Un Jueves Perfecto

The following Thursday was one of the most perfect days of the summer. We had skipped the Wednesday hike because it was basically the same as Twin Lakes, so went with the Renton hikers instead. It turned out only Ryan and Terry (the hike coordinator) showed up from Renton - so we basically had a guide to run us up Guye Peak, by Alpental. We must have been meant to go on that hike because Ryan forgot his hiking boots, but was able to wear Terry's sneakers. Talk about walking in someone else's shoes! The path from the parking lot was "roots and rocks" until we finally hit the ridge. Evidence that the summer was coming to an end surrounded us - ripe huckleberries nestled enticingly amidst the heather, which had begun to turn rust-colored. Munching on fresh berries, we made our way to the peak. The peak provided a vantage point from which we could see parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Kendall Catwalk and a few peaks that Ryan had done while Kelly and I were at Snow Lake. The heat radiating from the sun-warmed rocks created a relaxing atmosphere, which I was reluctant to leave. We made it to the parking lot just as the sun began to set and headed to Applebees for dinner.