Tag: Hiking

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 24, 2024

  1. My last post started with a statement about the weather. It was drizzly and dreary throughout June, but I didn’t mind it. I must have jinxed the atmosphere because almost immediately the temperatures skyrocketed into the mid 90’s. For about three weeks we have had uncomfortable temps in Washington, but I finally caved and bought a portable AC unit.

  Verdict is still out on if it’s helping the 1400sqft house.

  2. Temps are hot, but Duncan and I managed our first bike ride of the summer together. I often reminisce about my life when I rode my bike everywhere for two years, but sadly where I live now is not conducive to this lifestyle. Thankfully I know a few areas where we can bike that are safe and end with beautiful views.

  

  3. Remember after my half marathon when I said I wanted to maintain running 3-5 miles with ease? Yeahhhh, I stopped running all together and have switched my focus to hiking. I’ve realized I like changing my sport up depending on the season. I might run here and there, but my focus is now on incline walks to have an easier time on my hikes. I’ll probably pick up running regularly again in the late fall. Who knows.

  Variety is the spice of life.

  4. I am incapable of going into a store that sells plants without looking at the plants. I am at full capacity, and yet I will find a reason to buy another one. I’m like a child at the checkout begging for a candy bar. Just one more plant, please. Duncan and I went to Home Depot for a drill bit recently and I HAD to have this small plant.

  

  5. I have been blessed with nice skin for the majority of my life, but this doesn’t mean I am immune to the occasional zit or blackhead. No matter how many times I tell myself to leave the problem area alone, I always end up picking or popping. No one around me is safe either, specifically Duncan. He too has nice skin, but when I see a bump ripe for the picking he knows he has to run.

  I’m gross, and I am aware.

  6. My mid July was jam packed. My dad came to visit for five days, and just after that I drove down to Portland to spend 24 hours with two old blog pals. Lily is a swimming machine and swam the Portland Bridge Swim – an 11 mile open water swim under 11 Portland Bridges. Megan was her kayaker, helping her to refuel and keep her safe.

  I was the post race out of town accomplice along for the ride.

  We’ve known each other since 2011/2012, and it is fun to think back on how many pals I have made through this blog. While they no longer blog, I am thankful to have kept in touch all these years. We shared a couple meals, went for a walk around the city, had a sleepover, and tromped through Forest Park before saying our goodbyes.

  

  

  7. It’s nice to see friends and family, but admittedly after the above mentioned week of socializing I was mentally fried. I had a few days where I needed silence and a dark room. In reality I was PMSing during this time, Little had a minor health snafu (he is fine), and I was exhausted from the heat. My equilibrium has since been reset and I feel back to normal.

  8. One recent morning I was out in my backyard looking at the plants and growing vegetables when I noticed the biggest slug crawling on the base of the planter containing zucchini. Thankfully Duncan was on his way over, because I have the biggest, most irrationally ridiculous fear of slugs. Little and I watched from afar making sure Duncan properly removed the slug from the premise (don’t touch it with hands, but don’t kill it.)

  I’m still haunted by this moment.

  

  9. There has been a lost cat poster on the mailboxes around my neighborhood for a couple weeks now. A chunky black girl kitty, and my heart breaks for her owners. She got out one day and never came home. I continue to send hopeful thoughts her way. I have been extra emotional over these types of things lately. Sad video on social media about a pet? Game over – I’ll be sobbing.

  10. My friend Caitlin and I embarked on a hike at the beginning of the month we have been wanting to do for quite some time, however it did not go as planned. Within the Olympic National Forest lies a crashed B-17 that was once a search and rescue plane. This plane was rescuing 8 people during the winter months in 1952, but after heading back towards its home base the plane clipped a ridge in the Olympics and skidded into the forest killing 3 of the 8 passengers.

  The remnants of this crash remain on the Tull Canyon Trail, bringing hikers from all around to view the wreckage. We had been wanting to find this plane for years, and we finally chose this trail as one of our summer hikes. What we did not do was thoroughly read the trail description, something I typically do obsessively. As it turns out the trail you start on turns into a network of other trails. We missed the trail we needed to be on and continued two miles farther than where we were supposed to turn. All that to say we did not find the plane this visit, but now we know where to go and will return.

  I was mega bummed we were so close (we saw the turn off on the way down), but it was a lovely day nonetheless. Another 10 mile hike through the Olympics.

  

  

  

  

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 12 Comments Tagged Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, Plants, Portland

• Coffee and Cake at the Lake

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 17, 2024

  I have been in love with pairing coffee and a sweet treat together since I delved deeper into my love for a proper coffee tasting. Coffee started for me as just a way to get my body moving (in more ways than one), but turned into a social and almost spiritual experience for me. A warm cup of good coffee transports me to my happy place.

  Sadly, I went without coffee for a period of time before finding the right balance of caffeine and the right blend of beans. Those were dark times.

  When I moved to Germany, I worked in a coffee shop and discovered the German cultural tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen. Otherwise known as coffee and cake (I discovered Sweden also has a similar tradition called a ‘fika’ and at this rate I think most cultures have a time where they like to stop mid day for coffee and a sweet treat.) I am more than happy to oblige these cultural traditions I have picked up during my existence.

  

  When my friend Caitlin told me her sister had somewhat of a lackluster birthday at the beginning of the month, I suggested we do what I would want to do for my birthday. Kaffee und Kuchen on a mountain. We ended up hiking to a lake, so we had coffee and cake at the lake. What a treat. Caitlin was in charge of bringing the stove/pot/coffee, while I was in charge of securing the cake.

