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C L O S E T O H OM E C l im b in g in t o th e S ad d l e T S t o r y a n d p h o t o s b y D A V I D C AM P I C H E Th e sun i s h igh , m id -d ay . B r e e z e s so ff t a s e ag l e down eddy down rugg ed moun - t a in t r a i l s , s e ek ing nook s and ch a sm s , th e so ff t und e r a rm s o ff a t em lo ck ough s . n d - a rd un ch sun lood - r ed , pen e t r a t ing , s en suou s — I ’m a ck on add l e oun t a in . nd l e ae i t to m e to go h ik ing w i th two wom en , o th in sup e r sh ap e w i th a g a i t o r - d a in ed l ik e e e t - ffoo t ed go a t s . nd a m an , s t rong , e a sy and l anky . l l th i s two d ay s e ffo r e my i r thd ay . l l th i s in — l e t m e s ay — ff a i r to m id l in e sh ap e . Bu t l i s t en , a l l you i le r s th i s h ik e i s ffo r you , ffo r u s . Th i s lu ei rd d ay , add l e oun t a in i s s t e ep ed in sun l igh t , s tu- l ed w i th sun l igh t . w a ed , s lu i c ed and sw a th ed in sun - l igh t . a s som e th ing sh i ff t ed i ld ow e r s do t th e r i ch g r e en l and s c ap e l ik e so mu ch con - ff e t t i . Coun t th e p l an t s on you r ng e r s i ff you mu s t Ind i an pa in tru sh , ffog loe , w e s t e rn t r i l l ium , u t t e r cup s , a s tunn ing y e l low l i ly c a l l ed th e “T ig e r . ” s t e r s , gwo r t s and s edum s . nd s a lmone r r i e s . ou ’ r e r igh t e ’e u s ed up a l l ou r n - g e r s . nd th iml e e r r i e s . nd l a cke r r i e s , sw e e t and r ip e . D a r i c e G r a s s i s on e o ff th e two moun t a in go a t s . h e cook s a t C indy ayw a rd ’ s i l l ap a B ay i, an a r t i s t in r e s id en c e ff a c i l i ty in Oy s t e rv i l l e , W a sh - ing ton . Cook s v e ry w e l l , in - d e ed . I know th a t r s th and . h e ch e ff ff ed a t th e h e lu rn e . h e i s an inqu i s i t iv e cook , t ru e to th e n a tu r a l and th e o ld . h e w a lk s u s t a s o ld ly . u ey nd e r son i s my w i ff e ’ s s i s t e r . t m idd l e - ag e , sh e wo rk s ou t h a rd , and i t show s . h e i s t , lov e ly and s en s i t iv e . e r sp i r i tu a l i ty run s d e ep . Mo s t th e w ay up th e moun t a in , th e l ad i e s r a c ed ah e ad . N e l s F l e sh e r i s th e Lu th e r - an m in i s t e r in Ch inook . e i s o ff sh a rp m ind , long - l egg ed and r e t a in s a p rop en s i ty tow a rd Ch r i s t i an k indn e s s . I s ay th a t e c au s e h e hung a ck w i th m e , p a c ing h i s a s c en t w i th my s low e r ffoo t ff a l l . W e s low ed ffo r p l an t s and ov e rv i ew s and d i s cu s s ed t r e e s . W e d i s s e c t - ed logg ing and i t s a ff t e rm a th , good ook s “e a lo t , ” “lo - v e r , ” “Th e Boy s in th e Bo a t ” and “Dun e , ” ffo r a ff ew ) and th e p roph e t s and M e s s i ah s . nd th e d i s c ip l e s o ff J e su s Ch r i s t . John Mu i r c am e up l a s t . “Th a t m an t r an s i t ion ed h i s lov e o ff n a tu r e l ik e a l igh t th a t em an a t e s ff rom a ody . ” Th a t a s s e s sm en t y N e l s c augh t m e sp e e ch l e s s . Th e p r e a ch e r i s an adm i r e r o ff th e env i ron - m en t . Mu i r , in h i s own w ay , w a s a p r e a ch e r and a p roph e t . i s l eg a cy s av ed th e W e s t , o r a t l e a s t p r e s en t al e p a t ch e s o ff th e W