Teenager Dinking with the Old Man on Ruby Arm

'OK this trip up Ruby Arm is getting to me, I just can't sit here and do nothing on the ride back to the cabin, the girls are back at the cabin and I can't mess with them.  Dad's probably thinking about that problem for work.  How much scenery do we have to see? Is there any food left?  Bacon! Bacon I want Baaacccooonnn!!!!

"Hey look it's water, how cold is it, how wet is it, do we have any water balloons to throw at Mackenzie or Dana, can I catch a leaf, hey maybe I can catch a fish barehanded, whoa the Old Man just moved his leg! He's awake - a target"

"I feel better already - look the Old Man is bursting from ear to ear with a smile.What should I come up with to mess with those girls?"

"Food, food, I need fooooooooooood!"


"I gotta think up something - those girls have been sitting back at the cabin thinking about how they can mess with me this whole time, they don't know how smart I am. I am Austin Powers of the Ruby Arm! Girls liked him!"


"Baaaacccoooooooonnnnnnnnn......................"

A Thursday Afternoon Drive Through The Chuckanuts

The Chuckanut Range from Samish Flats

click  on any photo to enlarge

all photos this post ©Paul K. Anderson

Work has been crazy and you weren’t able to sleep so you get up at 3AM and drive the 67 miles and all day it’s been one thing after another until your shoulders are so tight that it’s starting to give you a headache and then the traffic on the 67 mile commute back home is terrible too so by the time you reach Conway you decide to go backroads but you know the wife is going to call you a hick from Iowa, “that must be all they do back there on Sundays- drive backroads”, and you resent that remark because you know that you’ve been living here in Washington for 33 years and shouldn’t be considered from Iowa any more, and then you stop at the Rexville grocery and notice a nice selection of wines, cheese, micro beers, salami’s and other items you could select if you brought the wife with and wanted a picnic together but a little further up the road you drive through Bayview and look in on the workers at the boat works and hope the recession isn’t killing them like so many other small businesses and then just ahead you can look over the apple orchard and see your Chuckanuts, you drive down the slope past thousands of acres of blueberries and potatoes and corn and even wheat and then just a little past the turnoff for Samish Island you cross the Samish River and see hundreds of fishermen and realize

the king salmon are returning and it is going to be a great year for fishermen because these fish hold such a strong emotional grip on you and the fishermen, the Lummi’s and other Native American's, and you grab the camera and walk up one of the dikes and meet guys who are from Bellingham, Seattle,

Mt.Vernon, Ancortes, Russians, Japanese, Hispanics, Pakistaniis,Vietnamese and fishermen from just about everywhere - dads, sons, young dads, old dads, young sons and old sons and all seem to have grins especially Micael the young dad who just caught a nice king and his son in the kid carrier who is looking over Dad’s shoulder to see the fish

and you remember the smell of your own dad’s neck as you hung on him piggy back style when he was carrying you down the trail when you were little and tired so later when you leave the Samish after noticing a sign that this Saturday they were going to have a smoked salmon contest in a small lot right next to the river and you think, “how cool is that”,

you drive by the Longhorn in Edison remembering the Oyster shooters you gave to your nephews from Montana last time they were visiting and they ate those Samish Bay oysters but were already plotting the next time you were visiting them in Montana they were going to make you try those Rocky Mountain Oysters not realizing how often you ate those things on Sunday nights when you were a ski bum and playing poker with the mayor, chief of police and owner of the Mucky Duck and they kept trying to convince you to buy a fly rod and try it out on some of the beaver ponds and streams just out your door, but you didn’t have time with all of the climbing, hiking, rugby and photography you were doing but now that you need to reduce stress in your life and have bought fly rods for you and your son maybe next year go visit your brother who is the best fisherman you’ve ever known and float down the Big Horn River, wonder what kind of hatch will be going on but hey why not try to spend a day or two on the Henry’s Fork, the Yellowstone, the Madison, and you remember a former girl friend whose dad lived each summer in a tiny trailer next to the Madison and that one summer when you visited him the editor of one of the big fishing magazines mentioned that her dad was one of the finest fly fishermen in America,

whoa pull over and see what is on the menu at the Rhododendron Cafe this month, so you get out of the car trying to determine what this months theme is and walk up to the menu by the front door and read: Chicken Saltimbocca with fresh sage, prosciutto, provolone, marsala wine sauce; Zarzuela spanish seafood stew with brandy, sherry, olives, tomato, garlic; Couscous with Lamb and Apricots, bell peppers and Moroccan spices; Grilled petite tenderloin with gorgonzola, wild blackberry demi glace wow gotta come back for dinner - must be some kind of North African or Italian, or Spanish theme, then with so much food on your mind - crazy must be hungry and you stop at the Morgan Family Farm organic veggie stand and buy on the honor system yukon fingerlings, basil, zukes, squash, carrots, onions, leeks, fennel and maybe when you get home make a curry with major grey chutney and Indian spices but just then you see something that makes you wonder why is that pod of porta-potty’s traveling across the bridge like that - you just don't see that every day and then chuckle about the time up at the Edmonton Rugby Tourny when your buddy Ed tipped one over on a guy who was rude and cut in front of him just as he was opening the door and the hideous howls emanating from within caused everyone to casually stroll out of the immediate area and then when it was finally uprighted out popped this enraged 6'6" smurf,

