Hike 7: Chirico Trail part deux "Poo Poo Point"

February 29th was a new day. This was the day that we would conquer this trail. We got there early, we ate some food beforehand (which we did not do last time), and most importantly, we did not have the flu. The interesting thing about Poo Poo point, is that it serves two purposes: it is a great hiking location, and it is also a spot that paragliders launch from. There is a sign right before the trailhead that says “Watch out for landing gliders.” Weyerhauser used to own this property, and they logged the top of Poo Poo Point, which makes it a perfect launch.

If you have read the story of Copper Lake, this picture will make sense…I wanted to pay tribute to that time. That journey taught me how to experience adversity, learn from it, persevere, and have the courage to try again. Thanks, Dad.

The first part of Chirico is difficult no matter how healthy you are. The rocks were most likely put in place as a necessary measure to prevent erosion, but good lord, are they hard on the joints!

After the rocky portion, the trail turns to soil, and is a bit of an easier go, though it is still fairly steep. We were in a much better position to do this hike this time around, and we made it to the top! There are actually a couple of different places that paragliders can launch from: the north point, and the south point. The South Point is a meadow that quickly drops off.

The North Point has an actual launching pad that gliders can take off from. As you can see, we hiked up past the snow line!

At the paraglider launch pad, in, apparently, a snowstorm

In a pleasant surprise, the clouds parted briefly, and we were able to see a little bit of view.

Looking from the launch pad to the Issaquah valley below

Chirico trail conquered!