  I chose cupcakes because that was 10x easier than transferring a cake.

  Duncan came with us on this adventure, and he opted out of a cupcake so I brought him a granola bar because I wanted him to participate in the candle lighting and birthday singing. I stuck a candle in his granola bar just as I did with our cupcakes. My cupcake was the bottom right of the above photo, a GF ube flavor. Would never be my first choice, but it was still quite delicious.

  

  We hiked to Annette Lake in the Snoqualmie Pass region of Washington. This area is only about an hour and a half from us, and makes for an easy day hike. I have done this hike a few times, and truth be told it is far too popular for my liking. I think I prefer this one in the winter when the traffic is lessened. It was still a beautiful hike and always great to get outside.

  This was my first time bringing a box of cupcakes on a hike, and thankfully my pack wasn’t uncomfortable. Caitlins sister knew we were going to make coffee at the lake, but she had no idea about the cupcakes. It was such a joy to see her face light up when I brought out cupcakes with lit candles in them and we started to sing to her. We all shared a good laugh at Duncan’s granola bar.

  

  It took each of us all of 5 seconds to hoover our cupcakes, and despite how quick they were demolished they still tasted infinitely better than they would have at a lower elevation. It’s just science. The coffee was equally delicious, a medium roast with notes of oak, chocolate, and honey. I chose the blend because I am a picky lass when it comes to coffee.

  

  After sipping and savoring we made our way back down to the car, and I am confident this was a successful birthday hike. Some people want to fly to Vegas for their birthday, and some people want to eat cake on a mountain. Both are valid, but I know which group I would rather spend time with. Any excuse for kaffee und kuchen is a good excuse.

  

  

  I’d like to make coffee on hikes more of a thing this summer, but that means I’ll need to bring cake too. Oh no, twist my arm. Cookies also work, or scones, or donuts…

  Q: Would you haul a box of cupcakes up a mountain to eat them at the top?

  

  | 47 Comments Tagged Coffee, Cupcakes, Hiking

• White Bluffs & Blythe Lake

  Posted at 10:00 AM by Brittany, on June 7, 2024

  Somewhere, somehow, and someway I managed to forget that Duncan would have Memorial Day off from work. I always have Monday’s off, and lucky for me most of the major holidays fall on a Monday. When I realized Duncan also had a three day weekend, I decided to plan a very last minute overnight trip to Eastern Washington.

  I got off of work on Friday, booked a hotel, and we left Saturday morning.

  I’m finding it helpful to have getaways somewhat planned ahead of time. By that I mean I have a handful of hikes saved that require more than a 2.5 hour drive. Most all of my weekend getaways revolve around hiking, making it easier to choose where I want to go. For this overnight trip I chose to go see the White Bluffs. All it takes is for me to see one photo of a good hike (or in this case a walk) and I will plan an entire day/weekend around this location.

  

  

  This is the third time in one month I have made the trek to Eastern Washington, and it proved to be the final straw for my lower back. The continual 3.5-4hr drives (one way) did a number on my muscles and this adventure was ever so slightly tainted by the discomfort. Alas, we still had a great time. The journey to the bluffs was an adventure unlike one I’ve had thus far in my life.

  The winds off the Columbia River were stronger than I anticipated. Wind alone is not a big deal, but the sand blowing into the sides of my legs and face at what felt like 100 MPH were not only painful, but disorienting. We were also warned by fellow walkers that they had seen a rattlesnake, adding to the heightened awareness of our surroundings.

  

  

  Despite the wind blowing tiny spherical daggers into my skin, this was an epic adventure. The dunes were much cooler than I expected, and the surrounding views were just what I was hoping for. We stayed on the dune just long enough for me to summon a Sandworm while looking for Paul Atreides, and for Duncan to rescue my hat after it blew off.

  The walk back to the car turned into sporadic jogging and occasional pauses to wait for our vision to be cleared. The wind started to get even worse, and I was thankful to be almost done with the sideways sand. I didn’t find the Fremen, but I did leave with 2lbs of sand in my ears that took me days to clean out.

  All in all this visit to the dunes was worth it. Even though I lost a hubcap along the way.

  

  

  We spent the night in the town of Othello, which let me tell you is nothing to write home about. We had a cheap bed to sleep on and a bathroom to shower in (fully equipped with a cracked leaking toilet) and that’s really all I could ask for. After a full nights sleep I woke to find my car had not blown away in the wind, and we set off on our second adventure.

  Next up was a 25 minute drive north to Blythe Lake. I typically read trail reviews like I’m studying for a test, but I somehow glazed over this one. Thankfully I had battery on my phone because this trail turned into a walk through wild, trail-less terrain that required me to follow the little blue dot multiple times on the AllTrails app.

  This started simple enough, an old road led us up to a decent view as we continued to wrap around the nature preserve.

  

  

  We continued to play “where’s the rattlesnake” throughout this walk, but truthfully I was more concerned with ticks. The shrubbery was sharp at times, and I couldn’t tell you how many spur like needle things I had attached to my socks after this. Spirits were high despite the rogue wandering, until we came to an opening providing a view of where we parked.

  

  

  From here we had to make our own path, and as one AllTrails reviewer said the trail became “a crapshoot.” Truthfully this was kind of fun, but I was ready to be done after a couple hours had passed. With no clear trail to the bottom of a moderately steep drop off we decided to make our own. And by we I mean Duncan saw a path someone else had gone on after I can only assume they were fed up.

  Am I glad we did this one? Yes. Would I do it again? Definitely not. The views were quite something though.