but look at the marsh grasses how would Wolf Kahn paint those and what wild colors blue maybe hahaha would he use and are those pilings from an old cannery or saw mill or do they resemble headstones in a graveyard and did Edward R. Murrow play around these pilings

so you get back in the car and drive up the one lane road and turn back on Chuckanut Drive and drive through Blanchard to see if they are setting up yet at the community center for the salmon bbq and then you see a hang glider getting ready to land in the Wake family front yard so you rush over and snap a photo of a seam on it and wonder how Rothko would portrait it in one of his geometric paintings

and as you cross back over the bridge you think about those porta-pottys and wonder what kinda storyline could be developed for those travelers - a day in the life of a porta potty - and you think nah that’s too bizarre and an editor would probably assign you to do it and how would you photograph it with any dignity and what if someone did take offense, because you really don't look all that great in blue and you remember those double knit blue bell bottoms your mom bought for you and the chef at the Oyster Creek Inn waves at you when you honk on the way down to Taylor Shellfish farm but soon you are back on Chuckanut and heading up Cleator road for a view and to see all the way up to Canada and over the San Juans

and a sailboat is at anchor in Chuckanut Bay and that reminds you of the trip you made with Joe-Joe and Punjab and the old girl friend and remember how the two of you meaning you and the girl friend not Joe -Joe the dog faced boy won the dance contest in the bar at Friday Harbor going crazy to Junior Cadillac and you stop in the cool, humid, shade of the grove of Red Alder and photograph the trunks

against the maze of underbrush and young fir trees but it’s getting late and you want to stop in Fairhaven at the cheese shop to bring something home to enjoy with a glass of red wine

Quel Fromage - Old Fairhaven Pkwy at 12th St

and after you get home you grab some shavings of good cheese, crackers and a glass of wine and remember your old girlfriend died of cancer just about a year ago and sadly left a teenage son behind and you hope that doesn’t happen to you but you realize you haven’t had a headache for hours and when your wife asks what are you all going to do this weekend you say maybe you all should all drive down Chuckanut Drive to Edison and listen to a blue grass band, maybe try a few oyster shooters, maybe drink a glass of oyster or clam nectar but Ivar used to have a sign up at his restaurant that said a husband had to have a permission slip from his wife before they would serve the nectar to them and you are feeling very relaxed and your shoulders aren’t tight any more and you realize that drive thru the Chuckanuts has that same effect on you every time  but wow work well it feels like you haven’t been there for a week and you better call Jerry and finalize the arrangements because the annual September trip to Ross Lake Resort is next Thursday and this year maybe is a good time to hike up Desolation to the fire lookout where Jack Kerouac spent that summer and started writing Desolation Angels and you remember that you are gong to sleep well tonight and can’t wait to get back doing something in the Chuckanuts and your wife looks at you and smiles and you wonder if maybe there isn’t some clam nectar in the refrigerator and she says “a Sunday Drive?”

“You are such a hick........”

Nice Note From the Rudolph Family

Thanks again to Tom and Carol's team at RLR, our family had another great week at Ross Lake. 

While we were camping at McMillan, a bald eagle decided to hang out with us as we enjoyed the sunny weather.  While I wish I had his (or her) view from that roost, I was content capturing a photo of the rare moment.

Have a great summer, see you next year.

Don Laura and Ian Rudolph

©  Don and Laura Rudolph

Fishermen - These Addicts Are Everywhere!

Traveling the back roads between Wilbur and Odessa, Washington I was pleasantly surprised to find this mailbox expressing the creative talents of the addressee.

In my eye tho, a mailbox made up to look like a Wild Ross Lake Rainbow would be even better!

A toast to all of you that love to be expressive about your hobbies and passions!

Geez -bad as photographers...............

Winding Down the Day Up Lake

Returning from a short hiatus - was visiting a few wheat fields, the Methow, Okanagon, Grand Coulee and the Channeled Scablands.

Washington is an amazing state and by having an awareness of the topography, the geography and a little knowledge of history one can interpret the landscape and understand better our role (both good and bad) in this landscape and environment.

I'll show a few images from that short trip in another post - but for now it's nice to look out over the upper reaches of the lake again.

