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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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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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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Jennie Lake Loop

Our first backpacking trip with Mason was a bit of a test, just a quick out-and-back to test the waters of backpacking with a two-and-a-half year old.  This trip, his second backpack actually felt like a real backpack.  We did three days, backpacking 8 miles the first day, 9 the second, and 10 on our […]

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The Little Man’s First Backpacking Trip

The little man is nearly three, it’s time to get him out on his first backpacking trip. For this first attempt, we headed up to Blue Lake, just out of Bishop, California.  It turned out to be a great option — only three or four miles out to the lake, with a little elevation gain, […]

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Sawmill Pass

Looking into Woods Lake Basin from Sawmill Pass I had time for a quick three day trip up to the Sierras.  Options are somewhat limited this time of year, so heading up one of the canyons on the eastern side of the range seemed like a good option.  Starting at 4,636′, the Sawmill Pass Trail […]

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The Ten Best Waterfalls In The Pacific Northwest

The most serene, impressive, and beautiful wateralls in the Northwest.

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