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Today's hike: Bears, mosquitoes and mountain views.

Today Karen and I hiked 8.3 miles with over 2,000 feet of elevation. We steeply climbed above Tumwater Canyon, WA, then scrambled up to a small peak at 3,260' elevation for lunch. Had a 360-degree mountain views and wildflowers galore.

We hiked 8.3 miles with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.

For the first time this year, mosquitoes attacked. I got nine bites on my left elbow while wearing a tight, long-sleeved shirt and gloves. Over-reactive to insect bites, I iced my elbow and took Benadryl when I got home.

Time to spray my hiking clothes, socks, hat and pack with Sawyer Permethrin insect spray. Nontoxic and odorless, it lasts through six machine washings or 42 days. Turns me into a walking Mosquito Hate Zone. Permethrin kills and repels ticks, mosquitoes and 39 other biting insects.

Until next Fall's frosts, I will wear loose clothes for hiking. Tight shirts are no-no with mosquitoes and deer flies.

Gro saw three bears together on this trail. Last month, Karen saw one bear and turned around. Luckily, we only saw bear tracks today.

A beautiful hike.

Photos:

  1. Icicle Ridge, WA.

  2. From left: Rock Mountain and Round Mountain. Karen and I climbed both.

  3. Large bear track, bigger than my hand.

  4. Chelan Penstemon flower.

  5. A beautiful ridge in Tumwater Canyon on US Highway 2, Washington.

LiterateHiker 9 May 28
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8 comments

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1

I'd rather have the bears instead of the mosquitos

1

Thanks for the bug spray recommendation.

0

More photos from today's hike.

  1. Karen hiked to this spire last Tuesday. She will take me there next week.

  2. Another bear track.

  3. Tweedy's Lewisia only grows in North Central Washington, at certain elevations and exposures. Very rare.

  4. Oregon Blue Anemones.

  5. Rare White Shooting Stars.

I like the Blue Anemones. Exceptional color, might try to replicate it next time I have a bike frame made. Great slide show!

@alliwant

Thanks.

1

Get some bear spray just in case.

@Mofo1953

Karen was carrying bear spray.

1

More people are killed by mosquitoes than any other animal.

1

NIce nature pictures.

2

Stay away from those bears.
Great pictures!!

1

Have you ever seen a bear while you are hiking?

@dalefvictor

At age 22, while hiking in the Olympic Mountains, WA, I rounded a corner and surprised a small, black bear eating berries on a hillside by the trail.

The bear and I stood, startled, looking at each other. The he turned and ran back into the woods. Why do they always go the direction I'm heading?

Of course, we saw Grizzlies while backpacking at Yellowstone National Park. Eight Grizzly bears were gathered at a river near our campsite, catching and eating salmon. We shouted and banged pots and pans. Satiated by salmon, the bears ignored us.

@LiterateHiker Referring to seeing Bears in Yellowstone is not allowed. I used to liven in Livingston and have been to Yellowstone in every month of the year. Seeing a Bear is a given if they are not in hibernating. The stories of the interaction between people and Bears during the Summer is just hilarious. I do not see why more people just do not become lunch. People can be so stupid. I have only seen one small black bear in the wild. I was deer hunting in the mountains northeast of Yellowstone. I heard what I thought was a large machine breaking everything it was running into, lots of noise of breaking trees and brush. This little bear came running up the hill about seventy-five yards away, moving so fast it disappeared almost as fast as I could recognize what it was. I did not think something that small could move so fast through thick brush.

@LiterateHiker The bears are so used to seeing people they do not pay attention to them. I was told not to pitch my tent on a trail that came out of the woods that was also in a direct line to a trash can. They will run right over your tent. They are not afraid of people, which is why they are so dangerous.

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