Another Dog Mtn Weekend

13-14 June 2009

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After a good 1hr 20 min paraglider flight on Friday at Tiger, C.J. and I opted for joining the hang gliding crew at the Dog Pound (Dave Gerdes' tree nursery property on the back side of Dog Mtn in Cispus).

On the way to Dog we detoured to Apache RV in Tacoma to scope out the Aliner Sport which had finally arrived. It really looks perfect for us - about as big as our "condo tent" but with dinette, stove and screened windows (not to mention the furnace!). It would have been great for the spring trip through the SW. The financial market is going to have to do something dramatic (in a positive way), though, if we are going to find the cash to buy one, even used.

By the time we reached Dog, it was 1630. We stopped at the North Field LZ and found out from Tina and Larry that people were going back up to fly so we drove on up. After watching a new pilot fly and land out on the way to the LZ, C.J. launched and soared about at launch level for a few minutes before heading for the new-to-her LZ. I drove down and found C.J. almost all packed up so I went out to help Tom carry his glider and gear from where he landed to the LZ through the tall grass and bushes. Then we found our way to the Dog Pound where the rest of the pilots were relaxing around the fire pit on hay bales and folding chairs. Tina prepared a huge meal with some small help from some others, notably Tom Pierce's wife who had baked a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. We didn't have much to throw in except for homemade mustard, rye bread and potato salad. Next time we'll have to plan for a potluck dish. We were the only ones to set up a tent - the Jorgensens have their big motorhome, David has his trailer and so does George and his wife. Everyone else slept in their vehicles. We're thinking about going back next weekend with a borrowed trailer from Bob Hannah to test out the small RV concept.

It was overcast with a low cloudbase in the morning. Most folks went into town for breakfast but we heated up some hot drinks and had cereal and chocolate chip muffins before leaving for the Goat Creek Trail. Larry and Tina were really enthusiastic about the hike and thought it was good timing because there was still snow melt feeding the waterfall.

Even though it was Sunday and only 5 miles from the Taidnapam CG, we met only four other hikers on the deep forest trail. The water fall was as good as advertised, only about a mile in from the road head, and the trail went around behind the falls.

After taking several photos, we continued on for another mile to a fork in the trail that led to the right up Tumwater Creek, and left along Goat Creek. By the time we were ready to turn back the sun had broken through, and the forest on the walk back had a different feel to it.

Back at the car we drove down to a logging landing that looked out across the lake to Dog and had lunch while watching a glider soaring near launch. Conditions looked good enough so we drove up and found ourselves all alone on top with five gliders in the air. By the time C.J. was set up, Larry and David had showed up and Larry provided a second wireman and his experience in launching in the 15 mph gusts. As soon as C.J. took off, I drove down, then waited for her to land in the gusty North Field. After a perfect landing, she packed up and we returned to Dave's to break camp and head home. We just squeaked into the Covington Costco gas station one minute before closing, and were home around 1930.