Western Mount Baker

My husband and I took a leisurely 3.5 miles Sunday stroll along streets in the western part of the Mount Baker neighborhood early this afternoon. These streets west of Hunter Boulevard and 38th Avenue S and south of Mount Baker Boulevard are more modest than the streets closer to the lake. The area is residential until reaching Rainier Avenue S and Rainier Square Plaza where I spotted a Chase and a Ross. I also saw the sign for the old Silver Fork restaurant (which now looks to be a Chicken Express).

The area sloped down as we walked west and we saw a few staircases and footpaths

including the Charlestown Hillclimb





with its sculpture and sitting area,

the Horton Hill Corridor Park







and a few less formal climbs including a footpath where we encountered three chickens out for a walk.

Approaching Rainier Avenue S, we spotted two large housing complexes and a vacant lot where the proposed land use action sign informed us that senior housing would be going in.

Across from this lot, at 34th and S Spokane Street, we spotted another sign telling us that soil contamination would be cleaned up. Continuing east on S Spokane Street, we came to the Igneous Ensemble Art Park




and its collection of rock art.

Along the way, we spotted John Muir Elementary School,

some impressive stonework on Franklin High School,

a house with a neon peace sign,

what looked like a small P-Patch just south of John Muir

and a really impressive scarecrow.

Another neighborhood full of surprises.