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Little Si Trail
I almost talked myself out of this hike. It was late in the afternoon, the light was already fading, and after a long week the easy thing would have been to stay home. Instead I grabbed my boots and drove toward the mountains, into the sunset for once instead of the sunrise, and made my…
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Melakwa Lake
ALPINE LAKES WILDERNESS, NORTH BEND, WA: I slipped out of the driveway before 4 AM while the world was still deciding whether to call it night. The summer solstice was close enough that darkness feels more like a formality than anything else, and somewhere on that long, quiet stretch of I-90 with the Cascades beginning…
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Mailbox Peak
MIDDLE-FORK SNOQUALMIE, NORTH BEND, WA: There’s something about leaving the house before the rest of the world has any business being awake that strips a day down to what it actually is. I was on the road by 3:15 this morning, Highway 18 completely to myself, my dashboard being the only light in the valley,…
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Teneriffe Falls
MOUNT SI, NORTH BEND, WA: I’ve always found the hours before the world wakes up to be the most honest. This morning, as I drove toward North Bend under the dark fading night, I felt a familiar pull toward the gift of another journey: Teneriffe Falls. There’s a certain weight to the silence in the…
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Dirty Harry’s Balcony
MIDDLE FORK SNOQUALMIE, WA: As I stood at the trailhead for Dirty Harry’s Balcony an hour before sunrise, the cool, predawn darkness shrank my physical space. The faint glow of my headlamp cut through the misty drizzle, illuminating the path ahead, while the rich aroma of damp moss filled the air. In that moment, I…
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Twin Falls Trail
OLALLIE STATE PARK, NORTH BEND, WA: Today, I ventured to the Twin Falls Trail near North Bend, WA, the crisp air invigorating my spirit as I parked my car at the trailhead just before sunrise. The deep blue sky promised a beautiful clear day and I felt a familiar thrill coursing through me. Today’s hike…
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Colchuck Lake
For most of my life, I thought being present meant paying closer attention. Narrow the focus, notice every detail, miss nothing. I set out this morning with that idea still firmly in place, my headlamp on the trail, the air hovering around freezing, and songs from a concert the week before still playing in my…
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Franklin Falls and Badger Mountain
SNOQUALMIE PASS & BADGER MOUNTAIN, WA: As the sun dipped low in the sky, I found myself standing at the trailhead, filled with anticipation for a new adventure. My journey started with the calming stream of water leading me to Franklin Falls, a trail where nature revealed its secrets through the early-evening light breaking through…
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Annette Lake Trail
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: As dawn was about to break, I laced up my hiking boots. The early morning chill was perfect for the steady ascent. With the world still in slumber, I set off up the Annette Lake Trail, a journey steeped in both challenge and beauty. The soft glow of my headlamp…
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Snow Lake
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Today, I set out on a hike to Snow Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, carrying water and a couple LUNA Bars, along with a heart full of gratitude and a mind ready to reflect. The brisk morning air, dipping into the 40s, invigorated my spirit as I set off…