Last year during my training for Kilimanjaro, I climbed McClellan Butte a couple times. If you read that post, you’ll know I didn’t make it all the way to the top due to the heat and a rather bothersome pain in my hip. The time before that, the view was blocked at the top and…
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Those of you who know me, probably know I did a summit attempt of Mt Rainier back in 2009. For many reasons, including not knowing that I had (and still have) exercise induced asthma, I made it to 11,200 ft, the Ingraham Flats, before I had to turn around. I have since gone on to…
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After last weeks ridiculously hot hike, I’m so glad today is much cooler and cloudy. At 8.2 miles round trip and 3326ft of elevation gain, Dirty Harry’s Peak has similar stats as Mt Washington, but it’s a much rougher trail. Not many people know of this hike, so let’s keep it between us friends, shall…
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Not the Mt Washington in New Hampshire. This Mt Washington is about an hour east of Seattle and offers some of my favorite views from the summit. At 8.5 miles round trip and 3250ft of elevation gain, this is our hardest hike yet and definitely well into the difficult range. Plus, I’m carrying about 50lbs…
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A few weeks ago, my friends Adrienne, Suzie, Amy (who I climbed Kilimanjaro with last year) and I got together to celebrate Amy’s recent engagement. We had brunch at the always delicious Volterra in Ballard, followed by a walk through the Ballard Farmer’s Market. It’s a perfect morning without a cloud in the sky. People…
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In my last post, I told you about my first attempt at hiking Lake Serene. Now, this isn’t a super challenging hike, and the reasons we didn’t make it weren’t because we weren’t strong enough. On that first try, we were turned around by the snow. Not wanting either of us to slip and break…
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As many of you know, my friend Lori and I are currently training to climb Mt Rainier at the end of July. I workout 4 days during the week doing a mix of TRX, yoga, spin class and HIIT training. On the weekends, I try to get one good hike in, progressively getting more and more…
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After our colorful morning admiring all the pretty tulips, Lori and I head over to the small town of La Conner. As a kid, Lori would often spend summers up here with her friends and family, playing on the beach. She has great memories and enjoys showing me around. There are two major streets in…
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Get ready for a blast of color right in your face! A few weeks ago, Lori and I took a day off from our Mt Rainier training to check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Located about an hour and a half north of Seattle, the tulip festival is easily accessible and incredibly popular with…
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Wallace Falls is a hike I did a lot in my early days of hiking. When I lived in Mukilteo, the Stevens Pass corridor was a lot closer and it’s where I spent much of my outdoor time. Now living in Seattle, I don’t get out there as much, so it was a nice change…
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When most people think of Oregon, the beach probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The Pacific Northwest isn’t known as a tropical paradise, but our beaches definitely have their own appeal, and those who venture out here, even during the winter, are rewarded with some incredible views. One of my favorite beaches…
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Do you ever just want to get away from it all? Throw your stuff in your car and drive to the beach for a few days? I did that very thing last weekend. My friend Adrienne has family friends with a condo on Cascade Head near Lincoln City on the Oregon coast, and they have graciously…
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