Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
Highwalker's Daughter Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell, WA |
We had a little trouble finding it due to the street name change and more houses in Sudden Valley since the guidebook had been written so we had to ask a resident where to go for the final 1/2 mile of driving. Take Exit 240 from I-5 heading north and cross 99; go about 8 miles to a left on Lake Louise. Go through Gate 5 of Sudden Valley, go right on Tumbling Water Drive; left on Shelton (?) Court (no longer called Palomino); then an immediate right - looks like a driveway to a house so we missed it the first time. Drive 1/4 mile or so to the end, and you will come to a gate. Take a left on the logging road and left at the other forks until the final fork; take a right there by the Puget Power Box.
We started out with some territorial views, then the sound of a creek quite a bit of the way, and peek a boo views of Lake Whatcom below us. After the Puget Power Box, you start to come out to the ridge with spectacular views over to Baker; then from the lower tower (we first went to the true summit - not much view from there; then to the lower tower which was bathed in sun, had a little bench, and magnificent views west and north. The Coast Range was crystal clear, the sound and Samish and Padden Lakes sparkled below us, and we could see the Olympics still through the cloud cover. To the south was a really dark cloud, and Baker was soon covered, but we enjoyed sun the whole day - excellent lowland hike! 11 miles and 2040 feet of gain, and we didn't see more than 4 people all day. It took us about 4 hours of hiking time.
the limited area for parking Lake Padden in the distance more westward views Mt. Baker is under there! Just as we broke out completely, Baker and the Sisters went into hiking Coast range was crystal clear in person - not so much in this picture - Whatcom Lake below the sound Samish Lake, the sound, Olympics hiking in the clouds Shona and Melissa at the tower just below the true summit.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Hikingqueen Member
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 2946 | TRs | Pics
|
Yeah, for sunny day!
|
Back to top |
|
|
bobbi stillaGUAMish
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 8012 | TRs | Pics Location: olympics! |
|
bobbi
stillaGUAMish
|
Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:19 pm
|
|
|
bobbi ૐ
"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!" - Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss
|
Back to top |
|
|
Highwalker's Daughter Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell, WA |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Alpendave Member
Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 863 | TRs | Pics
|
Ah...I remember living in Sudden Valley. I took a short jaunt from the parking area where you parked. Very limited indeed. I usually just walked out my front door and walked a short distance on Sudden Valley Drive and a couple small side streets to Stimpson Nature Reserve.
Your photo of the parking area reminded me of how dark and damp Sudden Valley is. Looks like you had a quite a nice outing, though.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Snowdog Member
Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1028 | TRs | Pics Location: on (& off) the beaten path |
|
Snowdog
Member
|
Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:41 am
|
|
|
Looks like you guys had a great outing (once locating TH-
sorry to have missed it- I love looking down on Lakes Whatcom & Samish.
'we don't have time for a shortcut'
'we don't have time for a shortcut'
|
Back to top |
|
|
aywolfpac Member
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1286 | TRs | Pics Location: Burlington, WA |
Nice report. I've hiked up that road a couple of times to a waterfall that's about a mile up the road. It would be on the first creek that you cross but it's down below the road and very tough to get a good view of:
Trataka Falls
You can actually see a small upper tier of the falls from the road. I've never walked the rest of the way up the road. Looks like a nice little walk.
|
Back to top |
|
|
yew non-technical
Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 1173 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellingham |
|
yew
non-technical
|
Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:50 pm
|
|
|
Hmmm, I don't know of accessing Lookout from this area (?). I just parked on Lake Louise Road across from a red gate. Ken Wilcox's "Hiking Whatcom County" has directions to park on Lake Louise Road (I think).
They blew the weather forecast all weekend. Saturday was really nice.
"I aint jokin woman, I got to ramble...We gonna go walkin through the park every day." - Led Zeppelin
"I aint jokin woman, I got to ramble...We gonna go walkin through the park every day." - Led Zeppelin
|
Back to top |
|
|
Highwalker's Daughter Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell, WA |
My Winter Hikes book (don't have it with me as I'm at work so don't recall the author) says to park at the actual trailhead, but there isn't much parking. We saw people coming up from wherever the road actually ends, but that was north of the Lake Louise Rd. so not sure where it started. We hooked onto it by parking where we did. None of them were doing more than short walks as we didn't see anyone past the first 1/2 mile.
Yeah, had I known there'd be good weather, I'd have done some different planning for the weekend!
|
Back to top |
|
|
Eric Peak Geek
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics Location: In Travel Status |
|
Eric
Peak Geek
|
Tue Jan 19, 2010 3:54 pm
|
|
|
Right, the standard parking for Lookout is at 462' on Lake Louise Road at a gate that has a sign about Bellingham or Whatcom County Public Works or some such thing.
48.71936
-122.35536
The info in the Ken Wilcox book is somewhat outdated and that area is now private property. It's probably fine to still park there for now but in the longer term that access will eventually disappear.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Highwalker's Daughter Member
Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 1575 | TRs | Pics Location: Bothell, WA |
Good to know as this is one I'd enjoy doing again. I found that a couple of the hikes in his book are rather outdated, but mostly it's been good info. Thanks for posting the GPS coordinates.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Eric Peak Geek
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics Location: In Travel Status |
|
Eric
Peak Geek
|
Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:22 pm
|
|
|
Yeah outdated is probably a bit harsh. He wrote the book and there has been a lot of development in that area and that sort of stuff can change.
As long as you can park where you did, I think you should continue to do that. For now. The roadside parking at the gate is probably a bit more exposed and so perhaps vulnerable to vandalism or break-ins.
|
Back to top |
|
|
|