Emory’s on Silver Lake

Saturday March 30, 2013

A beautiful day on Silver Lake for Happy Hour

Our sun goddess has been following the sun rays everywhere in the house all weekend

Lake Wenatchee Rustic Cabin

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!