Category: Trip Report
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Metolius Camping and Newberry Volcanic Monument
Back in June we had our almost-annual camping trip on the Metolius River near Sisters. We had a smaller family group this time, but we had perfect weather and lots of fun. We took a hike one day along the river trail, from the Gorge Campground up to Camp Sherman. There we all got ice…
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Twin Lakes, Cold Creek Trail, 7/8/15
I had this idea about getting the kids out to a lake to swim and getting away from the heat. I remembered a hike we did several years ago, to Twin Lakes (actually, it’s only one lake…), and thought we’d give it a try. We found the trailhead with little trouble, though the road signs…
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Faraway Rock and Reflection Lakes Loop, Mt. Rainier, Trip Report
Last week we felt we needed to get out for another big trip to take advantage of abundant sunshine and mountain flowers. We chose Rainier, and I gave the kids a choice about the region to visit. Gabe really wanted to get up to Paradise, so that’s the direction we headed. We stopped for lunch…
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Old Sauk River Trail Hike
Some trails hold a fond place in our hearts, as we have pleasant memories. Or perhaps the trails are unique and make us feel something special. For me, Old Sauk is like that. Meandering along the Sauk River, this gentle trail leads through mature forest. It feels a lot like old growth, even though it…
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Beaver Lake Trail (Mountain Loop Hwy) – 5/29/15
Winter wrens and Swainson’s thrushes serenaded us as we started our hike this morning. We appreciated the shiny new trailhead for Beaver Lake, as well as the spiffy, clean outhouse. The trail dips slightly then follows an old railroad grade along the Sauk River. It’s shady and brushy at this time of year. The greenery…
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Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival
Birds, sunshine, picturesque mountains in a charming small town – this is what drew me to the Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival earlier in May. I ended up having Annika to myself, as Gabe had plans with a friend for the day. We got an early start and made it to Leavenworth just after 9am for…
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Return to Wild Horse – Trip Report, 5/1/15
Last week I got a crazy idea in my head that it would be great to bring friends along on more of our adventures. My kids are getting old enough that they are beginning to prefer friends to mom, and I thought it would help with the long drive. I really wanted to go see…
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Spring at Nisqually
We recently spent a morning at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge looking for birds. We did the boardwalk loop, and spent several hours just wandering along, stopping frequently to observe birds and other wildlife. Birds were wildly singing and very active all over. The sun was shining and it felt like spring in all the ways…
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McLane Creek – Trip Report, 3/7/15
I’ve been on restriction and not allowed to hike since last October. But now I’m allowed short walks on mostly level ground, so I’ve been trying to find walks that are easy and flat but still give me a good dose of nature. I was perusing through the Winter Hikes of Western Washington card deck…
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Winter Camping – Salt Creek Recreation Area and Dungeness Spit
Camping in February? This was a first for my family. I don’t think I’ve ever braved late winter/early spring camping before, but the weather was looking so nice, and we had two bonus days off from classes, so I thought we’d give it a try. We had heard good things about the camping at the…