The Heart of Carlton is not the General Store

This article originally appeared in the Methow Valley News on 25 July 2018

Outside the US Post Office in Carlton, Lorraine Wagner deftly snaps an American flag to the flag pole and raises the red, white, and blue until it unfurls in the cool morning breeze.

Old Glory is not the only colorful item swaying in the breeze. The garden bed along the walkway is a colorful collection of blooms. Gone is the patch of overgrown weeds – now replaced by cosmos, marigolds, and snapdragons. In a recent phone call, Carlton resident Elsie Baylor noted the beautification of the grounds and the improvements made by Lorraine and community member Julie Hentrich. “They should get an award, if the post office does something like that!” Lorraine’s manager, Ron at the Twisp post office, said if people would like to recognize the Carlton P.O., they should call him at the Twisp post office.

The bustling Carlton P.O. is manned just 4 hours a day during the week, and one very busy hour on Saturday – not leaving much time for landscape maintenance. A steady stream of people, and one very happy German Shepard, flowed in and out of the post office during the 15 minutes I spent admiring the garden. Wanting to create some curb appeal, Lorraine posted a note requesting green thumb help and the community responded. Julie donated six hours to help clean up the grounds and plant the flower bed. Someone else donated gardening tools. The property owner removed dead trees, Max Judd’s son came and removed the lilac bush that was blocking the stop sign. Someone else – Lorraine does not know who – waters the grounds on the weekend. She gestured towards the flower bed, “Some of these are dying in the heat. I’d love to get some native plants that would do well in this climate.”

As we spoke, the breeze tussled Lorraine’s hair, an abundance of curls and braids artfully arranged and held by a blue headband matching her USPS uniform t-shirt. Lorraine worked at the Redmond post office before transferring to Okanogan County, and appreciated the greater opportunities the rural area offered to work with a variety of people and in different places. She spends the mornings in Carlton, afternoons in the Methow post office, and recently she began working at the Malott post office, too. “I used to work in IT, and there was not a lot of contact with people. I love the postal service, all the people.” She noted that while the process was automated, it is people working together who move the mail from point A to point B in an efficient, timely fashion.

And it’s the community working together to show that the local post office is valued and cared for. Lorraine put her hands on her hips and looked approvingly around the grounds. “When people drive by and see this visual…” she smiled, and after a pause finished her thought, “it’s the people.”

Scatter Lake Trail

This article originally appeared in the Methow Valley News on 11 July 2018

A fun thing I might do again, but not anytime soon, is the 4.5-mile, 4,000-foot climb to Scatter Lake.

First, I need to regain feeling in my quadriceps, gluteals, hamstrings, calves, and foot flexors. The entire group of muscles in each leg feels like a tub of jell-o. Or like that wind sock guy that jerkily jerks over parking lots full of shiny new cars.

Here’s what happened: in a fit of early summer fever, I yearned to hike into a high mountain lake. Something cool and deep, ringed in snow, with the still surface mirroring the surrounding peaks. One morning, I leaned over a topo map spread out over the kitchen counter. The next morning, we were high stepping it to Scatter Lake.

For a visual of the climb to Scatter Lake, check out google maps. Enter “Scatter Creek Trail Twisp”, select “Maps”, and then hover over the drop-down menu on the top left corner and select “Terrain”. If what you see looks very much like a four-mile vertical climb…that’s the one.

My husband, who has the gift of foresight, (i.e. 20+ years of experience with my eyes-bigger-than-my-hiking-ability impediment) suggested that we take a leisurely approach to the trail and turn it into an overnight backpack. It was very pleasant to not feel rushed, and to just enjoy the trail knowing that we had all the time in the world to soak it all in.

The first 1/4 mile begins on the Twisp River Trail, a gentle meander that could be continued if one would like the use of their legs the following day. But, if jelly-legs and high mountain lakes are calling you, take the Scatter Creek trail that branches off towards the right.

The first mile of Scatter Creek Trail is pleasantly wide and appears to follow an old road bed that is over grown and narrowed to a single track. The grade is gradual through a shady forest.

The second mile is loaded with switchbacks, steadily climbing out of the valley. Through breaks in the tree cover, tantalizing views of snow packed ridgelines promise bigger and better views further up the trail.

The third mile laughs in the face of trail engineering and moons the “10% grade” standard of trail design. Switchbacks are swapped out for sloping meadows. Although the map and trail notes state that the trail follows Scatter Creek, the creek is an inaccessible roar below the trail. Be sure to carry enough water to stay hydrated.

While the third mile is steep, the fourth mile is straight up, with sections of loose rock and scree that can be a challenge on the way back down. The trail crosses several small streams, the largest being Scatter Creek.

The fourth mile ends in a beautiful meadow. Scatter Creek Falls rises above the meadow, as does the lake basin and the final half mile push to Scatter Lake. The leg burn is totally worth the stunning views and the peaceful surroundings.