Thanks for your patience and notes wanting to see more images.

Smoke from fires east of the North Cascades drifts over Desolation (Click to enlarge)

Jack of All Trades

When staff members have the day off, jack of all trades Tom Barnett and Will Shields get a good workout by cleaning boats for the guests that will be arriving soon.

I watched for 15 minutes as they pressure washed, fueled and moved boat, after boat, after boat. Not a word was spoken between them, it was choreographed perfectly without having to say a work!

By one estimation 17, 614 boats have been cleaned by by these two alone over the years.........

Actually I made that figure up but you get the point - it was a lot of boats and a lot of work!

Will didn't spray Tom accidentally once, and Tom didn't accidentally trip once knocking Will into the lake.  Oh, but for the old days!

True Ross Lakers

Doug and Chuck True honor their Dad - Chuck True by hanging a beautiful wood burned plaque on the memorial wall at the resort.

Dad Chuck was a regular every year from 1955 until 1997.  He introduced Doug to these beautiful waters in 1959 and Chuck in 1963.

Grandpa Earl True was a logger in this valley before the dam was built.

Chuck and Doug,  thank you for sharing this emotional moment with me and allowing us to share it with so many others that love this area as much as your family.  We all understand and empathize with you on this moment in your lives.

We send our thoughts and regards to your Mom.

This was a wonderful way to honor the memory of your father.

Meet Ranger Alison VanDusen

Hey everyone meet Ranger Alison!

Ranger Alison has been with the National Park Service as a full-time and seasonal ranger for 16 years!

She stopped by our campsite to greet us and introduce herself. We really appreciate when the NPS Rangers do that because it associates a human touch - a face with America's favorite institution.

I was thinking as we talked about our comparative commute.  I drive 67 miles each way from home to work and back again.  Alison hops onto the Park Service boat and commutes from Hozomeen down lake to various campsites and trail heads.

Alison has worked at a number of National Parks including Glacier Bay, Yellowstone, Capitol Reef, Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia.

We invited her into our camp to do a quick look see and offer any suggestions.

The first thing she gently and quietly reminded us was that there are bears in North Cascades National Park as well as other animals, and unless we are preparing food and eating it right then, all food items should be placed in the bear boxes and shut tight.

Dohhhh! Sage, Lin, and Kae told us that at the wilderness center but we were so happy and excited to get a good campsite that we forgot that putting food in the bear boxes  didn't just apply to locking up at night when we go to bed!

We asked Alison for any other words of advice based on her experience,  here are her words:

1. Food Storage - 24 hours a day unless actively preparing or eating,
2. Keep a clean camp with minimal clutter.
3. Only use a fire ring to burn in.  Monitor the fire ring full time.
4. No garbage in fire rings, other people will share this site after you leave.
5.The world has become so small that we have to recognize our effect on the environment. Eliminate exotics.  All of our actions affect other things.
6. It doesn't have to be an elaborate trip to a crowded national park.  Stop, listen and enjoy yourselves to a maximum here in the North Cascades.
7. Enjoy the little things as well as the grand.


Alison?  Would you mind terribly if we traded commutes?

North Cascades Wild

Check out the North Cascades Wild students and their instructors!

More text to follow

New Portage Phone Installed

Seattle City Light installed the new phone recently for all of you kayakers and canoists needing a portage up to Ross Lake.

Each time I have been at the new dock location I have seen the kayakers paddle by looking for their haul out point.

It is the first and very small dock that you will use.Shimmy, slip, and slide yourself out of the kayak and up onto the dock. Be careful!

Unfortunately the is no gentle ramp - the result of the rock slide.

Please walk 25 yards up lake to the top of the stairs above the main dock and look down.  You won't miss seeing the phone.

If all else fails look for the hi-tech sign!

Wilderness Information Center - Camping on Ross Lake

text to follow

Nice Fish Greg!

We live on Lopez Island, and have been going to Ross Lake with a group of friends from Bellingham, the Cassidy family and mutual friends, for most years since 1983.

I was using a fly rod with leaded line and a lure similar to a dick nite spoon. I need to give some credit to my fishing partner Gary Cassidy as the net man. Gary was counting the number of times I had the fish to the boat, and had to let him take the line back out to keep from losing the trout. After seven times, I told Gary "this is it" I'm bringing him to the net, as I didn't think the hook would stay in much longer. Gary netted the fish as the hook came out. I had the largest fish from our group until Gary's oldest son, Andy showed up that evening and caught a 221/2 trout. 


We were fishing near Rainbow Point when we caught these large trout, but Gary and I were able to catch and release a number of large trout from many locations on the lake. We had a personal size limit of at least 20 inches or we would release the fish.

