More Changes~

Widened!

No rain!  Sunshine!  Our first opportunity to go up & chainsaw all the downfall that's blocked my trails out for two-weeks now.  The first change was obvious - someone had driven a backhoe through the trail - breaking off the small Alders along both sides. 

12-9, Where the backhoe must have come in~

This is the closest access - so I know the tree above has been cut out.  I should be able to loop through the construction again.

Gosh - guess they had to turn around!

 At the end of this trail - is the log that was down just before the drop to the outflow of the Wetland.  That stopped him, steep & extremely wet.  Of course - I could add that it's supposed to be illegal to go within a certain distance of the wetland...

Butch & the Mcculloch's last hurrah~

As Butch worked to start his notoriously hard to start McCulloch - the pull string broke.  Hike back to the truck, trip to town, visit to Glens & out he came with a new to us - used Stihl!  I did ask about the McCullough - it went to the bone pile :-)

On to the big stuff~

The Stihl is lighter & did a really nice job cutting through the big stuff!  I was amazed at how much the big one above moved as Butch made the cuts.

Further up~

Further up toward Cottonwood Cathedral - there was this one.  We'd gotten over it, but since we were here - it got cut.  Our final surprise came at the Cottonwoods, where someone had cut them out.  They'd come in the other access gate from the Development.  Now, I'm interested in riding out to see if they've done anything else, since this is not their property.

Butch's work on our way back~

We didn't make it pretty this time.  As we discussed, I may have this access for another week or another year - who knows.  Either way - no purpose in doing any more than necessary - since It could all get dozed anytime now.  It's impossible to reach Planning & Development by phone...  I need to make a trip to their offices in Everett & I dread that.  Just to remind them that the Wetland is here & find out if there's any chance that the Native Growth Protection regulations will protect it?   Not that they care - how could they - when they approved these Rural Cluster plans originally?  To keep from being sued by the Developer - from what I've heard...   Soon, we'll be down to the last tree standing...

Cold, Clear, Blue & Treacherous~

7-mi. loop

First, another Thank You is due to Dean Essex, DVM - for teaching me about saddles!  It was so cold & so crisp & Farah was So full of herself!  We got past the Utility crew cutting on our trees, snort, snort.  Then across Pat's & up the road...

Farah is very animated!

Next we go through the neighbors yard & up onto the trail.

Snow frozen on the ground & bushes~

 Good I say to myself, now she will settle down!  Not!  AT the end of this short trail it opens up & there were several spots of frozen water.  As we went past one, Farah's fast feet set a rock flying that landed & slid across the ice at her rear end.  In the next second she bucked & I was above my saddle looking down.  I came down - right back into the seat with my feet back in the stirrups!  YES!  I love my saddle!  My horse got the stick!  No more shenanigans! 

Rock hard frozen ground~

 At the end of this trail is a sharp downhill where the base of the Beaver Dam blocks the end of the big wetland.  The water was pouring over the trail.

No, not a river, just a full creek flowing over the trail~

I love this part, the part where Ms. Farah just goes trudging right through the water!  What an improvement over our first months together almost two-years ago now.  We actually did a little gallop on the way up to the power lines.

North - It looked & was COLD!

We turned South~

Going past one of the Beaver Ponds,, the water had a layer of ice.  Farah had been breaking through the ice on the trails.  She figured out how to break through with a foot - then drink as it gurgled under the remaining ice.

Beaver Pond

This time we rode over to see if the gate was still in place on 130th, & it was~

Closed gate on our map~

Another adrenalin rush... as we rounded the corner & went into the shade, Farah slipped!  The road was covered with a layer of black ice.  I moved her over onto the shoulder.

Looking back the way we'd come~

As you can see in the photo above & a close-up on the one below, this area hosts probably the most "protected" area signs anywhere in the state.  

Really?

Before the logging, before the paving, before the fencing - yes - it was the most spectacular area - a forgotten gem of a place with fresh flowing creeks, full of salmon, wetlands with fish, birds & beaver - but now?  Houses in rows, yards, pollutants, yard debris?  Really?  There's the matter of the funding to actually protect the area?  Where does that come from?  If they'd just stayed out - it took pretty good care of itself.  Somewhere under this land is supposed to be the largest fresh water aquifer left on this side of the state.  The large wetland is the recharge area for the aquifer, I've been told.

Mt. Pilchuck

We come back over to our side of the ridge & are welcomed by one of the best views in this part of the county~  My fingers were getting numb from taking the pictures, but it was our ride & I'm sticking to it!  :-)