Find Mongo Challenge – Snoquera Falls Edition
Inspired by the tireless efforts of Sarah & Choppy and their Find Choppy Challenges < https://travelswithchoppy.com/ >, Mongo & Dad present the first Find Mongo Challenge. See if you can find Mongo in the picture below.
Kachess Ridge Trail
It was now noon. Dad needed to figure out how to burn off some of the massive amounts of sugar Mongo had recently consumed. (Click HERE to read about Mongo and molasses.) Poor Dad had run errands for Mom-mom all morning as penance for leaving the molasses and corn syrup out where Mongo could find them.
Now he needed to get Mongo moving before all that sugar turned to pudge. He studied his copy of “Best Hikes with Dogs”
“Kachess”, he said aloud to Mongo. We’re going to hike the Kachess Ridge. It was exceptionally warm for the first day of May, but that shouldn’t be problem thought Dad. There was plenty of water along the route and he would carry some extra water and doggie nom-noms just in case.
The various guides Dad had consulted promised,
“The trail to Kachess Beacon is steep much of the way, but it is easy to get to, well-shaded, and less than three miles long.”
It seemed like a good choice. It was a bit closer than Dad’s favorite hike to Snoquera. And since it was already noon, they did not have a lot of time to spend in transit. It had a 1500 ft climb, so they would get a good workout, and it looked like a fun hike… Read More…
Snoquera with Mongo and SPORK
Today, Dad, Mongo, and SPORK all headed up to the mountains for a hike. The days were getting longer and the crew had a morning start at driving to the trailhead.
The cherry trees were blossoming as Dad drove through Enumclaw. He passed the Pie Goddess shop on the way through, but made a note to stop in later. The sky was showing some blue hidden in between the big white puffy clouds. It was a little cool out, but just right for a stirring uphill hike.
The last time the team had visited the Wenatchee National Forest, it had been snowing in the mountains, and all of the mountains had a frosting of snow on their tops. This time the cherry trees were blooming in Enumclaw.
Dad parked in the National Forest Parking lot this time instead of along the highway. The last time up they had parked at the trailhead along HWY 410, but on the way out, Dad had noticed a pile of broken auto glass on the ground. It could have been the evidence of an old “smash & grab”. Dad could not convince himself that people would drive all the way up the mountian to break into cars, but he couldn’t quite convince himself that they wouldn’t either. So he parked in the regular parking lot.
Dad unloaded Mongo & SPORK and leashed up SPORK. Mongo never gets far from Dad so he is allowed to roam in the National Forest, but SPORK would fly off into the woods in a heartbeat, never to be seen again. She is not a good camper. Read More…
Vashon Island Hike
Dad and Mongo grabbed some food to go, and then headed towards the West Seattle Ferry Docks. It was time to pay a visit to George and Linda at the Palouse Winery, and explore a little bit of Vashon Island in the process.
They were lucky on the way to Vashon, the ferry was loading just as Dad pulled into the line. It was another cloudy and wet day, but that was not the kind of thing to dissuade Dad and Mongo from a hike. In fact, it just meant that they would most likely have the trail to themselves. And that the winery tasting room would be pretty quiet also, meaning there would be more snacks for Dad.
One dock worker directed Dad onto the ferry, and then another one made sure Dad’s truck was properly parked. He made sure Dad was up close to the car in front, and then crossed his wrists to show dad to cut the motor. Dad smiled at the man’s use of the aircraft marshaling signal. It seemed appropriate since Mongo and Dad were going to stop by George’s winery and George had been Dad’s instructor when Dad got his tailwheel rating in the Cub. The signal brought back fond memories of some of Dad’s piloting adventures.
Dad hopped out and opened the hatch on the truck canopy to let Mongo see out. The people behind him were quite amused as Mr. M made many different faces at them from the back of the truck.
Hiking in National Forest
April 5, 2014
Mongo and Dad went on a training
hike on Saturday. Dad is training
for a weeklong backpacking
expedition and needed to make sure that he
can still lug several dozen pounds of gear on
his poor old tired back.
It was a bit rainy, so Dad took his Gore-Tex
raingear along. Dad also brought Pippin’s
old pack along for Mongo. Mongo hates
that backpack. Even if it did once belong to
the world’s most vicious golden retriever and
huntress of squirrels, it still has flowers on it,
so it is not macho enough for him.
Dad loaded his own pack with 30 lbs. of
dead weight, and some water. Mongo went
with just the pack. .
It was not the most scenic day to hike the
Snoquarie Loop. It was cloudy on the
mountain, and a little rainy. At this time of
year, the trail is not much of a loop either.
Still, no matter the weather, the falls
themselves are always spectacular.
And the trail provides a good vertical
excursion to practice hiking uphill and
downhill, and good aerobic exercise as well.
Mongo’s gallery
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