Among the many things I’ve missed during this pandemic, trails are top of the list. While there hasn't really been any point over all the various closures and stay-home orders that I haven’t had at least some option for hiking, I just haven't felt comfortable with the risk of being around the large numbers of other people likely to be out on my favorite trails. Thankfully, as time as passed and we've learned more about how Covid-19 is and isn't spread, the growing consensus seems to be that the risk of spreading the virus is reduced outdoors. Armed with that knowledge - and not one but two options for face coverings! - I finally felt comfortable joining a small group of my Alpine Trails Book Club friends for an absolutely glorious hike. We met up at Ebey's Landing, a trail I've hiked many times. After so much time away, it felt like I was seeing the trail with new eyes and the combination of sun, ocean breezes, flowers, and the company of some of my favorite people was just what I needed.
Read moreLife: Week 42
This was a week of brisk, foggy mornings, leaf strewn sidewalks, and warm, sunny afternoons. While I found few opportunities during the week to get outside and enjoy the lovely glorious fall weather, I did manage to fill my weekend with plenty of time outdoors. Headed to the Iron Goat trailhead Saturday morning for a early start to meet my book club group for our October hike, I witnessed one of the most magically misty mornings I’ve seen in years. Low clouds hung heavily over the mountains, and as I drove east, the sun began to pierce through, catching the orange and golden leaves lining the highway and making them glow. Knowing I had a little time to spare on my drive, I even took the opportunity to stop at a small fishermen’s access to the Skykomish River to soak in the misty morning and snap a few photos. By the time I’d reached the trailhead, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. If it weren’t for the distinctly autumnal colors lining the trail, it would’ve been easy to mistake the balmy day for July instead of late October.
Read moreEbey's Landing
I've hiked the trail along Ebey's Bluff many times, and every time it's different. With the surf constantly altering the landscape of the beach, and the changing season dramatically altering the bluff and prairie portions of the trail, there are always new views to admire. On this particular Sunday, hiking with the Alpine Trails Book Club, we had the most incredible weather conditions yet. While there were heavy, dark clouds all morning, the views along the horizon were crystal clear, allowing us to see rare panoramic views of all the surrounding mountains, including the Olympics, the Central and North Cascades, Glacier Peak, Mt. Baker, and even Mt. Rainier! Unfortunately, shortly after we left the trailhead, I discovered the battery for my DSLR (which I normally use for all my hiking photos) was dead, and the spare was in my other backpack. With only my phone, I wasn't able to take clear photos of the surrounding peaks, but if you have a good eye (and you squint a bit!) you may be able to make out the silhouette of Mt. Rainier in some of the photos below.
Read moreLife: Week 46
The trees are nearly bare and winter feels like it's right around the corner, even though it's nearly a month away. This week, I had time to get outside a few times to enjoy the crisp, gorgeous fall weather we've had recently. It gets dark so early these days, and for the past weeks it's been I haven't been able to finish work until well after dark. It's been wonderful to finally have time for a walk during daylight hours again. Equally wonderful was getting to sleep in Saturday morning, and after a lazy morning at home, trying out brunch at a new restaurant in the area. Sunday morning, we were up early for an Alpine Trails Book Club hike. It rained the entire time we were on the trail, but we still had a great time. We even managed to find a mostly dry spot under the trees to eat our lunch. After a cold, wet hike, we were happy to warm up with pizza and beer at a new brewery on our way home!
Read moreLife: Week 38
Now that it's officially autumn, I keep expecting cold rainy weather, but over the past several days it has felt like summer is having a brief revival. The pressure is back on to get outside and make the most of sunny weekends while they last! With that in mind, this past Saturday we headed for Melakwa Lake. Unfortunately, we got a very late start, which meant parking over a quarter mile from the trail and having hardly any time to relax at the lake. However, our late start meant we had some beautiful late afternoon light once we reached the lake. Andy really had to push me to leave the lake, since I kept stopping for "just one more photo!" I was extremely envious of the couple that reached the lake shortly after us with plans to spend the night. Andy and I both agreed we'd like to come back to camp in one of the rather impressive sites we found while exploring the area.
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