Sunny Field Work

Skagit River and Northwest Cascades

Red alders and cottonwoods without leafs

I took advantage of the sunny weather and took off for field work Friday and over the weekend. Feeling a bit smug about it as today we are back to rain and wind and temperatures in the 40s F. Sunny March days are by far the best days for field work in western Washington. And it is more than the fact that the sun has warmth to it so it just plain feels good after the cold days of winter and those days when even though it is sunny the sun is not very warm due to our high latitude. The other factors: 1) visibility in the brush is as good as it gets as deciduous trees and brush have not leafed out yet, 2) it is never too warm this early in the spring, 3) the ground is still very wet aiding in figuring out slope issues if that is the task at hand, 4) virtually no biting flies or mosquitoes, 5) daylight starts much earlier and last much later than the short window of light in mid winter.

Had to do a bit of ice scraping before heading out

By mid day I was shirtless at least while out of the woods at Fisherman Harbor

Easy viewing up slide slope

And the mountains look fantastic, Twin Sisters, Northwest Cascades