Even Failure Can Be Bliss

It was a warm 91 degrees when I got out of the car, but I was still itching to get started on my 2,000 foot climb up Lusardi Road. In order to be happy, I personally need to frequently get out and move across a map under my own power, ideally in a natural setting. […]

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The Best Sections of the Pacific Crest Trail

The best, most scenic long sections of the PCT.

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Chain Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness

The Chain Lakes have always been on my radar. I always assumed that I would approach from Leavenworth and Icicle Creek, but I realized that I could easily get there from Stevens Pass as well. The first couple miles of the route from Stevens Pass is through a ski area and crosses under powerlines, so […]

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Too Much Good Stuff

If you’re exhausted and happy, you’re doing something right.

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Mountain Bikes Should Not Be Allowed in Wilderness. Let’s Find a Solution

I love the outdoors — I thoroughly enjoy cycling, mountain biking, hiking, and any other excuse for getting outside and wearing myself out. My interest in mountain biking has also grown recently, since my time is limited now that I’m a parent, and biking presents an opportunity to get out on little adventures more rapidly. […]

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South Ridge San Jacinto

Being a parent who loves to get out on outdoor adventures can be challenging.  While we’ve successfully taken our little one on numerous hikes and backpacking trips (like this one on the Jennie Lake Loop, and this one to Blue Lake), it’s often times difficult to hit that point of physical exertion where you’re exhausted and […]

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Joshua Tree

The original plan was to head over to Zion for four days, camp a little, do some hikes and exploration, and possibly backpack for a night.  Our plans changed when the little one got sick, almost exactly at the same time as when we finished packing. By morning he was doing just fine, but we […]

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A February Backpack

Being from the northwest, a backpacking trip in February is a bit of a novelty. It can be done, but it takes quite a bit of luck for things to line up correctly, at least for a trip that isn’t a complete sufferfest. It’s been a little hard to pick up the habit of winter […]

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Lake Margaret Loop

Our beautiful loop trip to Lake Margaret in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  The weather I would describe as “dynamic”, with soaking rain showers, hail, sun breaks, and rainbows. Lake Margaret on our first morning out.  We got soaked the previous night, like a half-hour before reaching camp (we realized our rainpants were still sitting in […]

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Pear Lake

It rained.  Our goal was to do an out and back to Pear Lake — a short nine mile or so trip.  We made it out four miles the first day before we decided to set up the tent.  We relaxed in the tent, had coffee, read.  It was nice.  We went to bed planning […]

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