2026.10.4. Easy Pass to Kitling Peak

10/4, Sunday. 4 of us met at Green Lake P&R at 6:30am. 1 no-show. ~3hr drive. The small parking lot at Easy Pass TH was full when we pulled in. But parked just outside. By the time we all saddled up, the short spur road was full, ~9:40am.

The trail to Easy Pass is straighforward. Larch is only at the pass. Perfect timing to see them now. The red huckleberry below the pass, and furthur below fireweed leaves are red with flurry seeds. However, need to start ~half an hour later to truely experience the glory fall color, becase the sun didn't reach the valley when we walked by the red carpet, until the very last 15 minutes.

By the time I reached the pass, it was almost noon. After a lazy month, I'm out of shape. We are only half way, and the rest is much more challenge. So no rest. We continued.

The unamed ridge west above Easy Pass is a must: much better view of the Fisher Creek basin below and all around (see my last visit). Right now, bright yellow grass and red huckleberry on the way is a treat.

From here on, the scramble becomes real, and the progress gets slow. Soon, I was lagging behind so much that I had to find my own route. We basically followed the ridge proper. You can see my group on the photo way ahead of me. The traverse on the ridge, a lot of up and downs. But the rocks are pretty solid. I took lower router eventually on the left (north) side, and much lower on my way out, which is probably not a good idea. The rocks on the slope are loose at times, and the slope is quite steep. Also quite some side ridges to get over. The exposure is less, and I was lagging behind too much, couldn't afford any slip.

The summit is just a narrow ridge. The view is grand, however, I was too exhausted to enjoy. It was already 3pm, and my group was eager to head out. We need to get down to Easy Pass in the day light. I didn't even have time to finish my sandwich, and followed them down. Soon, again, I was alone. This at least verified my route finding skill.

My group waited for me at the ridge above Easy Pass. We got back to Easy Pass ~5:30pm. The sun sets early now. This photo was taken at 6:12. Around 6:30pm, it was quite dark. I didn't quite need to use headlamp. When we drove out ~7pm, it was dark. Still a few cars at the TH.

Picked these black chanterelles on my way out in the forest. I didn't even know chanterelle comes in black.

Total ~10 miles, ~5000'.

2026.10.24-25. Polish Film Festival

This weekend is the 34th Polish Film Festival in Seattle. I only had time to watch these 2 films: Good Home and Wild Wild East.

Good Home (Home Sweet Home as listed at SIFF) is about domestic violence. I didn't like the movie, even though it has an important social message. I like the Q&A after the screening with 2 actresses in the film. Apparently, more women are asking for help since the movie's release. Characters are thinly drawn, cookie-cutter. Storie is told non-linear, sometimes 2 lines of trajectory. From the Q&A, I learned that the script was written non-linear. The actresses also shared their working experience. They both speak good English. One UW professor of Polish Study talked a bit before the screening (totally unnecessary), and served as the moderator of the Q&A. I didn't like her. I do like the audience questions.

I like Wild Wild East. At first, it looks like a detective story, then a thriller, in the end holocaust. The short discussion of art, and the gold teeth in the end, are 2 of the touching details. No Q&A after this screening.

2026.10.17.The Cantata Trail: Bach's B minor Mass

10/17, Saturday, 10am. Seattle Bach Festival's education lecture on Bach's B minor Mass. Speaker Miguel Rodé talked the history of chant in churches, mass as a musical avenue by itself, structure of Bach's Mass, the arrangement of voices and instrument, and their relations to the text. He also played parts of the recording and pointing at the score at the same time to illustrate the interpretation. He spoke non-stop for over 2 hours.

Here're some notes from his slides:

History of Mass as a music form
Pre-Paroque

• 9-11th centuries: surviving written chants of sections of the Ordinary. Proper also sung in chant.
• 11-13th centuries: first polyphonic settings. Composers' focus on the ordinary starts developing.
• 14th century: first complete settings - Guillaume de Machaut, Messe de Nostre Dame, -1360.
• 15-16th centuries: "golden age" of the polyphonic Mass (Dufay, Ockeghem, Jasquin, Palestrina).

17-early 18th centuries

• Styistic diversity. stile antigo (prima pratica) - stile moderno (or "concerted") (seconda pratica).
• Vienna (Caldara, Conti) and Dresden (Heinichen, Zelenka. Hasse): Mass absorbs operatic and concerto eiements, choral segments, ceremonial splendor. Text starts to get divided into movements.
• Bach synthesizes all these layers.

The tradition continues

• Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven begin to create tension with the use of the musical Mass in the liturgy.
• Romantic camposers (Schubert, Bruckner), and bevond, bring the tradition forward.