  

  

  

  From here we made the trek back home, and despite the back pain I still carry two weeks later (the joys of aging?) this was a fun overnight away. The story doesn’t stop here though. Remember how I lost a hupcap? Back in 2012 my car lost a hubcap for the first time. Then in 2014 a secret santa brought me a new one. Shortly after this wonderful gift, I found a hubcap on the side of the road that looked to be similar to the ones on my car.

  Naturally, I kept the hubcap just in case I needed one someday.

  A decade later, this slightly cracked and discolored hubcap that has been living in my garage is having its moment. These hubcaps sell brand new for $55. That is insane to me. I’d rather drive around hubcap-less than spend that kind of money on something aesthetic. The amount of joy it brought me to use this once lost hubcap is indescribable.

  

  She ain’t perfect, but it’s better than the before.

  I’m not typically one for last minute trips, I need a tentative plan and I don’t like flying by the seat of my pants. This getaway was a small mix of both spontaneous and planned. I already have another hike trip up my sleeve should the last minute opportunity present itself. Or when I can wrangle Duncan for another two night getaway. Only time will tell which comes first.

  Q: Do you prefer spontaneous adventures, or preplanned? I can do shorter trips with some spontaneity, but longer trips I need to plan.

  

  | 40 Comments Tagged Eastern Washington, Hiking, PNW

• Leavenworth, WA – Three Years Later

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 10, 2024

  Duncan and I first met in October of 2020. We met at my current workplace, and he was assigned to train me for a few hours – something he obviously hated doing. I’ll never forget the way he rushed through customer transactions in a way that offered me little to no knowledge on how to perform the tasks I needed to learn (this is how I prefer dealing with the public as well.) It wasn’t that he was bad at his job, he just couldn’t be bothered to train the new gal, and quite frankly I don’t blame him for that.

  What he did offer was amazing banter from the start, and I immediately felt comfortable with him.

  We quickly became friends and for three months at work we would chat when we had the chance, until one day at the end of January 2021 he invited me on a hike with two other guys. The four of us spent about two additional months going on weekly hikes and I lived for these adventures. I was freshly back in the area, had very few friends, and was mourning the loss of my “previous life.”

  I was elated to have found a group of pals to go on adventures with so quickly after moving back. Not to mention I already had a ridiculously pathetic school girl crush on Duncan.

  

  Then, one week in March our hiking group wasn’t able to go for a hike – so Duncan and I went alone. From there we hungout a handful of times just the two of us, banter at an all time high, having a good time learning more about each other. After a few weeks of this I knew enough was enough, and we had to have a chat. I could tell something was brewing, so I told him how I felt with no intention of dating him (despite having a crush, I was not at all in the market for a boyfriend, but I learned many years ago to always tell people how I felt.)

  Alas, it seemed Duncan had a different idea.

  He suggested we try dating, just for a bit to see how it goes. Before I could digest what was happening I said yes. What started as more of a summer fling between two people who were not looking for a relationship, has turned into three years of partnership with someone I love very dearly. While we never know what the future holds, I’m thankful we took that leap three years ago to see what might happen. Duncan has since obtained a much better job where he has been the last two years, but I’ll never let him live down that day of training.

  We decided to celebrate three years together by visiting Leavenworth, where we spent our first weekend away together in 2021.

  

  We both took a Thursday and Friday off work and left Thursday morning. It’s about a 3.5 hour drive on a weekday from where I live, and we left with enough time to stop by the grocery store in town before heading to our first of two hikes for the weekend. We hiked this same trail when we visited in 2021, and this is the perfect time of year to see the yellow flowers pop.

  The Icicle Ridge Trail is about a 5 minute drive from downtown Leavenworth, making this one of the most convenient hikes in the area if you want to stay downtown.

  

  

  After this hike we checked into the LOGE, aka the REI of hotels where we stayed last time. What I like about this hotel is that they offer both communal and private bathroom rooms. If I were staying there solo I would opt for the communal bathrooms because it saves about $50 a night. Duncan prefers a private bathroom and I don’t dare tell the working man no.

  This isn’t sponsored by the LOGE, but it should be.

  I love staying in downtown Leavenworth because I can park my car and not worry about using it again unless I am going out of town. Our second day in the area we did in fact go out of town, and this was the highlight of my year thus far. The bar was pretty low as my year hasn’t been overly exciting, but we drove about 20 minutes out of Leavenworth to the town of Cashmere for one of the most beautiful hikes I have done in a while.

  

  

  This area of Washington has thick green hills for miles, and often reminded me of another country. From Ireland, to Germany, to Romania – I was enamored by these views. I cannot wait to return and sit amongst these hills. We opted for the Spring Canyon Loop Trail, which was an amazing 8 miles of walking with just over 2000′ of elevation. I could not have asked for a better anniversary hike.

  

  

  We spent our second evening binge watching Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO and snacking on anything we could. Our third and final day was reserved for wandering downtown Leavenworth before we headed back home. I have been to Leavenworth a handful of times, but I have never walked into the shops. I wanted to spend the afternoon wandering, and that is exactly what we did.

  We started our morning with an hour or so walk by the river which is right behind the hotel. Perfect location.

  Then we each got a coffee, and I ended up buying some local fudge. From there we walked around most all of the stores before stopping for a sweet treat at The Gingerbread Factory. We walked in and the moment I saw gluten free gingerbread cupcakes I knew I had to buy one. Duncan got a chocolate croissant the size of a newborn foal and we people watched while we ate our baked goods.

  

  

  

  I am thankful we went on this trip for a plethora of reasons, but mostly because it helped me to quell my separation anxiety with my cat. This was the first time I have left him for more than one night since May of last year (if you’re a regular round here you’ll know he has had some health struggles.) Deep down I knew he would be fine with my mom, but letting go of control over my child is H-A-R-D.

