Guidelines for compensation for drivers of carpools: $0.25 per mile per car, to be divided among the passengers.  Tolls and ferry fares are additional and are to be divided among all those in the car.

Deception Pass Lichens. Leaders: Richard Drokar and Katherine Glew.

Just north of Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island are the two contiguous Skagit County parks: Montgomery Duban Headlands Park and Sharpe Park. This beautiful area includes forest, wetlands, areas of glacially smoothed rock and cliffs that descend down into Rosario Strait. We will be particularly interested in the abundant and varied lichen species along the loop trail. Although this trail is only about 1.5 miles around, in places it is quite steep and rocky. The trip should end in the mid afternoon. Limit of 12 participants.

To sign up and for more information, contact Richard at drokoo@mac.com
or 206-935-1769.

Overnight Backpack - Adams Creek Meadows. Leader: Brianne Cohen.

Lava flows, waterfalls, fields of flowers and up close views of glaciers. We will travel the Killen Creek trail on an 8-mile round trip into the Mount Adams Wilderness. The meadows bloom all season long so we are guaranteed a show! We will camp approximately 4 miles in, but since this trail crosses the Pacific Crest Trail, we will have the opportunity to hike many more miles before the day is over!

Due to Forest Service limits, please sign up for the trip with Brianne Cohen at brianne.e.cohen@gmail.com.

Sheep Lake/Chinook Pass. Leader: Fayla Schwartz.  

We will start on the Pacific Crest Trail just outside of Mt. Rainier National Park at Chinook Pass and climb moderately (1,100 ft. elevation gain) to Sheep Lake, six miles round trip. Expect many species of flowers including several louseworts (Pedicularis sp.), lupines (Lupinus sp.), paintbrush (Castilleja sp.), beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) and much more. For a preview of possible plants, check out the online WNPS plant list for Chinook Pass under Pierce County

(http://www.wnps.org/plant_lists/exploring_native_plants.html).
Prepare for a dry and sunny day, bringing your lunch and plenty of water. National Forest Pass required for parking. Limit of 12 participants.

To sign up, contact Fayla at faylas@seanet.com or 206-523-6723.

Tuck Forsythe, leader.  Email:  forsythe@elltel.net; Phone:  (509) 925-2356

Cathy Reed, leader.  Email:  reedcrgs@nwinfo.com;  Phone:  (509) 697-8316

Don Knoke, leader.  Email:  donknoke@yahoo.com  Phone:  (509) 964-2274

Ed Lisowski, leader. Email:  lisowski@nwinfo.net; Phone: (509) 248-4590

Dishman Hills Natural Area.

Dave leads hike in Dishman Hills Natural Area, a follow up to May 10 hike.

Tiffany Mountain, led by Wendy Waichler.

The native fauna staged a jaw-dropping display on Tiffany last year. How will this year compare? Join us at the MVSTA town trailhead in Winthrop at 8 AM to find out. We’ll hike about five miles roundtrip at “photographer’s pace”, from Tiffany Campground, along Tiffany Lake, up to Honeymoon Pass. This easy-to-moderate trip is limited to a maximum of twelve people.

Hart's Pass, led by Caryl Campbell.

We will head off to Hart’s Pass early, so let us meet at the MVSTA trailhead parking lot in Winthrop at 7:00 AM with a stop at the Mazama store about 7:30 AM.  We will head down into the east meadows from Slate Peak and look for flowers along the way.  Be prepared for any weather, including rain or cold.  Bring binocs and lunch. It is an easy hike, limited to twelve people.

Scaffold Ridge, led by George Wooten.

The final date for this trip in the Twisp River area is still being negotiated, depending on interest. We would like to make this an overnight camp out. Please RSVP to Joyce (magpie@methownet.com) or George early with date suggestions. This is a ten-mile round-trip hike on trails and some picking through talus fields – but no bush-whacking. Begins with a steep ascent but then levels off. Lots of interesting ecology makes it worthwhile.

To be announced.

Field trips will be scheduled as snow melt and weather permit. If you would like to know about the trips as they are scheduled (generally at short notice), please send me your phone number if you want to be called, or your e-mail address.  Susan Alaynick, 360-333-7437 or s_alaynick@hotmail.com