Saturday, August 13, 2005
Anderson Butte and Watson Lakes, Noisy-Diobsud Wilderness
I've spent hardly any time in the northern Cascades, so Sara and I chose to do a relatively easy hike in this area. The problem with choosing an "easy" hike is that I sometimes feel lazy and I'm unprepared for any wind-sucking uphills, etc. We first went up Anderson Butte, grazing on blueberries and huckleberries. There were some great patches, especially near the junction between the spur up the Butte and the main trail. The blueberry pancakes the next day were delicious! At Anderson Butte we had an awesome view of Mount Baker and the cragged peaks of the North Cascades. Bella had a tough time however finding a shady spot without sharp rocks (poor pooch). The main trail to Watson Lakes and Anderson Lakes traverses through a beautiful meadow with a stunning view back to Mount Baker, followed by a descent through forest. We went to Watson Lakes, which were two relatively large lakes. At the lower of the two lakes we spent some nice time on a little gravel beach (and Bella scared off the puppy dog "threatening" us) where I polluted the lake with my stinky sweaty feet. Upon return to the parking lot we gave a grateful group a jump to their dead battery!
Distance:
Vertical Gain:
Weather: Sunny 70s
Dog Rating: Pointy rocks at Anderson Butte and little shade, too much berry picking by Dave and Sara (let's hike!), and an annoying puppy at Watson Lakes.