e s t . L ik e John th e apo s t l e , h e ch ang ed a t t i tud e s . John th e apo s t l e and John Mu i r th e n a - tu r i s t r i s e up l ik e th e tw in p e ak s o ff th i s moun t a in . s n e a r a s I c an t e l l , ad - d l e Moun t a in h a s e en logg ed tw i c e . Now i t e long s to th e p eop l e . Th a t ’ s you and m e , a ff ew o ff th e lu cky . ou s imp ly ’ t h av e mu s t h ik e h e r e . ou don to c l im to th e top , to th e , - ffoo t summ i t , o r comp l e t e th e 5 .5 -m i l e h ik e . Th e t r a i l un - w ind s l ik e an en ch an t ed ff a i ry t a l e , on e w i th a h appy end ing . i s t a s a r e sp e c t a cu l a r . l an t l i ff e i s an edu c a t ion and an i l lu - m in a t ion . nd a l l th i s i s c lo s e to hom e . Th e t r a i l h e ad i s aou t m inu t e s sou th o ff s to r i a , th e iv e r C i ty . Th e tw in p inn a c l e s and s add l e h av e dom in a t ed th e sky l in e s in c e th e F i r s t eop l e s . I t r i s e s up tod ay aov e a long p en e t r a t ing l ank e t o ff co a s t a l ffog , and i t soo th e s . Th e l ad i e s s low ed th e i r p a c e . N e l s and I c augh t up . Th e t r a i l s t e ep en ed . My r e a th qu i ck en ed h a rd . My h e a r t e a t N e l s F l e s h e r l o o k s u p a t t h e s umm i t o ff S a d d l e M o u n t a i n . T h e v i ew s ff r om S a d d l e M o u n t a i n a r e o ff ff o r e s t , c l e a r c u t s , h i l l s a n d v a l l e y s . A m a i d e n h a i r ff e r n c l i n g s t o t h e s t e e p c l i ff s . pu l s ed l ik e th e L i t t l e D rumm e r Boy . Th e moun t a in w a s d ry a s an c i en t on e . Th e ffou r o ff u s t a lk ed aou t th a t . ou know , g loa l w a rm ing . ad r e w a s u rn ing in W en a t ch e e . no th e r on th e O lymp i c en in su l a , th e w e t t e s t spo t in th e No r thw e s t . Fo r l a ck o ff w a t e r , th e C en t r a l a l l ey in C a l i ffo rn i a th e g r e a t ff a rm e l t ) h a s s lump ed y a ffoo t . ev en s t a t e s in th e W e s t a r e in s ev e r e d rough t cond i - t ion s , and — g e t th i s — w e a l l u s p eop l e ) don ’ t l ik e to t a lk aou t i t . n hou r l a t e r , th e summ i t app ro a ch ed . I k ep t th ink ing aou t John Mu i r , h i s v i s ion qu e s t , h i s w in s and lo s s e s . F rom th i s lo ff ty p inn a c l e — a s ff a r a s ey e s c an s e e — th e wo r ld i s logg ed and m an i cu r ed . B e - low th e moun t a in , a l l i s c l e a r - cu t , no t on c e , u t tw i c e . C l e a r - cu t a l l th e w ay to C a l i ffo rn i a . Wh e r e g r e a t c ed a r k i s s ed th e sky , th i rd -g row th Doug l a s r dom in a t e s . L i ff e ep e c t an cy i s y e a r s , annu a l th r e e to ffou r p e r c en t ro t a t ion s . ighr ed F i r r a r e ly r e a ch 16 in ch e s in d i am - e t e r . Bu t ou r mood w a sn ’ t dou r . W e w e r e e c i t ed , eu l l i en t , p roud . I w a s c e r t a in ly . On c e mo r e , I h ad r e a ch ed a sum - m i t . ow m any mo r e y e a r s , I though t , c an I do th i s Bu t t e r i e s w e r e m a t ing ou r p r ed e c e s so r s . r e w e th a t mu ch d i ff ff e r en t T o quo t e Bo Dy l an , “Mon ey do e sn ’ t t a lk , it sw e a r s . ” W e s cu r ry down th e ad - d l e . D ry c l ay and loo s e g r av e l c ruml e und e r ffoo t . I p i ck ed th e w