Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
All tagged Snow Lake
We always like to get in one last hike to Snow Lake before the inevitable mud, slush and then snow arrive. We were fortunate to have planned it just right as we headed out on the last dry Saturday in October. This October has been the wettest EVER recorded in the history of Seattle. For awhile, we thought we might tie with 1947, but in the end we shattered the previous rain fall record and then went on to set a new one. One of my favorite parts of Fall is the usual Indian Summer in September followed by cool, crisp days in October. This year there was not a lot of that. Instead, it was wet, wet, and wet.
Whenever we get a late start, lack the energy required for an eight mile hikes or are stumped as to where to go we end up at Snow Lake. Although it can be a busy and crowded trail, it is a beautiful hike. Also, the reward of ending up at an alpine lake is as big a reward as you'll ever have when you are day hiking in Washington. A couple weeks ago, when the forecast called for a ninety degree Saturday we knew we liked the idea of swimming in the cool waters of an alpine lake.
Snow Lake is one of our favorite hikes to do year round. The drive to the trailhead isn't too far, the distance on the trail isn't too great and we always know it is going to be beautiful once we reach the top. In early Summer, there are streams which zig zag the trail and waterfalls in the distance. In late Summer, there are wildflowers dotting the trail and in early Fall the colors of the foliage are spectacular.
We have now reached the point in the year where there is not enough snow to snow shoe, but most of the hiking trails are covered in either snow, ice or both. It can be a bit treacherous making your way up and down safely, but it is a beautiful time of year especially when the sun decides to shine. On Thanksgiving we wanted to get outside for a bit before going over to my parent's house for dinner. We decided on Snow Lake because it is a moderate hike and we knew we could do it in the time that we had. Once on the trail it was a tad colder than I had anticipated, so next time I will need to be better prepared for wintry conditions.
As much as I crave sleep, I love adventure more. The handful of times my parents have watched Jasper for the night I dream about getting massive amounts of sleep, but the reality is I would rather get a restless night under the stars and wake up to a beautiful lake. A couple weeks ago Cameron and I hiked up to Snow Lake and spent a peaceful evening lakeside. Despite the gorgeous weather, we were surprised and delighted to only see a few other tents dot the shoreline.
In my opinion, these photos don't even do it justice, the beauty of the evening and morning light at Snow Lake is unparalleled and one of the main reasons I love backpacking in. During the day, the light is bright and the landscape is flat, but throughout the evening the lake becomes more and more stunning.