  Duncan has been a huge support with my overwhelm and I’m glad he was able to get away for a weekend too.

  Duncan and I were the most unexpected pairing. We have an age gap, we have different hobbies, and we were both happily single. Consistent communication and occasional compromises have brought us this far. Thankfully we both enjoy hiking, and this year he has the bug more than ever before. I look forward to many adventures together, it’s going to be a fun summer.

  Q: How did you and your significant other meet? OR if you’re single, how would you WANT to meet your significant other? Also if you’re single, embrace that life – I am blessed to have a fellow introvert for a partner and we spend just as much time apart as we do together. Alone time is so underrated.

  

  | 30 Comments Tagged Anniversary, Cupcake, Hiking, Leavenworth

• Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 11, 2023

  It’s the second week of December, and in Washington the rain is heavy, and the clouds are dark. I don’t mind this weather (yet), but I do find myself reminiscing on the brightness of fall. Two months ago my friend Caitlin and I went for one final big hike, and today I am going to share that story. It’s not often I see a hike that is four hours away and wrangle someone into coming with me, but per usual Caitlin is my go to gal – up for any adventure.

  Our original plan was to do this hike (driving included) in one day. We would get up before the birds, drive the long haul to the North Cascades, hike 11-12 miles, and drive home. We would be tired, but we could do it, right? This trail is one of, if not THE most popular trail in the North Cascades meaning we had to ensure getting to the trail early, or we risked having to park on the already too tiny gravel road. In order to ensure we had a parking spot we decided to find a cheap Air B&B and drive up the night before.

  We found Lolita, a 1979 Airstream for a whopping $70 a night.

  

  Lolita was cozy, but the bed was rock hard and I slept maybe a total of 3 hours that night. We woke up around 0500, and headed straight for the trail head. Thankfully I had enough caffeine and adrenaline to get me going, and I was stoked to only be driving two hours instead of four. We arrived at the trail head around 0700 with just enough time to snag one of the remaining parking spots.

  The lot was filling up fast, but thankfully for the majority of our hike we didn’t run into too many people.

  This hike is popular because there are two main options: hike the Cascade Pass Trail which is a moderate 7 mile round trip hike to a beautiful overlook, or continue on to the Sahale Arm which is an additional 5 miles round trip (plus about 2000 feet more elevation.) I would say half of the people who come to this trail stop at the Cascade Pass. The views to Cascade Pass are beautiful on their own, but I cannot imagine coming all this way and not continuing on to the Sahale Arm.

  

  

  

  

  Caitlin and I specifically saved this hike for the first week of October because it is well known for having amazing fall colors. We could not have gone on a better day, the temperature was perfect, the sun was bright, and the colors were intense. If we had waited just one more week we would have been hit with snow.

  We arrived at Cascade Pass just under two hours after we started. This is when the wind started to pick up, and it only got stronger the higher we got. I was continually taking my jacket off and putting my jacket on in an attempt to combat the heat from climbing and the chill from the wind. We took our time to stop and savor the views along the way, all the while playing leap from with one woman who was wearing the same jacket as me, but in a different color.

  

  

  

  We savored the view of the above lake both on the way up and on the way down. This lake would be our focal point for the majority of the second half of the hike. At one point I even saw myself rolling down the hill, falling into the lake. More on that later. Overall I felt great on this hike, physically I had energy, and mentally I was stoked. We were having fun and the landscape could not have been more beautiful.

  

  

  Until…

  I eventually reached a point where each step felt like I had bricks tied to the bottom of my feet. My lungs felt like someone was sitting on them, and the air around me felt tight. I often struggle accepting when things are physically challenging for me, so I was getting frustrated by the fact that Caitlin seemed unfazed while I was having a hard time.

  Turns out we were nearing 7000 feet of elevation, explaining why I was struggling with air.

  Ultimately it shouldn’t matter, but I was comforted by this justification for my breathing. As we continued on we weren’t sure of where the end was. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other, fighting the wind, and admiring the brave souls who camped overnight. I cannot imagine sleeping with that kind of wind all night. We finally came to the end of the obvious trail, and met the portion of trail that was predominately boulders. This was a “choose your own path” type of trail, and when a pair of men passed us to the right, we chose to follow them.

  Mistakes were made.

  

  

  While Caitlin billy goated her way after them, I began crawling as the “trail” became tighter and the rocks became smaller and more slippery. We were on an edge that made every single hair on my body stand up as I shook with each crawl. I am a dramatic child when it comes to trail edges, and I was starting to struggle. Caitlin sensed my struggle, and was also convinced we took the wrong side. She didn’t have to tell me twice about finding an alternative route, but before we turned around she snapped the above photo of me while I was trying to find my footing.

  I almost look like I know what I am doing. Thankfully I did not in fact roll down the hill into the lake.

  We found a far better path, but my adrenaline was still high. We were both exhausted and unsure if we wanted to continue the final 0.3 miles to the “summit.” We had made it to the main view point, we were moving slow with the altitude and fatigue, and I was a bit shook by the trail edge. We sat at our chosen end spot for 20 minutes, eating snacks, before deciding we were too damn close to stop there. We were going to stop at the proper summit even if it took us an hour.

  Turns out it only took us an additional 10 minutes or so. This is a reminder that our brains often tell us something is harder than it really is.

