HIKING

We're working on our Hiking badges. Some of us already have our swimming badges and don't need the hiking for Eagle, but we thought it would be a fun and useful thing to do.

Hike Reports:
2006 Night Hike (Thunderbird) - 10...er, 12...mile hike
Mission Creek Trail (Tahuya) - meant to be a 5-mile hike, but ended up 7+ miles.
Green Mountain (Belfair)- 10 miles
Banner Forest (Olalla) - 11+ miles
Seattle - 11 miles
Western Chehalis (Lacey) - 10 miles
Dungeness Spit (Sequim) - 11 miles
Hyak/Rattlesnake Trail (Snoqualmie) - 20 miles
Clear Creek Trail (Silverdale) - 10 miles
Point Defiance - 10 miles
Nisqually Wildlife Refuge - 10+ miles
Yelm-Tenino Trail - 20 miles

Note: If you are hiking in the Tahuya Forest or Green Mountain area, please leave your trip itinerary with Sam Jarrett (phone 825-1635). He is the Recreation Director for the local DNR site, and he can tell you which roads and trails are open or closed. It's also a good idea for someone to know exactly what route you're taking. Best days for hikes in Tahuya are Tuesday or Wednesday. Otherwise, you'll get run over by the ATVs and cycles.

A good resource for hikes in Washington is the Washington Trails Association.

The next hikes will be:

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge - March 31, 2008. This is a Bear Patrol event, but an invitation is extended to anyone working on their Hiking badge.

HIKING SCHEDULE - Subject to Change

For those of you who get Spring break, please try and join us on these hikes:
Monday, March 31 (tentative) - 10 miles; Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Note: Please open your BIRD STUDY badge if you haven't already done so. We are likely to see many different species here, so bring your sketch book and field guide if you have it.
Wednesday, April 2 (tentative) - 20 miles; Yelm-Tenino Trail +5 miles of the Western Chehalis Trail
Other hikes TBA as needed
If you haven't opened up your badge and started on the 10-milers, you might want to do so before the 20-miler.

We will schedule additional make-up hikes as needed.

HIKING EXAM - You should be able to pass this before you get your badge.
Note: There is VERY good information on the Exam page, and everyone taking the hikes should read it and be able to pass the test.