Tick Alert!

Tick Alert for 2014

Watch out for ticks this year;  we’re sharing the following message from the Mount Baker Club:

“… This year I’ve noticed and heard from a number of people that there have been many more ticks found on clothing after hiking in the Chuckanuts than any of us can remember. Last weekend while doing survey work of old cultural sites in the Chuckanuts one of my partners found four of them crawling up their pant’s leg at just one time.

I’ve attached a couple of website links that go into ticks, diseases, and strategies with far more info than you’ll probably want to know but they do provide interesting reading. One point of mild controversy concerns whether to wear light or dark colors. Ticks are attracted to light colors (as well as other things) but are easier to see on light colors. You can decide what works best for you.

Please keep this potential increase in the local tick population in perspective. Many of us have grown up where ticks were a common feature of summer and we learned to routinely deal with them. But it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more attentive to possible tick hitchhikers this year during and after your outdoor adventures…”

http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Pests/Ticks.aspx

http://wyeastblog.org/2013/04/07/ticks-ticks-10-common-myths/

 

Hiker Chicks Meet

We will have our spring kick-off (or step-off) meeting on Thursday, April 10th, 10:15 AM in the REI meeting room.  At this time we will review our new hiking schedule.  Thanks to many of you, we should have a wonderful hiking year with lots of old favorites and a few new trails, too.

Members of the hiking group are welcome to bring along a walking friend who might be interested in joining us. This is a good way for someone to get a sense of who we are and a look at the kind of hiking we do.  Hiker Chick Patch

Tips will be shared about the 10 Essentials and how to fit them all into your pack.

 

 

 

Rock Trail Official Opening – April 26th

Fabulous new trail has been added to our hiking schedule for 2014

The scenic Rock Trail  was tested by some of our hikers on a sunny day in January  (see their pictures on the hiking page..).

Here is an article about the Rock Trail and details for the dedication which is set for  10:00 AM on Saturday,April 26th at Larrabee State Park.  The dedication will include a geology field trip led by David Tucker.  

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/02/09/3463378/new-and-rugged-12-mile-trail-connects.html