2003 Runners' World Article: Bellingham Running Scene

Here is a Cool old Runners World Article about Bellingham's Trail and Running Scene

Methow Ski Maps.

 MVSTA with donations from the Methow Valley Nordic Club had versions of our map printed and installed at the major trail intersections.  Boy, I like the rustic-style stands.  They seem to be holding up well.

Winter Updates

RightMAPs are made with the best available knowledge of the trails and conditions at the time of printing. However, land-use and trails change with time. This blog lists all the changes to the trails that we are aware of. If you have additional information, make a comment or email us at dsofield(at)amazingmaps.us.

Trail Updates:
Chuckanuts, Raptor Ridge: Over the winter hundreds of volunteers worked on connecting trail from Raptor Ridge (lookout) with the North Lost Lake Trail. Its connection to North Lost Lake is located at the Pass [symbol ")(" ] with an elevation of 1275ft on our maps. The map below shows the new trail.   It is a multi-use trail. Runners have a new loop to complete. Mt. Bikers may find rocky sections to Hemlock Trail a drag. Thanks to all the helped make it happen.

Chuckanuts, Ender Trail: Logging took out this unofficial trail. All the the timber in the private rechangle shown on our maps where logged.  To do the logging the Burnout Road was improved, and a few roads were created to access the land.  The plus is all of the views it opened up.  You can see Lost Lake and the Puget Sound.  The map below shows the current conditions.  This means the 'Triple Bypass" Ride and Run described on the map is not possible.

Happy Trails.

Four Great Trails off Hwy 20.

View of Upper Skagit, i.e. Ross Lake, Jack Mountain from the new Happy Creek Trail

I hiked a few trails on the way to Methow last week.  The first snow of the year made for nice pictures above 5000 ft.  Hiking these trails will help me in making a map and guide for Hwy 20.

View of Mount Baker from Sauk Mountain

High above Cascade River on the Lookout Lake Trail

Trail running bliss on the little used Ruby Creek Trail.

Going to talk at Fairhaven Runners

Steve asked me to talk to his customers about the local trails.  The talk will be at his store, Thursday, December 15 at 7:15 – 8:15 pm

Darrell, a Bellingham-native and trail enthusiast, will present a slide show on
the Whatcom County trails from a mapmaker’s perspective.  Four years ago,
Darrell began making maps and guides for runners, bikers, and skiers that could
be folded to fit in a pocket.  He will share stories of his favorite spots, best
seasons, and what it takes to create his recreation trail maps (RightMAPS)

Quick Map for the Anna Brulotte Memorial's Lake Padden Classic

Today, I made a map to help explain the route for the Lake Padden Trail Classic 13.1.  The 3 interconnecting loops made it a challenge to show.  I used colors outline the 3 major loops and arrows to show the direction (counter-clockwise or clockwise) one is suppose to run.  Maps like this are easy for me to create, having completed in some 400 races in my life I have lots of experience in what makes a good map.  With more time we could add a profile, mile markers, etc.

Using aMAP Lidar Maps for a Northwest Geological Society Field Trip

Kathy Troost and I have been working together to identify landforms from outburst floods in the South Puget Sound.  They floods were gigantic and occurred during the rapid recession of the last regional glaciation, Vashon Stade.

 Kathy invited me to co-lead a field trip she organized with Matthew van der Ahe for NWGS members.  We visited the CalPortland's Dupont gravel mine, and 6 other stops in Pierce County that overlooked the erosional and depositional features of these floods.  I created LiDAR images that we used during the trip.  Hugh Shipman wrote a nice blog that recapped the trip

http://gravelbeach.blogspot.com/2011/10/sequalitchew-delta.html.

With permission, I took pictures of these historical pictures hanging on the gravel mines office wall.  They are from now closed Stellacom Pit. 

Hugh keyed me into a historical archive at the northwest collections in the Tacoma Library.  It includes these and many other historic photos of the mining era.  http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?krequest=subjects+contains+Pioneer%20Sand%20Gravel%20Co.%20and%20Steilacoom%20

Thanks Kathy, Matthew and the NWGS members for fine day of learning and sharing.