5 Great Local Hikes

(Sarah's note- Jack is nearing his final days as a 9th grader at South Whidbey High School and gearing up for a summer of some work and plenty of hiking time. Here are 5 hikes that Jack recommends in and around Whidbey Island. For more hikes in WA check out the Washington Trails Association website.)

5 great hikes near Whidbey Island!

 

Mt. Pilchuck

1.  Mt. Pilchuck
Mt. Pilchuck is one of the most highly recommended hikes in Washington State, and is relatively easy to access. From Granite Falls, take the Mountain Loop Highway east. After crossing the “blue bridge” turn right onto Forest Road 42, drive for 7 miles to the trailhead at elevation 3,100 feet. (Bathroom facilities available at trailhead.) While the hike up to Pilchuck is only 2.7 miles, this is not a hike for beginners. There is snow on the trail for most of the year, as late as June and as early as November. The summit of Mt. Pilchuck offers spectacular views of every mountain surrounding the Mt. Loop. Highway. The hike up Pilchuck gains 2,200 feet in 2.7 miles and has a summit height of 5,324 feet; at the summit there is a restored fire lookout, which was previously used by the US Forest Service. For additional information, go to: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/mount-pilchuck

Sauk Mountain Switchbacks

2. Sauk Mountain. Sauk Mountain is a spectacular, yet short hike. With an elevation gain of 1,150 feet and a 4-mile round trip, this hike is short and sweet. You can drive nearly to the summit of the 5,500-foot peak, and then enjoy hiking switchbacks through wildflowers. When you reach the peak, you look one way to see the beautiful North Cascades, look the other way, and see the wide stunning Skagit Valley stretching out before you. For additional information, go to: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/sauk-mountain

 

Coal Creek Waterfalls

3. Coal Creek Falls. Coal Creek Falls is a short 1.24-mile day hike to some beautiful waterfalls. This hike is accessible year round and during the winter you will see ice sculptures formed by the splashing of the falls. For additional information, go to: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/coal-creek-falls

Ebey's Bluff

4. Ebey’s Bluff The hike from Ebey’s Bluff begins at Ebey’s Landing in Coupeville, Washington. You walk down the beach to the north, underneath the bluff. At the beginning of the hike, beach walking is required, but when you reach the lagoon, there are trails on the lagoon side that get you off the stony beach. After the lagoon, a steep trail guides you up the bluff, follow the trail along the bluff back to Ebey’s Prairie. There a several fabulous picnic spots along the way. Follow the trail along the prairie to a wooden staircase, that leads you back down to the beach, and you arrive at your starting destination. For additional information, go to: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/ebeys-landing   

 

Big Four Ice Caves

5. Big Four Ice Caves The Big Four Ice Caves offer a spectacular view after a very easy hike. Roundtrip the hike is only 1.1 miles with an elevation gain of 200 feet of elevation gain. When you reach the viewpoint you can see the peak of Big Four Mountain towering over 6,000 feet above you. You get a unique opportunity of seeing the ice fields and the ice caves. Walking in the ice caves is not advisable as injury is possible. For additional information, go to: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/big-four-ice-caves

Happy Hikin'

Jack 

Fun and Fashion Langley Style!

Langley is putting itself on the map as a town full of fashionable and…um…funny? folks. With the advent of the soon-to-be semi-annual Langley Fashion Weekend, held May 21-22, my little Island town is showing the world, and reminding its own citizens that there are plenty of places to shop locally for awesome apparel and accessories. 

Emmy entertaining the crowd at the Fashion Flash

photo by Sharen Heath

Wander on Whidbey sends a thousand “THANKS” to the three brave souls who agreed to represent the shop and strut their stuff on the Clyde Theater catwalk- Emmy, Shannon, and Damon, you were AMAZING! Thanks, too, to Merrell and Ibex for sharing some fantastic clothes with my models. Lastly, thanks to Zia Gipson for providing Emmy and Shannon with beautiful handmade scarves to accessorize their outfits.

