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Crystal Lakes Trail
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL FOREST, WA: Reaching the Crystal Lakes Trailhead, still enveloped in darkness, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves about the adventure that awaited me. The crisp winter air filled my lungs, a reminder that this journey would be a physical challenge, but also provide a space for me to reflect on…
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Burroughs Mountain Trail
Autumn tends to arrive for me as a feeling before the calendar catches up. This year it came on a dark drive with three detours, a sky just beginning to color, and a question I’d been carrying about my own kids and what they’ll remember when they look back. Not the gifts, I suspected. Something…
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Glacier Basin Trail
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: The early morning air was crisp as I drove toward the Glacier Basin Trail on the eastern side of Mount Rainier, anticipation flowing within me like the river that would accompany me on my hike. With each bend in the road, I reflected on the gratitude I felt for the…
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Sheep Lake Trail
MOUNT BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, NACHES, WA: As the sun began to rise over the horizon, casting a blend of deep red, burnt orange, and a golden hue on the familiar terrain, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of renewal. My drive to the Sheep Lake Trailhead had been marked by unexpected detours, including the…
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Dewey Lake
It was a Big Chill kind of Sunday. The Rolling Stones and their choir had kept me company all week, and they were still at it, singing in the dark, on the drive up through Chinook Pass. I’d been hearing the song as a lesson in settling for less, and I wasn’t sure I agreed…
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Mount Fremont Lookout
SUNRISE, MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: As the first light of dawn began to paint the sky, today’s journey unfolded like a familiar, yet special story. With my son, William, by my side, we drove through the hushed pre-dawn hours towards the towering presence of Mount Fremont Lookout. Each mile seemed to echo my thoughts…
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Skyline Loop Trail
PARADISE, MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, WA: Today marks a poignant milestone, a year since Kelly took her last breath. It’s a heart-rending moment, a mix of sorrow and renewal, a reflection of the 7.3 million breaths I’ve taken since, without her. Each breath feels heavy yet meaningful, a reminder of the love we shared and…
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Carter and Madcap Falls
MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, LONGMIRE, WA: As the first hints of dawn began to paint the sky, I found myself behind the wheel, setting out on my cherished ritual of early morning drives to a trailhead. With much of the Pacific Northwest still tucked away in bed, the quiet hum of my car accompanied me…
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Palisades #1198
MT. BAKER-SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL FOREST, WA: It was an early Sunday morning, a day that held a special kind of weight. It was Mother’s Day. As I set out on my journey, my heart was heavy with thoughts of our children, who are moving through the rocky terrain of what this day may mean for them…