Hardy Ridge HIke at Beacon Rock

[Ryan Ojerio]

Here's some press and a map from Al Thomas at the Columbian with info on the official opening of the Hardy Ridge Trail next Saturday June 6th.

http://www.columbian.com/article/200905 ... 1/OUTDOORS

While many avid hikers are already familiar with the trail up Hardy Ridge, the newer section that connects the East Hardy Ridge Trail to the new bridge across Hardy Creek is a work in progress. We'll be fielding three separate volunteer crews to finish the roughest sections - starts at 8:30 at the Equestrian Site and goes until 3:30.

The Chinook Trail Association is hosting a free BBQ after the event.

Register at: http://old.wta.org/~wta/cgi-bin/wtaweb.pl?6+tt

-Cheers, Ryan

[meana39]

This is great to see since my sister and I just both hiked the west side trail on Tuesday. For solitude it can't be beat, although perhaps that will end soon huh? It was a very peaceful trail with some good views in a couple of places. We did however see (what we thought were) biggest piles of bear scat either of us has ever seen. On the way up we counted 8 huge, dinner plate size piles, on the way back there was a new fresh, shiny, wet one so nine in total in that approx 2 mile space. My dog Rosie was VERY much on alert in a couple of areas, sniffing the air and looking over the banks. I'm sure she smelled what we couldn't, and I'm so glad, didn't see!!

Here is a view looking west,

a blurry photo of one of the "piles" (if it isn't bear please let me know!)

the head and body of the one snake we saw....Rosie liked that!