September, 2025
Ah, yes, I need to leave today, later this morning. Why is it that, when I leave home at the beginning of a camping trip, I look forward to getting home again. But then, once I’m set up and comfortable in a campsite, I never want to go home again! Hmmm.
This morning here at Coho Campground at Lake Wynoochee was no different. I didn’t want to leave.
But I got up, tidied the trailer inside and out. Prepped the truck. But then I decided to go for one last walk-about.
I didn’t have to go far to get beautiful photos. This Coho Campground, on the edge of Lake Wynoochee, is so beautiful.
In the photo below, I simply walked to the campsite that was next to mine (and yes it was empty at the time, no one was there). You can see how far apart these campsites are. The campsite on the other/far side of mine was even further away with more trees and undergrowth in between.
Then I took a walk behind my campsite and found this. (below)
I don’t know whether the original tree had been cut for lumber or other reasons, but it seemed it had been cut a few decades ago. Look at the tree that’s growing out of the left side of the stump. Its root are intertwined with the original tree for sure. And there is a tree on the right that is doing the same thing, although it’s more in the center in the photo above. But when I walked around, it too was growing out of the far side of the stump. It hurt that the original tree had been cut down, and such a huge tree! … but it felt good to know that new growth was happening all around. The original tree was about 11 feet in diameter.
Then on around I went on my walk. I had previously walked past the campsite in the photo below, but hadn’t explored it in detail. This time I walked way into the end of the campsite because it did have a bit of view of the lake. Note that on the right side of the parking area there is a small clump of roots above ground. Let’s go look at that.
Here’s what I found in among those roots … below. Right in the middle was a metal blue sort of “thing” there, with a flat top to it. What’s that?
Upon closer inspection … it’s a survey marker! It’s a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) survey mark. I don’t know if your photo detail can show it, but the year of this marker is 1972 … 54 years ago. It was put here by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Here’s a link to info about them … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers.
In my almost 30 years of boating experience around Puget Sound in the State of Washington, I’ve come across one or two other USACE markers, and was pleased to share dock space with a USACE survey vessel one weekend at La Conner (it was a wooden boat show that weekend and the USACE boat was an old wooden boat tho it was still in perfectly good condition and still doing it’s job perfectly well). I didn’t really know what the USACE did at the time. Now I know a little bit more of what they do.
But, eventually, here in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains, I wandered back to my campsite and to Towhee the Trailer and to the big white truck. As I was hitching up and tidying up, I stopped for a moment and looked up into the trees … and felt so grateful and so peaceful.
This is one of my favorite camping spots for sure. Maybe my most favorite spot.
I hitched up and headed out.
I arrived back at the storage lot where I keep the trailer and parked the trailer there safe and sound.
And yet … I still thought about my friend Douglas the squirrel back there at Lake Wynoochee. I hope he’s safe and well fed. And I hope he’ll be there when I return.
We do the same thing! When we’re getting ready to head away from home, we are pulled to stay home. But we go anyway because we know that as soon as we’re settled in a nice camping spot that then we will not want to go back home! Goof balls, huh. 🙂
Janey
Yep, goof balls. 🙂 thanks Janey.
Us too! Same thing. Stay home or go?? Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. 🙂
Gosh that is a nice campground with such nicely spaced campsites.
Maybe lots of parttime campers feel the same way … leaving home is hard … but leaving that lovely campsite is hard. What a great life we have that we have that problem. 🙂
I’ve worked with some ACE folks in the area where we live in Montana … water stuff, digging, mountain/snow stuff. They are super. I bet they were working there at the campground at Lake Wynoochee back in 1972 to scope out the campground. Find out how old that campground is and I bet it matches up. Gorgeus trees and campground. Best blog ever.
Excellent idea Tim about finding out how old that campground is. Take a look at Jamie’s comment below … 1972 … and that ACE marker was, yep, 1972. Thanks Tim, your info and comments are always spot on. Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful. And kind. Nice to read.
It’s in the heart, isn’t it. I like that you are here Mary.
Fascinating. And beautiful. I like how you show us the trailer parked in her spot at the end of the trip, like she’s home too.
Hadn’t thought of that, David, but yes, Towhee the Trailer always seems to be very happy to be “home” back in her spot in that storage lot. I like that. 🙂
That tree is just like all life. It’s a great reminder of how life continues, and that not one human being knows exactly how that happens. How does the life energy of that large cut tree continue into the smaller ones? Sure we know how the roots work and how cells move about, but we don’t really know how “life” moves about. We sure can believe how that happens, and I like that so many people on the planet have those beliefs, I even like that each belief is different from the others. Hah! all you did was go camping and find a tree stump, and I’m off on a spiritual wonderment. 🙂 Thank you.
Well, I like that spiritual wonderment, Babe. Indeed, what is “life”? You’re welcome … and thank you in return. 🙂
I found a wikipedia article that said the Wynoochee dam (that created Lake Wynoochee) was built in 1972, and the campground was established in the early 1970s, so that’s gotta be why that survey marker is there for sure. That was really interesting. And good of you to spot that survey marker. Fun stuff. 🙂
Yay, you solved the problem, the equation, the question … 1972. Thanks Jamie. 🙂 Smart stuff.
Your campsite is gorgeous. Probably best spaced campground ever. Beautiful trees and the sky, yes so peaceful. Adventuring is super … home is too. All is good. 🙂
Yep, all is good, whatever makes us happy. Best to you and yours, Steve. 🙂
Ditto what everyone else said. I’ve never seen a survey mark, that was cool.
Hi Ben. 🙂
Ordnance Survey (OS) marks here in England are often trig marks carved into stone, although I have seen metal trig markers. Most interesting to see yours.
Lovely photos, very much appreciated.
Henry, thank you! With your info in your comment, I looked up “trig marks” and found thousands of them in England. Different terminology to what is used here in the USA, but the same idea and same/similar sort of markers. How fun to share information like this. Thank you.
I hope you’re already out and about this spring, beginning your adventures again. Douglas is waiting!
Yes, I am heading out! I did one winter camping trip earlier this year (February), and I now have my first spring camping trip planned of 2026. Douglas might have to wait until autumn … but I’ll be ready with some more of those propeller leaves that he likes. Thanks Dawn … hope you are planning some great trips too.