vituperation

November 30, 2003

Here’s hoping you had a happy Thanksgiving (you Americans, that is). We certainly did, despite my dragging Robyn into an eternal game of Trivial Pursuit (which we ended up forfeiting) at my sister’s house. Not much else is going on around here, so most of this entry will be pictures from the hike I took yesterday, along with some of my fascinating commentary.

In defense of dorkiness, I’d like to say that being a super-dork sometimes comes in handy. I came face to face with a hiking couple at one point yesterday. They weren’t dorked out, but I was, so when the man asked me if the trail they were on would take them in a loop, I was able to whip out a trail map and show them a path they could take to make a big loop.

Damn Skippy.

Also, if you’re a man, and you happened to be on the east side of Montesano with your wife/girlfriend yesterday, sitting on the bench in the little shelter and about to receive a blow job when some dorky guy with a cool backpack stumbled up on you, sorry about that. I really was just looking for the yellow trail marker. I wasn’t spying. Honest!

My hike yesterday started at the hiker’s parking lot on Montesano (locals: it’s about a quarter-mile beyond the entrance to the State Park). From there I took the South Plateau Loop Trail (white markers) to the McKay’s Hollow Trail (yellow markers). The McKay’s Hollow Trail is rumored to be one of the tougher trails in the system of trails on Montesano. It declines about 600 feet from the trailhead into the hollow, meanders for a mile or so through a plateau in the hollow (I wish it had gone all the way to the base of the mountain, but no trail is perfect), then has an awesome climb of about 700 vertical feet up to the State Park picnic area. From there, the Blue Trail leads back to the hiker’s parking lot.

While the South Plateau Trail was boring — it was wide enough to drive down, for God’s sake — and the descent into McKay’s Hollow was pretty simple, except for all the small ankle-twisting rocks, the climb out of the hollow made the whole trip worth it. I was reeling around and theatrically gasping like Tallulah Bankhead by the time I stopped for lunch near the top. Two thumbs up for that.

A bluff near the beginning of the South Plateau Trail. If you
look closely, you’ll see icicles on it. That drop to the right
is into McKay’s Hollow.

Looking into the hollow from the South Plateau Trail.

Looking out over the hollow from the South Plateau Trail.

A view from in the hollow, back up toward the plateau.

The McKay Hollow Trail, meandering through the hollow.

Near the top of the trail, I stopped for lunch at this manmade concrete and
rock thing. I’m not sure what it was, but there was a hole in the center, and
there was another one just like it nearby. I suspect they’re some sort of support
holders for a building or tower that’s no longer there. Whatever they are,
they’re perfect for sitting on…

…and the view isn’t half-bad at all.

There’s a small waterfall near the of the McKay Hollow Trail.
It’s close enough to the picnic area of the park that
people come down to look at it.

The view from the very end of the McKay’s Hollow Trail, inside the
picnic area of Montesano State Park. The area to the bottom of the picture
is McKay’s Hollow, and to the left is the tip-end of the South Plateau.

I sure do wish we had some really big mountains around here.