LESLIE SEATON

Summer 2013 & 2014: I have to be honest that neither of my trips to the Silver Lake Park campground in the Mt. Baker area was totally enjoyable. BUT I can say it's very beautiful under any circumstances.

Due to terrible back pain, I had to leave early in summer 2013.

Back again in 2014, this time with some pretty bad rain.

First a stop at Acme Diner for dinner and Acme ice cream (this is Zab, their version of zabaglione, kind of eggnoggy flavor).

Also a chance to catch up on local news.

Shop cat at Everybody's Store in Van Zandt.

I was too focused on putting up the tarp to get any pictures of the tarp but we were successful in creating a rain-free tent for both nights of this visit. My friend Lucia's Flickr has some of the tarp and rain action here and here.

Porpidia crustulata I think. On a rock at the cabin my friends Rachel and Chris stayed at (with an infant, it seemed better to have watertight certainty). It was called The Logs and they were pretty pleased with it if you need a cabin option in the Mt. Baker area.

The next day was pretty rainy as we drove to a hike, but fortunately we did have clear skies by the time we were ready to start.

Horseshoe Bend Trail

Nooksack

Some kind of lichen or fungus?

Trail slug

Some kind of wild gooseberry

wild rose

Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata)

huckleberries on the way

thimbleberry flower

Lobaria pulmonaria I believe

back side

Lucia helps Elise with early berry training

I tried out paddling, briefly, as we started getting rained on pretty hard.

Back for a rainy campfire

Ranger station inquiries

Nooksack Falls

Salmonberry

Final stop for burgers. Despite the promises of the signage, ours were just so so. Again, still find this area very beautiful so I am looking forward to trying yet again in 2015. Maybe third time will be the charm.