  

  The final push brought us over a ridge that allowed us to see what most people come here for – the Sahale Glacier. We couldn’t see the glacier from our original stopping point, and while I had no desire to walk onto the glacier, seeing it was worth the extra trudge. We clocked in around 12 miles with 4000 feet of elevation when we made it back down, and the entire hike took us around 8 hours. This was by far the best hike I have done in a while, and I am so jazzed Caitlin and I made it happen.

  

  

  

  The drive out was just as much of an adventure as the drive in because people had parked on both sides of a tiny road. We knew this was happening ahead of time thanks to multiple trail reports, all the more reason we wanted to arrive early. I cannot justify parking like an asshole, and it was sketchy trying to squeeze between two cars. It felt like driving on a back road somewhere in the UK.

  Our four hour drive home turned into five or six thanks to Seattle traffic, but Caitlin and I were riding the high of our hike the entire drive back. It doesn’t take much to make me a happy camper. A quick overnight trip for a beautiful hike is almost all it takes to reset my factory settings when I am feeling off. This was my first hike in the North Cascades, and I can assure you it will not be my last.

  Q: Anyone else reminiscing on fall? It’s my favorite season, but I do try to savor each season for what it brings.

  

  | 41 Comments Tagged Hiking, North Cascades, PNW

• August Alpine Lakes

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 23, 2023

  Within the last few years I have become fascinated and intrigued by the benefits of cold water therapy. As someone who does whatever they can to manage autoimmune flare ups, the idea of dipping ones body into frigid waters makes sense to me as a way to mitigate inflammation. When my water heater broke last November I took a cold showers (in the middle of winter) for over a month, and while the initial process was not fun, I felt amazing.

  Alas, when the water heater was fixed I was happy to go right back to warm showers.

  I didn’t always embrace cold water. When I was in my 20’s I used to avoid going into the ocean when at the beach, or alpine lakes while hiking, but in 2020 I submerged my body into an Austrian alpine lake after a very, VERY hot day of hiking and I was sold. The last few summers I have done my best to get into the water at the beach at least once during beach visits, and this past August I managed to swim in two alpine lakes.

  First up: Lake 22

  

  

  A modest, beautiful hike in the Snoqualmie National Forest area, clocking in at 6 miles RT with an elevation gain of 1500′. I embarked on this adventure with my friend Caitlin and her sister Christina. In an attempt to beat the crowds and the heat we left at 0500, arriving at the trail head by 0700. We were the first car in the lot, quickly followed by one other guy. He beat us to the lake, but as we were arriving he was leaving, giving us the lake to ourselves for at least 45 minutes,

  I had never done this hike before, but I can see why it is so popular. There is a well maintained boardwalk system that circumnavigates the entirety of the lake, and the reflection of the surrounding mountains are stunning. We found a spot in the sun and started swimming around 0900. I kept my body submerged in this cold, yet refreshing water for at least 25 minutes before we headed back down. This was a perfect introduction.

  Next up: Snow Lake & Gem Lake

  

  

  Heading East of Seattle towards Snoqualmie Pass is one of the most popular summer hikes in the Seattle area. Snow Lake is a 6.7 mile RT, 1700′ elevation gain hike that hundreds of people flock to. The waters of Snow Lake are some of the most blue and green I have seen in this area, and this is one of my favorite hikes. It had been years since I hiked this trail, and I wrangled Caitlin into hiking this, with the intention of continuing on to Gem Lake for a swim.

  Gem Lake is an additional 3 miles, with an extra 1000′ of elevation or so, and I was hopeful we could find a pocket of solace as most people stop at Snow Lake. We arrived at the Snow Lake trail head around 0700, and there were a LOT of cars in the lot already. People likely staying in the nearby cabins, and we saw a few parties starting their ascent up to Snow Lake. We were able to pass some people, giving us the trail mostly to ourselves on the way up. We stopped for our first snack once we reached Snow Lake, appreciating the quiet of the early morning ambiance.

  

  

  The final trek to Gem Lake was easier than I anticipated. It was getting warm, the high of this day was in the 90’s, but with a cold lake to look forward to it was easy to push on. Thankfully with the early start we beat most of the heat, until we were going down. More on that in a minute. We passed a few people who had camped along the way, we weaved and bobbed through the trees, we scrambled over a rocky field (my ankles were sore for days after this), until finally we reached the lake.

  There were more people than I expected at this lake, but we still found our own spot to swim. We were in the shade, which was chilly, but it only took a minute before my body acclimated to the water. One of my favorite things to do after sitting in cold water for a bit is to crack my knuckles. My joints swell when it’s hot and when I am hiking, and twisting my back to pop as well was such a relief. We stayed in our section of water for probably 30 minutes.

  

  

  

  Across from us on a rock higher up were two guys listening to music. This smaller cove like lake area carries sound incredibly well, and although they were too far away to normally hear them, with the water carrying their sounds we heard not only their obnoxious music, but their voices. At one point one of them said: “those girls are staying in the water.” Clearly they were being outshone by us women, and they jumped one by one from their ledge into the water.

  This made my sphincters tighten, I don’t like watching people jump into possibly shallow waters.

  Caitlin and I both stayed in the water cooling off, but once I felt my fingers turning white I knew it was time to get out. We moved ourselves into the sun to eat our second snack before heading back down to the car. Caitlin and I sneakily took similar photos of each other while we were snacking, great minds think alike.

  

  

  I couldn’t tell you what exactly went wrong for me as we made our way back down. Maybe it was the RX bar I ate (those never sit the best, but man I love them), maybe it was the heat getting into the 90’s, maybe it was fatigue, but I started to feel incredibly nauseous as we descended the switch backs after passing Snow Lake. The traffic was stop and go at times because there were so many people coming up (whoever decides to start a hike at 1300 in 90 degree weather is a certified psychopath in my opinion) making the hike down slower than I’d have liked.