Missed the show- check out these YouTube videos!  
Fun & Fashion Part 1

Fun & Fashion Part 2 

Wander on Whidbey and the town of Langley hopes to see you all at the next Fun and Fashion weekend slated for October 22-23!

Sarah

 Langley's Mayor, Paul Samuelson, modeling apparel from Music for the Eyes

photo by Sharen Heath 

My big ol’ Oregon wilderness adventure!

            I recently completed a 21-day snow camping expedition in Oregon’s Waldo Lake Wilderness. I went with a company called Catherine Freer. My group consisted of 4 guides and 7 kids (including me.) The kid’s ages ranged from 14- to 17-years old. The guide’s ages ranged from 28- to 35-years old. It was fun to have guides that were young enough to remember what it was like to be a kid. During the adventure, we stayed at 8 different campsites, traveled 7 days, and did many day hikes. On one of the day hikes we were able to summit an 8,000-foot peak! The approach to the peak was long and grueling, and then I saw a 100+ foot nearly vertical wall and thought that the guides were crazy for sending us on this brutal hike followed by this climb. I learned a lot of things about snowshoeing, gear maintenance, and the wilderness in general on my trip.

The trip was full of ups and downs, literally and figuratively, but certain points of the trip were especially incredible. There were quite a few of us in my group and we couldn’t fit all of our gear in our packs, therefore we towed sleds behind us. Most people weren’t a very big fan of towing the sleds that were often rather heavy (around 40 pounds.) I, on the other hand, rather enjoyed it…just another new challenge. When towing a sled we would have a “Tender” who would assist us on uphill climbs and around turns. Most of the time, Tenders were very helpful, especially on the days when it had snowed quite a bit the night before, which meant that there was much more friction on the sled. The worst part of the trip was when my sled Tender was not helping me, and then she flatly refused to hike any further. Her refusal to hike any more that day led to a grueling trip the next day. The best part of the trip was reaching the summit of the 8,000-foot peak. When we finally reached the top and the clouds parted, I saw only mountains and lakes for miles- a truly beautiful sight.

A lot of the gear we used on the trip, supplied by the company that I went with, is by brands that we carry here at Wander On Whidbey. We used Osprey Escalante 100+5 backpacks, MSR Whisperlite stoves, and Thermarest Ridgerest sleeping pads. Here at Wander on Whidbey we currently have Osprey backpacks, Thermarest sleeping pads and MSR stoves in stock. The Whisperlite’s that they provided us with consistently worked in the often sub freezing temperatures, worked well for melting snow, and boiled water at a good pace. The Escalante’s we used were comfortable, and stable with heavy loads (up to 60 pounds.) The Ridgerest sleeping pads were provided plenty of insulation from the snow, while maintaining a low weight (under 2 pounds.) Aside from the gear I have already listed, we were issued Oware Pyramid tarps, which are bombproof in the snow, but lack a floor.  

    I would recommend visiting the Waldo Lakes Wilderness during the summer, because you do not need to carry quite so much gear- resulting in more distance covered. The Waldo Lakes Wilderness was beautiful in the snow, and I can only imagine what it would be like during the summer. There is a main paved road that goes through most of Waldo Lakes, and there are many trail heads that branch off from there. The trees are mostly evergreens, with many trees topping 100 feet. The lakes in the area are pure snowmelt, and are supposed to be some of the purest lakes in the world.   

Happy hikin'

Jack

Tightrope walking? Meh. Slacklining is where it’s at.

The sport of slacklining is a new-fangled version of tightrope walking. Slacklining is compared to tightrope walking because of the general idea of walking on a piece of material suspended between 2 points. Slacklining is greatly different from tightrope walking mainly because it is done on a flat piece of webbing (usually about 2” wide), while tightrope walking is done on a metal cable. Tightrope walking also involves a highly tensioned wire, while slacklining is done on a piece of webbing that has much lower tension, which can be changed quite easily.

