Lake Wenatchee
Rustic Cabin
Friday-Sunday March 22-24, 2013
We left Mill Creek after work on
Friday and head out to Jorge’s girlfriend’s friend’s cabin on Lake Wenatchee.
We arrived right at dusk to the
last parking area in Camp Zanika Lodge. The 1 mile gravel road from here to the
cabin was closed because the ground is so soft with the wet snow. We strapped
on our packs, head lamps and snowshoes. We didn’t really need the snowshoes.
Half of the time we were walking through mud puddles. My snowshoes started to
malfunction. Ice kept accumulating on my front right toe claw. It was like
walking in high heels but with the heel on your toe! I knocked off ice chunks
at least 3 times. Later we discovered there is a plastic piece lapped onto the
metal claw. Somehow dirt or some small stones got stuff between the 2, creating
a nice crevasse for snow & ice to accumulate.
Joe made some chicken quesadillas
for dinner at the stove. We enjoyed the beer to lugged into the cabin. The best
part was the Timberline fireplace.
Chance always knows where to lay
in the sunlight.
The cabin after the tree &
snow clearing from the deck.
We hiked down the hill the cabin
sits on to the Lake Wenatchee shoreline. The view east
Dirtyface Peak
The view west
Icicle waterfall
Chance exploring a dock while I
admire Dirtyface Peak across the lake.
Great dock view west
Chance the explorer
Gorgeous Dirtyface Peak
reflection in smooth Lake Wenatchee
View east reflections
View west reflections
More shoreline snow hiking
Reflections
So clear
Chance enjoyed the shore and even
walked in a few feet into the cold waters.
Chance caused the water ripple
More Dirtyface Peak reflections
Crystal clear waters
A photographer’s paradise
Crystal clear shoreline waters
Living the dream
I just can’t get enough
This would be an awesome fire pit
in the summer time.
So peaceful
Acorns
Moss
A break from the snow
Majestic mountain peak reflection
We stopped for lunch at the
campground on the southwestern shoreline.
There were a few trees down
across the road from the campground up to the Hidden Lake Trailhead.
We had been keeping a close eye
on Chance to make sure snow and ice weren’t accumulating in the paw pads. Our first
clue something was up was when we were hiking she would go from tree well to
tree well to get a break from the snow. At first we thought she was just tired
because we’d been hiking more than she was used to. The sharp icy top to the snow
had been irrigating the edges of her pads along the sides of her foot.
GPS capabilities are necessary
when hiking in snowy terrain where trails and even roads are indiscernible.
Chance was a good sport.
We found the trailhead to Hidden
Lake.
About .25mi in the trail was
unrecognizable. We got turned around several times. It was around then that we
started noticing red snow behind Chance’s footprints. Her paws were really
hurting her so we head back to the Xterra for a well deserved trip to 59er
Diner down the road for milkshakes. Chance was so excited when she realized we
were heading back. Not much can deter Chance from having a good time. Dogs
truly are amazing.
Mmm milkshakes
We parked & then hiked 1mi back
to the cabin.
After naps we enjoyed another
wonderful night talking around the fire.
Sunday morning we went back down
the hill from the cabin to the shoreline to take the canoe out for a paddle.
This is the chain around the
canoe we thought was our cabin’s…
Lake Wenatchee cabin shoreline
view east
While Joe & Jorge searched
for the key Chance & I enjoyed the lakeside scenery.
Chance was more concerned about
where her daddy and her new best friend Jorge went up by the cabin.
As we start walking down the shore
a little ways Jorge realizes that was the wrong canoe. The next one we found was not tied up like the owner said
it would be.
Joe paddled in front and Jorge
paddled in back. I sat in the middle on a life preserver with Chance between my
legs to attempt to keep her calm.
After about 10 minutes on the
water she stopped shaking and trembling.
Chance kept really trying to
lower her head over the edge to get a drink of water, risking all our peaceful
dry & somewhat warm current state.
I was getting really cold with the
wind at our face and with the guys doing all the work. We decided to head back.
Nice houses on the north shore of
Lake Wenatchee.
The scariest situation was when
Chance was so concerned about the buoys in the water. She kept moving from one
side of Joe to the other to check on them.
Chance finally relaxed near the
end of the ride.
I have to say I think we should
try taking her out on the kayak this summer on Silver Lake to see how she does,
but she will totally flip us hence why we would do this in a swimmable lake in
Washington.
We packed up and hiked back to
the car. No complaints from Chance on the hike back in the snow. I’m happy to
say that Saturday’s hike did not ruin snow for her.
We drove over to Leavenworth for
a bite to eat for a late afternoon lunch. We had Bavarian beers & great
German delicacies before driving back home to Mill Creek.
The bridges and ups and downs of
the mountain roads always scare Chance. She crawls down onto the floor boards
to comfort herself. My little snuggle bug at my feet.
We had a well needed weekend
getaway to a rustic cabin on Lake Wenatchee. We snowshoed a mile to the cabin
down the closed road, snow hiked with Chance for the 1st time, canoed the lake
for Chance's 1st unmotorized boat ride & my favorite part creating heat in
this extremely efficient fireplace. Thanks Jorge for a great weekend!
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