Gary and I took his younger son Sam Cassidy out to fish one of the days we were there and caught and released a number of 16-18 inch trout. That night after we came in, Sam said to his dad " I catch the biggest trout I've ever caught in my life, and you and Greg say nice fish Sam and throw it back" I guess we forgot to tell him about or size requirement. 


We look forward all year to our annual trip to Ross Lake the last week of July to be with good friends and family and enjoy all the things Ross Lake has to offer, and Tom and Carol and the rest of the Ross Lake Resorts crews, hospitality.

Regards  Greg & Selma Starkman


Thanks so much you guys we appreciate you sharing this story with all of us!

Cannonballs and God-beams at Devil's Junction

Next time I'm starting a competition and getting Mom to join too! Except she's too slender so no competition there.  Wonder what the prize should be??

Wai, Wai, Wai, Wait a Minute

Click on photo

Wow, that glass seems to be looking bigger.

Let me just get this one little sip before I get up and do something - hey kids, can someone bring me over that shaved  Parmigiano-Reggiano and some of those crackers please?

Let's see, life cycle of the Mayfly Spinner . . . . . . . . .

aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

If I happen to drift off would one of you be kind enough to nudge me for dinner?

My stress is leaving!!!!!


Dang, I love this place!

Fly Fishing Out of the Blue Boat

Rockslide Update - Call for Photos.

Granite Construction staff have requested a little help.  If any of you happen to have photos of the area of the cliff where the rockslide started from the past could you please send them to me via gmail and I will be glad to forward them on to the project managers.

Here are a couple of photos from Sunday as we were leaving.

Notice that the resort truck, I mean piece of installation art Pancaked in Blue is no longer at the site.  Rumor has it that it sold at a record price for any artist of the Picket Range School of Modern Impactionistic Art.

Hi Bro, Hey Sis - Meet the Cassidy's

Andy Cassidy has been coming to Ross Lake for 33 years of his young life.

A commercial fisherman by trade he spends part of the year salmon fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska and winters purse seining squid off the coast near Ventura, California.

So what does Andy do for vacation?  Well - he comes fishing up to Ross Lake Resort - of course.

I have a feeling he is very successful in his career choice. His Dad obviously taught him well both in commercial fishing and laying the foundation for his and Jessie's love of Ross Lake and the North Cascades.

This past week he caught the largest Wild Ross Lake Rainbow of the year.  We are hoping to get a photo of it in the next few days. Hint, hint.

Andy and Jessie Cassidy

Jessie as many of you know has worked at the resort since 1997.  She hasn't worked here for the last several years but Tom and Carol can always count on her to show up when they most need it - setting up the cabins in the spring, helping shut down the resort after Halloween, helping with organizing the housekeeping at the start of the season.

An avid swimmer and fitness buff Jessie loves to ply these beautiful waters by swimming long distances.

This past week she took off and swam from the resort up the Ruby Arm and later from Cougar Island over to Big Beaver!

Jessie also has information on that diabolical carved pumpkin discussed in earlier posts. But she won't give up any information on that ....  thing!  Hmmmmm............!

They rode out on the afternoon boat that we were on and it was obvious all of the Cassidy's knew the Ross Lake Tradition of helping the loading and unloading of the truck, trailer and Seattle City Light boat.  The load was smoooooth with all of the family taking the lead, getting everyone involved as a chain gang of luggage carriers.

Nice to meet the Cassidy's!

The Big Dipper

Get away from the metropolis of Vancouver and Seattle and you can begin to see the beautiful night sky.

©Paul Anderson  click on photo

A solitary light from Lightning Camp was the only indicator that we were not alone.

©Paul Anderson  click on photo

I can only imagine how inspiring it was for the Beat Poets and writers who spent weeks atop Desolation and Sourdough looking at the night sky and into the heart of the Picket Range.

Camping With The Family

Ah the good life. Daughter Mackenzie reads with a headlamp as dusk slips over Desolation and the northern lake.

©Paul Anderson   click on photo

Camping on Ross Lake!!!

Well, I've got to tell you, I just got back from Ross Lake and it was fantastic.  This was the first time camping on these beautiful waters.

For those of you who have only stayed at the resort but can't get enough of this area and don't want to wait for another year to pass by until your next reservation, I strongly recommend camping.

Rent a boat from Tom, take the water taxi, bring your kayak or canoe but don't pass up the opportunity.

I will write a more detailed account later, but I will tell you this.  This weekend was a stress buster!

Just take a look at this photo with Desolation Peak in the background.

We had a solo campsite.

Our own dock.

Our own beachfront patio.  (well a flat spot to place our folding chairs.)

Fish were biting our flies.

There was solitude.  Saturday 5 boats went by on the lake - that's 5 total!

You've got to spend time like this.

Click on my view!          ©Paul K. Anderson