It is said that slacklining was invented in the 1970’s, in the Yosemite Valley, a popular destination for rock climbers. The sport originated because the rock climbers were often bored during their down time at base camps, so they started walking on railings, parking lot chains and ropes hung between trees. They soon discovered that the flat webbing used in climbing was far easier than walking on the rounded climbing ropes, and that is how slacklining became what it is today.

    Slacklining on its own would seem difficult enough, but many variations of the sport have been invented. Slackline Yoga was invented recently and is becoming all the rage. In Slackline Yoga, yoga poses are held while balancing on a slackline, with extreme amounts of concentreation and strength required- it is not recommended for beginners. Urbanlining is the most common form of slacklining, involving simply learning to walk the slackline. Tricklining involves a stretchier piece of webbing than used in classic slacklining. In tricklining you use the stretchiness of the material to bounce off the slackline and do aerial tricks. Waterlining simply involves setting the slackline up over water making it an easier place to learn how to do tricks. Freestyle slacklining is when a 15- to3 0-foot piece of webbing is set up with no tension on it, allowing it to swing freely and wildly. Slacklining has been proven to have many benefits, the more obvious being improved balance and core strength. There are other benefits that may be overlooked though- posture can be greatly improved, as well as concentration.   

I personally have slacklining experience- I received a slackline for Christmas. I found it to be very difficult at first, and frankly, quite frustrating (I spent a lot of time on the ground in my yard.) After spending more time slacklining, I found that it became relatively easy to get roughly to the halfway point of the line before there was too much wobble. I also observed that when slacklining my mind would become very clear and calm. For me slacklining certainly helped relieve the stress of day-to-day life.

Slacklining is a great sport for those interested in maintaining their balance, or regaining it. It is a great sport to simply get you outside and moving. At Wander on Whidbey, we carry Gibbon Slacklines, you can find a link to their website here- http://www.gibbonslacklines.com. Also, make sure to check out the Gibbon Facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/GibbonSlacklinesUSA

Happy Slacklinin’,

Jack          

How WANDERful it is!

9 months into this adventure and Lucy and I are having a blast!

         In my former career as a middle school teacher, I tried to start every morning with a relatively firm grasp of whatever science topic my students and I were exploring that day. It was my job to teach and their job to learn, although by the final bell each afternoon I think I learned just as much new information as my young scientists. In this new career of mine, as a retail shop owner, I am humbled to find myself always the student, always on the receiving end of learning new skills, always gaining more knowledge, and overjoyed if I get even a little opportunity to share what I pick up with folks who WANDER into my shop. I never imagined there were so many facets to retail- from the ordering of gear and apparel, to designing the store and keeping the appearance always fresh, bookkeeping, involvement in the greater Langley merchant circle, and most especially, getting to know my customers and what Whidbey Island wanderers are looking for in their outdoor equipment and clothing.

         Not only is opening an outdoor gear shop providing me with a ton of new learning, Lucy is also figuring out a whole lot of things, too. Smart pooch that she is, it did not take her long at all to figure out how to grab the attention of almost everyone who wandered through the doors of our shop. Thank goodness, Keith Fallows and Scott Jennings of Red Barn Millworks designed a checkout counter with plenty of viewing and petting areas for Lucy. She even knows the sound of the FedEx and UPS trucks and gets ever so excited when they pull up in front of Wander on Whidbey with packages for me and treats for her. Oh, and on our daily afternoon walks around Langley, she practically drags me into Whidbey Island Bank and the Post Office where cookies are waiting for her behind the counter. Who says you cannot teach an old dog new tricks!