  This was a one step at a time descent for me, and I was so thankful when we reached the car. Unfortunately I was sick the entire 2 hour ride home, but thankfully Caitlin drove to this hike. I had my eyes shut most of the the way home focusing on my breathing and doing my best not to hurl on my newfound hiking pal. I made it home unscathed, took a shower, ate, and finally started to feel better.

  

  Sickness aside, this was my favorite hike of the year so far. It was a beautiful day, and I loved swimming in Gem Lake. Swimming here was a full circle moment for me, because the last time I hiked to Gem Lake in 2014 my hiking pal swam, but I did not. I was overheated then too, but wasn’t comfortable with my body (the irony, I was at my thinnest then – typical female brain) so I did not swim.

  These days I could care less what people think of my body, I’m getting in the damn lake.

  As I say goodbye to summer the weather is turning colder, and the pumpkin products have hit the shelves. I don’t see many alpine lake swims for me the rest of the year, but who knows maybe a true polar plunge is in my future. Fall hiking is my favorite, and I cannot wait to watch the leaves change. Crunchy walks here I come.

  Q: Do you like swimming in cold water?

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged Alpine Lake, Gem Lake, Hiking, PNW, Snow Lake

• Summer

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 14, 2023

  I have been all over the place lately. My mind has been scattered, stale, and stagnant. When my cat got sick back in May it threw me for a bit of a loop. Three months of daily morning medications, non stop monitoring of symptoms and bathroom habits, and trying new foods. This meant I wasn’t finding much time for myself and what I enjoy doing. It took another month before I felt comfortable leaving him alone for a night. I can blame my anxiety for that one.

  I would go to the ends of the world for this cat, and I am thankful he is stable and doing well, but admittedly I have felt a bit lost as to where my focus should be directed.

  I couldn’t see much past the basics, going to work, and spending time with Little. I knew I needed to spend some time out of my house, and while Duncan is a huge support to me, we have differing desires for how to spend our free time. We compromise most weekends, but in an attempt to let Duncan off the hook (because let’s face it, if someone isn’t overly interested in hiking giant mountains, it’s not fun for anyone) I befriended my coworker Caitlin.

  

  It’s no secret I enjoy spending most of my free time outside. It’s not only physically beneficial for me, but mentally as well. I thrive knowing I have weekend plans to hike a mountain or travel somewhere new, and I’m kicking myself for taking so long to ask Caitlin to hangout outside of work. We have been working closely together for around two years now, but I knew she kept to herself on her weekends.

  We slowly learned over time that we had similar humor, similar interests, and there was something about her I knew I would click with. She invited me to go kayaking with her back in June and from there I knew it was game on. We talked about hiking a local trail in passing one day, and I decided to make it happen. Since our first hike together in July we have been making a habit of hiking as often as we can. She is up for any hike I throw her way, and it has been so helpful for my mental health to have someone I can go on bigger adventures with.

  

  Making friends as an adult is hard. There is no way around that. Making friends as an emotionally charged introvert is ever harder. I am very sensitive to peoples energies and I can almost immediately tell if I am not going to vibe with someone. As children we are told to be friends with anyone and everyone, but as an adult I have become the polar opposite. If I don’t like your energy, I will not spend time with you.

  This is nothing to apologize for, not everyone is for everyone and that’s ok.

  Whenever I am feeling stuck or stale there is usually a correlation. I am either not doing the things that bring me joy, or I don’t have a community of people around me who shares similar interests. My job will never be my source of joy, or purpose, therefor it’s imperative for me to continue finding ways to connect with the world and the people around me outside of where I make money.

  

  I wasn’t sure if I would have many summer adventures this year. Keeping close to Little has been my main priority the last handful of months, but I have been able to sprinkle a hike in most weekends since Caitlin and I started hiking together. We have a few more planned, some of which Duncan will tag along on, and I am directing my focus on enjoying the little things in life.

  This first hike Caitlin and I did was one I had hiked back in 2014, and then again in 2015. It had been so long I didn’t remember anything about it. This was my first “bigger” hike in a while, and it felt good to get my lungs working again. The sun was out for the first half of this hike, but as we reached the top the clouds moved in, allowing sporadic pockets of views. I made sure to give Caitlin the best view of my face, a look reserved for true friends.

  

  

  As it turns out I had summer adventures after all. I hiked, I picked blueberries and blackberries, I ran, I rode my bike, I read three books, I took countless evening and morning drives with Little to see horses and sheep and chickens, I went on walks with friends, I spent time with people I love, and I never had to stray too far from my child. I am excited for fall and the hiking to come, and I am excited to continue finding pockets of joy in the simplicity of my happily mundane life.

  Q: Did you travel far this summer? Let me live through you.

  

  | 31 Comments Tagged Hiking, Little, Summer

• Glines Canyon Spillway Overlook

  Posted at 11:00 AM by Brittany, on March 27, 2023

  A handful of weeks ago one of my coworkers talked about a recent hike she had done, and it was a place I had never heard of. The photos she shared were beautiful, and I knew it was a trail I wanted to experience for myself. What I didn’t know was the backstory of this trail, and how I would find myself in some type of post apocalyptic looking landscape that fueled my spirit for adventure in more ways than one.

  Get ready for a brief history lesson. Just a few paragraphs, bear with me.

