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Panther Mountain/Echo Cliffs

It's the middle of June.  This is only my 3rd post of the year. 

It's not that I haven't had anything to write about, just that I've been kind of lazy about keeping up.  So here goes for this post.

Today, two of my hiking buddies, Jane & Trish and I, went to the Caroga Lake area and did a short but intense hike up Panther Mt to Echo Cliffs.  It's the first uphill trek we've done this year.

It was one of those picture-perfect days and the trail is beautiful.

On the way to the trailhead

we saw this field of beautiful lupines.  We did a quick U-turn to get some photos.

When we began the trail this young woman, Lindsey, passed us but we met her again as she was coming down (and we were still on the way up).  She had just returned from 3 months of study-abroad in Italy.  Lindsey lives nearby and does this trail 2-3/summer.  She was a pleasure to talk with.

While at the summit this young family arrived and we had a fun and interesting conversation with them.  The dad is military and they were home on leave after being in Japan for 4 years.  After leave they would be heading back to Japan for 3 more years.  

The youngest 2, 5-year old twins, were just adorable.

Some scenes from the summit. 

On the descent we met this cute couple.  She was doing the trail barefooted. 

It was a great day.