Remembering Nephew Jeremy Successfully Crossing A Scary Suspension Bridge Hiking To Mount Baker

The year was 1993. The occasion was my August birthday, not the exact day, but the following weekend. I do not recollect how this came about, what with it being three decades ago, but this morning's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day brought me the photos you see here.

It was an overcast, foggy, drizzly day. The location was the Schrieber's Meadow entry to the Park Butte Trail up the Mount Baker volcano, via what is known as the Railroad Grade, so named because of its even ascent, like a railroad grade making its way up and over a mountain. In this instance the Railroad Grade is at the top of a glacier carved Moraine.

That glacier can render hiking a bit treacherous in summer and early fall, when warm temperatures melt a lot of ice, turning Sulphur Creek into a raging torrent. So much so that the creek regularly wipes out the various bridges built to cross it.

On that day all the hikers were transited via sister Nancy's vehicle. Of what sort, I do not remember. In that vehicle we had the aforementioned sister Nancy, sister Michele, my ex-wife, Loretta, Big Ed and my youngest nephew, Jeremy. I am likely forgetting a person, or two, or three.

So, about a mile in the trail comes to Sulphur Creek. When we reached that point I saw a suspension bridge of sorts had been installed since I was last at this location, a year or two prior, with nephew Joey.

When we reached the Sulphur Creek suspension bridge, with Sulphur Creek look a bit wild, Jeremy balked.

Jeremy sought refuge at a tree. Aunt Michele then used her well developed negotiation powers to make a deal with Jeremy by which he would agree to cross the bridge. Jeremy insisted he cross it alone, with both ends protected, so no one could get on the bridge and sway and shake it. Big Ed was the guard at the far end. I forget who guarded the entry.

Once the guards were in place Jeremy began his passage across the bridge.

 Above we see Jeremy almost all the way across.

And here we have Jeremy's triumphant pose as he successfully nears the end of the bridge.

The above was about as far as we got this day of hiking in a fog. We never got above the timberline. Never made it to the Railroad Grade. Never got close to seeing Mount Baker. But, it was a mighty fine day, I must say.

That is the aforementioned sister Michele, next to Jeremy, and me sitting, with my hair its original color...