For weeks, I’d hoped to spend the last weekend of September off on one last backpacking trip before a blanket of snow descended on the trails. Sadly, after an exhausting week for both Andy and me, those plans were canceled for a more restful weekend. Even if we weren’t going to spend the weekend camping in the mountains, I dreamed of a long hike near Mt Baker or Mt Rainier to soak in the autumnal wonderland that had been crowding my instagram feed all week. When Andy suggested a specific hike much closer to home on Sunday, I begrudgingly agreed. The trail we wound up on is close enough to home that we were able to sleep in and still make it to the trailhead at a decent hour, and I spent the short drive grumpy and feeling like I was missing out on a real adventure. After only a few minutes on the trail - which we had to ourselves! - I couldn’t help feeling a peaceful joy. Thoughts of grander trails disappeared as we climbed through the quiet maple forest. Social media makes it temptingly easy to chase the adventures of others, but this hike was a great reminder of the peace that can be found in the mountains when you venture off to a trail less traveled.
Read moreLife: Week 39
I'm happy to report that fall has most definitely arrived! While we had one suspiciously summery day this week, I think (hope!) we've left our days of 80+ temperatures behind for the year. The trees in our apartment complex are some of the first to turn a vibrant gold and lose their leaves every fall and I've started to see them as an indicator that fall has arrived. Soon they'll be bare, but for these few weeks, on sunny afternoons their color reminds me a little of my beloved alpine larches.
Read moreLife: Week 39
Work is getting increasingly hectic as the holiday season approaches. It breaks my heart a little to feel too busy to enjoy my favorite season, so lately it feels like I'm living for the weekend. This weekend, that meant visiting one of my favorite mountains: Mt Baker! We managed to get to the trailhead at a reasonable hour, so we had plenty of time to take in the up-close view of the mountain from the Park Butte lookout. It was my first time hiking on the south side of Mt Baker, and even though the clouds never quite cleared from the mountain, it was a wonderful area, one I'd like to explore more! Andy really hates getting up early, but it was definitely worth it this time. We were able to enjoy our day, stopping for (probably too many) photos of the gorgeous fall foliage and to stuff our faces with the tastiest wild blueberries. To balance things out, we did sleep in the day before, spending a lazy Saturday eating a decadent breakfast of our version of huevos rancheros: homemade ranchero sauce and fried eggs on top of a black bean quesadilla. Afterwards, we lounged around the apartment for a few hours before dragging ourselves out to squeeze in a few errands. With how busy my work schedule is lately, I'm really enjoying these quieter fall weekends.
Read more