One of the reasons Danny and I chose to get married outside was because when asked where we see God the most, we both agreed it was outside, in nature. There is so much beauty untouched by humans and so much life and love in cultures, countries, and relationships. Many of the places we venture to we remain in complete awe of. It makes us feel so small and so lucky to have what we have. Two of our recent hikes, Mt. Ellinor and Mt. Pilchuck were reminders of this. Both were covered in snow for about half the hike, reminding us that although it may feel like summer where we are, its a whole different world up there.
Mt. Ellinor was a fun trip. We took the ferry from west Seattle to Southworth and drove about an hour from there. The hike was a fairly steep upgrade the whole time, but we took it slow. Maddie does twice the work by running up ahead, then back to check on us, then up, then back....and she still has more energy than we do. We hit snow at the top and unfortunately since we only had tennis shoes and no hiking poles, couldn't make it all the way. We ran into another couple coming down who mentioned they camped at the top. Sounds fun but too cold for me. We still had a gorgeous view of Lake Cushman and a blast sliding down the snow. I think the term for this is glissading, something that we found a new love for. The hike down was quick and we got back home in plenty of time to enjoy the evening on our patio with some wine.
Mt. Pilchuck was another fun and amazing hike. We camped last weekend near Mt. Baker/ Snoqualmie National Forest. The campgrounds were first come, first served and we managed to snag a spot for the unexpected, record breaking temperature that weekend. Saturday we ascended Mt. Pilchuck and were glad to find the trail not too busy. This time of year the trail is still covered in snow making it much more difficult. It's not a hike for children (this time of year) and at points, even Maddie struggled. Nonetheless, after losing the trail in the snow a few times, taking a few slips and falls (I was lucky enough to endure a wonderful fall and am left with a pretty little bruise as a reminder) we made it to the bouldering portion of the trail. About the last 15 to 20 minutes, large boulders cover the area and hikers are forced to scramble up. It wasn't bad for Danny and I but we had to help Maddie up and down and to choose the best route. The dog must really trust us- and it's one of the reasons we love the pup so much.
At the top, we couldn't take in the view enough. The end resulted in an old fire lookout, offering a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains, sound, lakes, and everything in between. It is a reminder of why we love where we live and we are so happy it's such a short drive from the ability to be immersed in such beauty. The pictures below don't do these hikes justice. Although the snow made the hikes more difficult, I think it also added another level of unexpected surroundings, grandeur, and adventure.
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| This is a 360 degree camera shot from our phone. It doesn't compare to actually being there but gives an idea. |
On another note, we would love to share these experiences with friends and family. If you are interested in camping, hiking, maybe even backpacking (short trips) let us know! We would love to expand the group. Be warned, you must love adventure, dogs, beer, the unexpected, and overall shenanigans :)
