Beyond Grand Park

Beyond Grand Park - Rainier

One of my favorite hikes here in the Pacific Northwest is Grand Park and it’s one I do nearly every year.  But, this year we went a bit further.  Although the views at Grand Park are A…Mazing (look at these), Continue reading Beyond Grand Park

Big Four Ice Caves

Trail to Big Four Ice Caves

It’s January, so it’s time to renew my hiking exploits.  A couple of weeks ago some friends and I decided to head to Big Four Ice Caves off the Mountain Loop Highway in Western Washington. In my usual way, I Continue reading Big Four Ice Caves

The Best Parts of My Trip

Kayaking Byron Bay

I shared the worse parts in an earlier post.  Without doubt the best parts greatly outweighed the worse parts.  I had an absolutely amazing time.  So much so that when people say “that must have been a trip of a Continue reading The Best Parts of My Trip

Mother Nature’s Mirrors

Heather Lake

Today’s #FriFotos them on Twitter is MIRRORS.  I immediately thought about a hike I did to Heather Lake this summer.  The water was perfect…not a ripple in sight.  It was the most beautiful lake I hiked to all summer.  It Continue reading Mother Nature’s Mirrors

A Grueling Adventure…Bandera Mountain

Trail

It’s taken me a while to write about this hike.  The hike was beautiful, but it was a major personal challenge.  When I did this hike I was only seven months post my sixth knee surgery.  I’d done several hikes Continue reading A Grueling Adventure…Bandera Mountain

Spray Falls in Mount Rainier National Park

Stream Near Spray Park

Last month I hiked to Spray Falls in Mount Rainier National Park.  Spray Falls is on the way to Spray Park.  It’s about four miles round-trip.  For more information check out the Trails page (Spray Falls/Park) on the National Park Continue reading Spray Falls in Mount Rainier National Park

Grand Park to Backdoor of Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier with Foreground Tree

Our most recent hiking adventure took to Grand Park Backdoor via Lake Eleanor.  The temperature on Sunday got up to the mid-70s, but it started out a bit chilly (around 49).  We had a time constraint which meant that we Continue reading Grand Park to Backdoor of Mount Rainier

Alpine Lakes of Washington

Lake Serene

In January I decided to set a goal for myself…to walk/hike every single Saturday in 2013.  I wanted it to be hike every single Saturday, but I had just had knee surgery for the sixth time in November so I Continue reading Alpine Lakes of Washington

Being Independent on Independence Day

Small Falls

Yesterday was Independence Day here in the US.  Most folks I know spent it hanging out with family, eating obscene amounts of food (some even drinking a bit too much), and shooting off explosives disguised as brightly colored fireworks. I Continue reading Being Independent on Independence Day