Genesis of the Mass in B minor

• "unrelated precedents": Four "Kyrie + Gloria" masses, BWV 233-236. in the early 1730s;
• 1724 Sanctus - standalone composition for Christmas Day in 1724, with repeated performances in later years. Revised in 1748 for inclusion in the Mass
• 1733 "Missa" (Kyrie + Gloria) - presented to Friednich Augustus II, new Elector of Saxony, in hope of obtaining the Dresden "court composer" title (granted 3 years later, in 1736)
• Symbolum Nicenum and Osanna/Benedictus/Agnus Dei/Dona nobis pacem - 1748, 1749

Organized in 4 "fascicles"

1. Missa (Kyrie + Gloria)
2. "Symbolum Nicenum" (Credo)
3. "Sanctus"
4. "Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Dona nobis pacem"

I'm not a fan of Bach, but thouroughly enjoyed this lecture. It increased my appreciation of Bach's artistry. I immediately signed up for the next 2 lectures on Seattle Bach Festival's website. Surprisingly the lecturer Miguel Rodé is an IT professional. But his enthusiasm is palpable.

2026.10.11. Stuart Lake to Horseshoe

10/10, Saturday. Rained all morning, but the forecast promised mostly sunny Sunday. Left Seattle ~5pm. Drove through more rain around Issaquah. A herd of deer on on 97.

Rain had stopped, still some water on the ground, which reflects lights. Leavenworth October Fest. Lively. Live band, lot of lights and people. However, $30+ for 1 bratwurst + 1 beer + 1 small potato salad is expensive, plus the potato salad tasted foul.

We arrived at Stuart/Colcuck Lake TH ~8:30pm. About a dozen cars there already. This is one of the most popular TH in WA this time of the year. This is why we decided to come the night before to secure a parking spot. Packed good ear plugs. But forgot eye patch. There are cars coming throughout the night, headlights are very bright. My partner had built wooden planks over the trunk and back seats to make the space leveled. Climbing in and out is a bit of a struggle, otherwise, works quite well. The night was quite cold. Clear, stars out.

10/11, Sunday. Chilly, disappointly overcast. Up at 6am. The parking lot was already full, and busy. Still needed headlamp. My buddy couldn't locate his wallet. We decided to go ahead and look for it later when it's bright. Need to bring a pen to fill out the permit, because there was only 1 pencil. The trail wasn't as busy as I dreaded, maybe due to the weather. Once we veered off to Stuart Lake trail (at mile ~2), didn't see anyone until the lake.

As we gained elevation, more and more snow, sometimes obscured the trail. Here's the meadow on the way to the lake: a winter wonderland. The alders along the trail were laiden with snow, drooping so low. Right before the lake, we had to crawl under a particular thick strech of bending trees, got snow all over us.

Arrived at Stuart Lake ~9am. At the far end of the lake, saw 2 tents at 2 camps. One couple were cooking breakfast. Some reeds in the water by the edge, very pretty, stll chilly.

We continued into the trees. Soon, the trail became difficult to follow. Eventually we lost the trail. I followed the GPS map on my phone, bushwacking through snow on maybe game tracks, traversing the lower slope north of a swampy meadow. Almost gave up, more than once. After ~1 hour of struggle, we reached the far end of this large marshy area. Overshot the trail, which is supposed to go up through trees and rocks. Couldn't see where that might be exactly under the blanket of snow. Decided to scramble up the boulders up the headwater valley for a bit. Can see quite some larches on the rocky slopes around, but they were covered in snow, so not very colorful. Picked a large boulder to sit on, ate an early lunch. Only ~10:40. Waiting for the sun to shine through. Not safe to continue with all this fresh snow. Got pretty cold quickly, so we turned back.

On the way back, we skirted closer to the marshy meadow, sinking at times. My boots got completely wet. No more bushwacking. This swampy meadow sure is pretty, setting against the talus field we just scrambled on. Here's a photo at the begining of the meadow. Only now, saw a sliver of blue sky: maybe the sun would finally come out. Met a large group heading to Horseshoe Lake. Hope an hour late start will give them better chance. Already less snow than when we arrived.

Back at Stuart Lake. Saw 2 deer. Better visibility now, so lingered a bit for photos.

By the time we came back to the meadow in the first photo (taken at 8:13am), the snow was almost gone. This photo was taken at ~1:30pm. What a big difference.

Smooth sailing all the way back to TH. Saw cars parked along the road to Eightmile TH. Looked around the parking lot and in the car for the wallet. Made a stop at Leavenworth Sausage Garten to inquire about the wallet. Nothing.

Still early, able to buy some apples at one of the many produce stands along Hwy-2. This time, I bought a variety called Hunnyz, which is new to me.

Filled gas at Cle Elum. No traffic today. Sunny in Seattle, looked like a different world.

Lessons (re)learned:

• Snow takes some time to melt. Need to start hiking late for the sun to do its job.
• Need to pack eye patch.
• I brought the stove, but forgot the gas. Need to put the gas can in the pot.
• Colors are dull without sunshine.
• Day-old weather forecast is not reliable.
• Fresh snow makes everything wet, from head to toe.

2026.10.10. Pumpkin weekend at SLU

10/10, Saturday. Went to Amazon's Day1 and Nitro plaza for Fall for SLU weekend. This year, limited pumpkins, no free produce. Still has apple cider. More of less the same crowd. I walked by the pumpkin patches on my way to somewhere that now I forgot. Only went to the pumpkins on my way back. By then, all were taken! I assume more pumpkins will be out there on Sunday.

New paintings on the stairs, right before this weekend.