{"id":39181,"date":"2026-09-18T13:38:29","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T20:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goatbells.blog\/?p=39181"},"modified":"2026-09-18T13:41:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T20:41:29","slug":"feeling-fall-at-pisgah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goatbells.blog\/?p=39181","title":{"rendered":"Feeling Fall at Pisgah"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After spending last week bopping around downtown Seattle and Bainbridge Island, it seemed too much to head right to Cascade Spine and hike the crest. After a quick Costco gas stop, my Highlander was the first car in Pisgah North lot. Around 6:15 the light was just enough to forgo headlamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon after heading up Tr 3, a group of 3 large deer slid off into the lower meadow away from people – 2 runners came right behind them. Too dark for photos, like they were near spirits in the pre-dawn dimness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first summit was just perfect with the sunrise through all the cloud dances …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After swinging around the summit a couple of times, further along on Tr 3 (above the rock bench at the meadow), a turkey had met a coyote and lost. Then, just down the trail, a group of 10ish turkeys were hiding in a dense grove of brambles – they looked shook. Their peer must have met the coyote earlier that morning … several fresh coyote poo piles were on the trails, filled with pumpkin and plum seeds (from the farm down the road).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flower blooms were mostly gone and in their place, bundles of dried flowers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Turkey vultures surfaced once the air warmed for updrafts, but other animals were skittish or gone. Well, not all. 4 bunny rabbits from this year bounced on the path … and then there was this little one catching some last good sun<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The day felt like fall. Trees and flowers are getting ready for the cold rains, visiting birds are mostly gone, and the coyotes are eating pumpkins and plums … Fall must be right around the corner in Willamette Valley. Catching sunrise over South Sister was just a gift. Pisgah delivers again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Route<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Started around 6:15 at North TH and took Tr 3 to the first path to summit. Then back down to Tr 3 and around to Tr 2 and back to summit. From there, back down to 3 and around the river meadows and off to Tr 4 to summit again. Finally, from summit down to Tr 4 to 3 and to car.<\/p>\n\n\n