  The Glines Canyon Overlook provides a modern view of what used to be one of two dams providing energy for the Olympic Power Company – which in turn helped to provide energy for a pulp mill based out of Port Angeles, Washington. The dam was supplied by The Elwha River, which happened to be home to some of the richest runs of salmon outside of Alaska. This second dam was finished in 1927, and business was booming, but without a fish passage within the walls of the dam the salmon were left with just five miles of accessible habitat from the mouth of the river.

  That doesn’t leave much room for baby making spawning grounds.

  

  It took decades to make any kind of change, but by 1980 the salmon population was threatened all across the PNW, and by 1992 the issue was settled by passing The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act. This allowed full control over both the Glines Canyon Dam and The Elwha Dam (the other of the two) to be granted to the US Department of Interior. They could then enact the necessary actions for restoration of The Elwha River fisheries.

  The Elwha Dam was removed in 2011, and the Glines Canyon Dam in 2014. The previous lake like body of water held back by the dam is now a rushing river through an old concrete slab. The dam’s have been removed, but the restoration process is still ongoing. The National Park Service is continually working with a local tribe and other partners to ensure The Elwha River is fully restored. OK, history lesson over…

  

  SO. What does all this dam salmon talk have to do with my hike? What was once a fully functioning and drivable road to view the overlook of the old Glines Canyon Dam – is now a skeleton of its former self. In 2015 a section of this road was washed out due to a storm, and while restoration attempts were made, this section of the road is completely inaccessible by car to this day.

  If you want to see the overlook, you are going to have to walk (or bike.)

  While I knew we would be walking on a road to get to the overlook, I had no idea it was because the road had been washed out. The hike starts at the Madison Falls parking area, and a short, moderately steep bypass trail took us around the washed out section. This is the only area of the hike within the woods adjacent to the road, but I enjoyed walking on the old road significantly more. Strictly for the abandoned buildings and overgrown brush.

  Hence the apocalyptic vibes.

  

  

  

  We spent some time wandering around the old abandoned camp ground and NPS buildings before continuing on towards the overlook. This felt like a minor step back in time, and while the washout and the dam deconstruction were relatively recent, this was a unique walk through some historical spaces. The river was beautiful shades of blue and green and the road went on for miles.

  The road continues on past the overlook, most notably to the Olympic Hot Springs, but my old lady body was having terrible back pain on this hike, so we called it at the overlook.

  

  

  Once we made it to the overlook we pulled out our camp chairs to sit and savor the view. There are still multiple interactive signs to read up there, as well as an old speaker box that plays the remnants of a womans voice giving historical information. The audio is chopped, and seems to repeat the same words, adding to the slightly creepy yet fascinating vibe.

  

  This is an adventure that will stick with me for a while. The hike which could technically be more of a walk only covers around 800 feet of elevation and we walked 8 miles total, but the background and unexpected ghost town we were able to discover made this one of the most unique experiences I have had in a while. Either I need to get out more, or this was truly one for the books.

  Next time, I want to bring my bike. I can only imagine what other discoveries I can uncover with two wheels. Getting it through the bypass trail will be my only hurdle. A challenge I will happily accept.

  

  

  I am thankful spring has sprung, and I am hopeful with the warmer days I can embark on more of these new to me adventures in my home state. I wonder if and when the washed out road will be fixed, or if The Elwha Ranger Station will be used again in the future. I’m stoked I was able to see it in its current state, anything inaccessible by car is all the more worth seeing when you arrive.

  Q: What’s your most recent unique adventure?

  

  | 37 Comments Tagged Glines Canyon, Hiking, Olympic Mountains, PNW

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on November 7, 2022

  1. I have been home from Sweden for about a month now, and readjusting to regular life was hard at first, but I finally feel settled. Work has been slow, so hours have been cut, but I am not complaining. It gives me time to do more important things, like help my mom clean her house and look for other jobs. LOL.

  2. I took my cat to the vet recently and it was the most horrific experience. He never does well at the vet, and I have to drug him before I go (which is very stressful for us both), but this most recent time was the worst. He could not calm down even with the drugs, and while they were trying to get his blood pressure I could hear him SCREAMING in the other room. I had a hard time keeping it together. The good news is that he seems to be “anti-aging” and all prior concerns are under control.

  

  3. I have been enjoying too many late night fika’s since I returned from Sweden. Before I left I bought the gluten free pumpkin loaf from Trader Joe’s, and I am onto my fourth loaf of the season. It is SO GOOD. Even better with coffee…my anxiety doesn’t thank me for the excess caffeine at times though. Reel it in Brittany…

  4. It felt like summer lasted forever here, and it was still smoky into mid October. I was ready and longing for fall, yet it seems we have skipped straight to winter overnight. It has been SO cold. I was lusting for fall, but now I would give anything to go back to my last hike to Mount Rainier with Duncan in the September sun.

  

  

  

  5. Few things make me more uncomfortable than an overly stuffed fridge. I would not survive long in a food shortage because I hate having excess food. Food waste is one of my biggest pet peeves, and when I see a fridge stuffed to the brim I need to organize it. I like to eat what I have, and then buy more as I need. Pantry items I give a bit more leeway to, but I do not like having excess there either.

  6. Back in 2015 I bought my second pair of Vibram Five Finger Bikila’s. I had a few other Five Finger models prior to the Bikila, but once I slipped my foot into the Bikila it was like Cinderella’s slipper. Naturally this shoe was discontinued relatively quick, and when I found that second pair I was elated. Fast forward to 2022 and that pair has been run into the ground. I have worn them despite the holes in the left shoe, but I recently found a pair on eBay for $35. Unheard of.

  They fit like a glove. Literally.

