A Perfect Day with the Buddies, Canyon Ridge, October 24th, 2015

October 24th was my birthday and I did what I most like to do: an Autumn hike in the Mount Baker wilderness with my buddies. We took the Canyon Ridge trail through high mountain old growth forest with ancient hemlocks, silver fir, Doug fir. Dry mushrooms--boletes, russula--marked our path. An owl hooted in the distance. The mountain was grand, the trail especially quiet, with the exception of a stellar's jay that followed us along the way, making its squawking noises. Here we  Buddies are together looking out at Mount Baker in its glory.

 Clouds forming over Mount Baker on the lonely trail out to Canyon Ridge.

 Happy Mar enjoying his forest walk.

 What has been hitting me lately in our walks is the intricate textures of each overlook. A variety of trees at different ages, avalanche chutes, complex valleys--could you imagine an overland walk to the point on the upper right portion of the picture?

As a gift to ourselves, a birthday gift for me and a 6 and 1/2-year anniversary gift to ourselves, we got these shiny objects to display our buddy power. Made by Jerrod Galanin, a Tlingit Unangan multi-media artist from Sitka, Alaska. Kirsten's ring has a raven on it and my bracelet has a bear eating a salmon. With both of our spirit animals represented, we have Buddy Power!

We came down the mountain and had a delightful pizza and some lovely porter at The North Fork Brewery and Beer Shrine​.