rong sho e s . ev e r a l t im e s I s l id e on to my rump . igh in th e t r e e s , r av en c a ck l e . N a t iv e l eg end t e l l s a s to ry aou t thund e ri rd . Th e i rd l a id egg s on th e summ i t o ff th i s moun t a in . ng ry god s shook th e moun t a in W e r e th ey m ad a t w i ly r av en) and th e egg s ff e l l and sh a t t e r ed . Th e F i r s t eop l e d e s c end ed . In t ru th w e know th ey a r r iv ed in t iny nume r s aou t 1, y e a r s ago . Th e l and su s t a in ed th em w i th a co rnu cop i a o ff p l en - ty . L iv ing w a s r i ch th en . Th e Ch inook p eop l e mu l t ip l i ed . a lmon w e r e a s aund an t a s a m an ’ s though t s . Th i ck a s th e lu sh e r r i e s th a t d ang l e ff rom h e avy l ims a long th e t r a i l . a t th e e r r i e s and e joy ffu l . I c an h e a r Mu i r s ay ing som e - th ing l ik e th a t . O r ano th e r v e r - s ion y W i l l i am C a r lo s W i l - l i am s . “Th ey w e r e d e l i c iou s , so sw e e t , and so co ld . ” ow m igh t Mu i r d e n e th i s t im e and p l a c e ow m igh t ano th e r mod e rn po e t , s ay , W i l l i am t a ff ffo rd ow w i l l w e d e n e a l a t e r t im e an d p l a c e c a l l ed hom e Th i s i s wh a t I o ff ff e r : T ak e a h ik e up th e add l e and th en com e hom e in sp i r ed and go to wo rk ffo r th e l and . tudy ou r h i s to ry and p l an a r igh t ffu - tu r e . t l e a s t h e r e , among th e ev e rg r e en and p a in t ed ow - e r s , ou r ch i ld r en w i l l inh e r - i t a sm a l l p i e c e o ff p a r ad i s e . B eyond u s , in ffou r comp a s s po in t s , p a r ad i s e i s d e n ed y th e h a rv e s t o ff -y e a r o ld h ighr ed Doug l a s r , mo s t ly , 14 - in ch e s in d i am e t e r . I s i t ff a ir to s ay , i ff l e ff t a lon e , th ey m igh t e com e g i an t s Oh L e t th e l igh t w i th in John Mu i r sh in e upon th e wo r ld . T h e t r a i l u nw i n d s l i k e a n e n c h a n t e d ff a i r y t a l e , o n e w i t h a h a p p y e n d i n g . V i s t a s a r e s p e c t a c u l a r . P l a n t l i ff e i s a n e d u c a t i o n a n d a n i l l um i n a t i o n . on th e moun t a in top . av en s c ro ak ing and ow e r s loom - ing . W e dug in to ou r d ay p a ck s . I h ad l e ff tov e r s ff rom D r in a D a i sy ’ s , wond e r ffu l mo r s e l s o ff l am and ch e e s e and s au s ag e . I emp t i ed my w a t e r o t t l e , s t a r ed a t th e sp a c e e ffo r e m e , wh i ch a t th e t im e o ff Mu i r , wou ld h av e e en n e a r ly imp en e t r al e w i l - d e rn e s s . T od ay , th e m a jo r i ty o ff C l a t sop Coun ty i s in p r iv a t e t ime r . a c i c Coun ty i s n e a r ly p e r c en t . W e l l , w e a r e a c ap i - t a l i s t n a t ion , a coun t ry ea l t ing in do l l a r s and p ro t . W e a r e , a r - en ’ t w e G eo r g e W ey e rh a eu s e r ough t up mu ch o ff th e a c i c No r thw e s t , e com ing , in t im e , th e e igh th r i ch e s t m an ev e r in th e n i t ed t a t e s . B a ck th en , v e a c r e s co s t a u ck . W i ld e r - n e s s , a ff t e r a l l , w a s an os t a c l e to e ov e r com e , to e conqu e r ed , logg ed , g r ad ed and so ld . om e th ing s don ’ t ch ang e . e rh ap s , w e shou ld no t e too c r i t i c a l o ff Augu s t 1 3 , 2 0 1 5 | co a s tw e e k end . com | 2 1