-Sunday.
Phils vineyard
We got lucky and just beat a busload of winetasters into the little cottage tasting room.
Weather was sunny and warm all afternoon, temperature at our turnaround point was 70°.
Lots of birds out, no ticks sighted, and no snakes.
170 miles for a 3 mile canyon, heck ya.
I now have Jasper fur on my backpack, even though I have never hiked with said dog, or his mom or dad.
|
Back to top |
|
|
silly_traveler ~ roaming ~
Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 1525 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue |
♫ You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you're the one who will decide where you'll go. Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss
|
Back to top |
|
|
ree Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 4399 | TRs | Pics
|
|
ree
Member
|
Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:01 am
|
|
|
Very nice! A hike and wine tasting sounds like a great day.
|
Back to top |
|
|
captain jack Serving suggestion
Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 3389 | TRs | Pics Location: Upper Fidalgo |
Two schools of thought on the wine tasting part Ree.
First, the canyon trail has two cross trails about half way in.
Picture the trails like a + sign.
If you start at the west end, do the south cross trail first, then continue to the east end, finishing with the north winery side trip last. This puts you only a 45 minutes or so from the car, mostly downhill.
All the samples they put out for us were very drinkable, I think I finished everything.
Second idea, because the wine is good, and they sell a variety by the bottle right there, is, take a nice baguette and some cheese with you, hike up to the vineyard, taste some wine, buy something yummy and enjoy at one of the numerous picturesque places along the trail.
Either way, its rare that you can hike a trail, then take a side trail up to a vineyard and scarf some grape juice, so I think it makes this place kind of special.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Hikingqueen Member
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2946 | TRs | Pics
|
Good to know they sell beer there!
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jasper Cascade Snow Pig
Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 350 | TRs | Pics Location: Burrowing in the snow |
|
Jasper
Cascade Snow Pig
|
Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:49 pm
|
|
|
Sorry about the hair, but I can't help it.
Looks like a nice area. Apparently I was born up near Cowiche, but I don't remember much about my early puppyhood.
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate NWHikers.net earns from qualifying purchases when you use our link(s).
|