  

  

  7. My blog storage is nearing full capacity. I can either pay more money to have more space, or I can stop blogging. Orrrr I can start a new blog. New blog new me kind of thing. I have always sort of disliked my blog URL, it’s so corny. Someone once told me that it even sounded like a porn website. Yikes. However, blissfulbritt has been with me through aaalllll the up’s and down’s of growing up. Ohhh life dilemma’s.

  8. The weekend before Halloween Duncan and I went to a murder mystery game night with some friends. I happened to choose the character that died first, but I soon discovered that there was little to no organization with the game. I ended up spending most of the evening alone. I was a bit salty, but I’m over it now. Mostly. I still had fun, and the next morning I went to a lovely coffee shop where I met my new family.

  

  9. Last Tuesday our water heater shit the bed. Not only did the behemoth have to be removed ASAP, the entirety of the flooring surrounding it needs to be replaced (it was dripping for who knows how long.) We cannot get a new water heater until the flooring and dry wall is replaced, which is proving to take some time. I have been taking cold showers ever since, and I am officially a member of the Navy Shower gang. While this new method of cleaning myself has been an adventure, and I exit the bathroom feeling refreshed, I cannot wait for warm water again.

  You have not felt discomfort until you have felt frigid water on your skin in the middle of late fall/early winter. I like to call this character building.

  10. Duncan and I went to a new to us pumpkin patch this year before Halloween hit, and it was ridiculously expensive. Each day that passes I feel more and more like a crotchety old woman. We spent $50 for two people to walk through the corn maze and find a pumpkin (which was a separate fee.) Call me crazy, but that’s just too much. Thankfully, we found two small and fun pumpkins that did not break the bank.

  We even wore matching forehead pimples, how sweet.

  

  

  

  Can you guess who carved which pumpkin?

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 40 Comments Tagged Corn Maze, Duncan, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, Pumpkin

• Nimis of Ladonia

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on October 25, 2022

  I don’t even know where to start with this post. This area of Sweden was unlike anything I have ever seen, and I likely will not see anything like it again. A few days before we were to depart for our mini adventure south, Derek had dinner with his cousins. One of them told him about a “local known” spot within the Kullaberg Reserve that had caused a lot of controversy over the years.

  Naturally this was intriguing, and this was the main motivator behind Derek suggesting we abort our plan to go all the way south on one of our days and instead go visit the Kullaberg Reserve. I just wanted to see the coastal waters, so anything else for me was a bonus. I saw a photo of Nimis, where we planned to go after the lighthouse, but I didn’t quite grasp the magnitude of this place until I was standing in front of it.

  

  

  Nimis, which is fittingly Latin for “too much“, is a maze like structure of driftwood built by a Swedish artist named Lars Vilks, and it is not easily reached. I had assumed this was something right off the trail, and while half of our mile long walk to Nimis from the car was on a man made trail, the other half split off the path and we had to follow yellow “N’s” painted onto trees.

  This was not a dainty walk, it was a relatively steep drop down off the path.

  I started off in good spirits. Google Maps told us it was a short walk and after the previous days of non stop activity my body was hopeful for a quick jaunt. My brain thought this was going to be one tower of driftwood, which would be cool to see, but nothing to bat my eyes at. Boy was I wrong. The trail starts off passing beautiful red and white buildings, and heads into the forest where the wind in the trees brought life to my soul.

  

  

  The uncertainty of where we were going took the wind out of my sails pretty quickly. As I mentioned, this is not a well known area and it certainly is not advertised within the reserve. In fact, the construction of this maze structure began in 1980, was discovered by authorities in 1982, and was in a legal battle until 2004. The authorities wanted to tear down the structure (understandably so, it is within a nature reserve after all), but somehow Lars won the legal battle.

  I don’t quite understand how this is possible, but there was a loophole of sorts where Lars was able to turn this plot of land into an independent nation named “Ladonia.” Today the structure is somewhat of a historic piece, and it seems to be one of those places people aren’t quite sure what to do with. The structure is made with 70 tons of driftwood, and while it was incredibly sturdy, there are certainly areas I can see to be unsafe.

  Of course that did not stop us from walking inside.

  

  

  

  Vilks is no longer alive, he was in a car accident in 2021 (the backstory on this is also controversial, and I fell down a Google rabbit hole), making Nimis all the more sought after by those who know of its existence. I’m glad I continued on the trail after loosing interest, because this was one of, if not the most unique things I have ever seen. This guy has a cool four minute video walking through the structure, with a little more history.

  This day with the lighthouse (my previous post) and Nimis ended up being a wonderful introduction to the Kullaberg Reserve.

  

  

  After gallivanting through Ladonia we made our way north a bit to Jönköping (another word that took me a bit to master, but I am now proficient), a city on the shores of Lake Vättern. This was our “halfway point” for our drive back to Dereks aunt and uncle’s place in Täby. For dinner I had salmon and potatoes (again), but I purchased sushi grade salmon from Norway and it was the best salmon I have ever had in my life.

  I will forever dream about that salmon.

  I had the most magical nights sleep in the Jönköping tiny house, and the following morning we walked along the lake for a while to shake out the legs before our drive back “home.” Our three day adventure south came and went quickly, as most adventures do, and I am thankful everything went smoothly.

  

  

  

  Our Swedish escapade had a few days left, and our last few days were spent relaxing with family, walking around locally, and eating delectable Swedish waffles within the presence of beautiful cows. Next Up: Small Town Sweden.

  Q: Would you walk through Nimis?

  

  | 14 Comments Tagged Hiking, Kullaberg Reserve, Nimis, Sweden

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