Gillette Lake Hike

Table Mountain

 Gillette Lake July 11, 2013

It was a perfect day for a hike into the nearby Columbia Gorge: clear, blue sky, just enough wind to cool the perspiring hikers, the trail well trodden and the picnic absolutely wonderful! Eleven happy hikers, maps secured in pockets, crossed the Columbia River at Cascade Locks' Bridge of the Gods in anticipation of another invigorating  trek. We quickly marched up the hills for 2.6 miles to reach the picturesque Gillette Lake, a blue-greenish puddle of water at the bottom of a natural bowl under the Bonneville Dam power lines. Table Mountain and Sacajewa with her papoose stood silent guard over the hillside.  Berries are sweetening up these days, wild blackberries and thimbleberries in particular. The mid-summer wild flowers dot the greenery with blues, yellows and purples, always happy to see humans trudging through their territory. The shiny poison oak in its various forms threatened legs along parts of the trail but we stepped lively to avoid contact with the itchy plant. The vine maples timidly situated themselves for dramatic fall color in a few months when the flowers are gone and the temperatures fall. A young eaglet or osprey balanced precariously on a high branch, testing the wind in its wings before launching into the open spaces and warm thermals to soar along the Gorge walls.

Gillette Lake

This was a popular destination today as a group was lunching when we got there and a young man, Jared, was just finishing his breakfast of Red River cereal while another party of elderly women followed us up the trail. MJ's snow-faced Visla Eba made for the lake, chasing sticks and generally enjoying the cool lake water. We spread our shared lunch items on the rocks, passing deviled eggs, mushroom/spinach quesedillas, summer sausage, mushroom-enfused brie, pickles, sweetly ripe cantaloupe, strawberry-filled chocolates, blueberries galore and a little wine. Ah, what a gourmet picnic!

Summer blue sky

Amid the clusters of chatting hikers, we discovered that Jared, an 18 year old from Calgary, Canada, didn't really have exact, or even vague plans for his five day hike/hitchhike journey. After a bit of discreet "mothering" with food tidbits, encouraging comments and general inquiries, we steered him on his way to Highway 14 and points east, primarily Glacier National Park in Montana before reaching home once again. We wished him well but wondered at his limited wisdom in traveling without maps or a plan.

Wild blackberries workin' on sweetness

Although some hikers wore or brought swimsuits, no one ventured into the lake today. What? No risk takers? Alas, we returned from whence we started, helping K. ice a bruised knee and agreeing to meet again next Thursday for another jaunt into the wondrous Northwest terrain.