Badger Mtn Hoar Frost

On Saturday afternoon I took a hike up Badger Mtn. My sculptor buddy Tom McClelland had been up there the day before and was raving about the beauty of the hoar frost.

It has been really cold and misty recently, ideal conditions for hoar frost on the mountain. Sure enough, after just a small rise in elevation, the landscape took on a mysterious, almost surreal quality, everything covered in frost. No snow on the ground, just a coating of ice. The higher I climbed, the thicker the frost. Near the top of the mountain it was nearly impossible to see the actual plants at all, the ice was that thick.

I was particularly impressed by the mountain bikers, not because the trail was especially steep or rocky, but it was COLD (only about 20 F) and the mud was turning to ice on the way down in the evening.

I have been up here in the summer and obviously it is way different. Great visibility and views of the Columbia River and the Blue Mountains. And hiking in shorts and a t-shirt, instead of being bundled up like an Eskimo. Come on, Spring.

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