         I am so excited to carry equipment and apparel from companies that I have used over the years for all my adventures- I can attest to the durability and effectiveness of so many of the products that line the shelves and decorate the racks of Wander on Whidbey. Sierra Designs tents have traveled with me to Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and most recently, to the Antarctic Dry Valleys. My closet is full of Royal Robbins, Outdoor Research, Ibex, and KAVU clothing. My garage is home to way too many well-used pieces of camping and backpacking gear from MSR, Therm-a-rest, Osprey, and Black Diamond. At the shop, it is so much fun to share stories with other wanderers and listen to them raving about how much they love their equipment.

         Check back often for postings from myself and from Jack Bruemmer, my “whipping boy” here in the shop. Jack, a former middle school scientist of mine, is now interning at Wander on Whidbey every school day through the rest of the year and, hopefully, on into the summer, too.

We welcome you to WANDER in soon!

Sarah & Lucy

Wandering Fingers, Restless Feet

The past week has truly tested my dedication and passion for running an incredible retail store and community venue in Langley, WA. I have logged more hours than I care to count sitting in my home office staring at the computer screen, researching various aspects of opening and running an outdoor retail site, and trying to create a business plan that encompasses all the ideas running around in my head, clear goals, and a strong financial background. 

I am not one who finds it easy to sit still for too long, especially with Whidbey Island in the middle of celebrating an early and bloomin’ beautiful Spring!  So, I have a system that helps me get work done, while keeping my cabin fever and restless feet at bay- it is the same system schools use to keep kids active in their learning- short work times, followed by a “recess” of some sort. My work periods are in blocks of an hour, with a great little timer widget on my MacBook’s dashboard chiming at the end of the period, releasing me for a while to take Lucy for a walk, grab a snack, read a couple chapters in a book, or chat on the phone to my fabulously supportive friends and family.

 

So where am I now? Well, still at the middle of the beginning, but creeping closer to the end of the spectrum. I had a great orientation class at the Seattle office of the Women’s Business Center earlier this week where I received a lot of information and resources to help guide me through the process of opening and running a retail business. I have quite a few sections written in the draft of my business plan, with more to come in the next couple days as I have a meeting with a counselor from the SBA on Wednesday, March 7^th to go over my draft and make sure I am on the right path. 

On Friday, March 5^th, I met with Rick Brewer, the Port of South Whidbey harbormaster, and benefited greatly from his enthusiasm and advice. Rick is sure to become a mentor for me in this endeavor. My good friend and amazing artist, Dan, is working on a logo for Wander that will eventually make its way onto a lot of store merchandise. And, hmmmmm, I’m sure there are other places where I have taken steps toward my goal of opening by this summer, but my head is a little too full right now to cull out any more specifics.

    For now and for quite a few days into the future, my sock monkey slippers are my footwear of choice as I continue to plan, make connections, and organize Wander from the comfort of my home office. Lucy has taken to sitting below my desk, hugging one of my sock monkey covered feet as my fingers type away, Wander-ing my dreams into a reality.

Wander-fully yours, Sarah

Somewhere in the middle of the beginning...

Life sometimes forces me to take a step in a fresh direction!

I had two incredible years teaching the most curious and terrifically enthusiastic group of student-scientists at Langley Middle School before I was forced to begin walking down a new path.

So, here I am putting one tattooed foot in front of the other as I dream and begin to turn that dream into a reality. I am so very excited to open an outdoor gear and marine supply shop in my town. There are so many opportunities to get out and explore the land of Whidbey Island and our surrounding seas. I cannot wait o encourage people to take a hike through our forests, kayak around our shores, kiteboard, bird watch, or take their beloved pooch to an Island off-leash dog park. It is my hope that Wander becomes more than just a source for gear of outstanding value, but that Island guests and locals alike will find inspiration through our offered event and classes.

What step am I on right now? Hmmmmm, I have bought a whole bunch of small business reference books, snooped around for a place to set up shop, I have agonized over my mission statement (still just a "working" statement), applied for a business license, and created a very thin outline for a business plan. I guess I am as the title of this entry states- somewhere in the middle of the beginning. 

Join me as I Wander this path.

Sarah