Backpacking is something we haven’t done a lot of in the past but want to do more of it going forward. Bobby had selected Noble Knob as a possible day hike location, then using our GIS app GAIA he discovered that we could turn the 7 mile day hike into a 21.2 mile loop multi day backpacking trip. The weather looked perfect for the trip that was sure to include incredible views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding Cascade range. I loaded up our packs Friday afternoon for the two night adventure and we set off immediately after Bobby got…
Bear Vault Solo
For our 3 day backpacking trip to the Norse Peak Wilderness at the end of July 2013 we decided it was time to invest in a Bear Vault Solo. On previous multi day trips we had used a stuff sack and some rope to MacGyver a hanging bear bag. We never had much confidence in them and decided that the added weight of the Bear Vault Solo (2 lbs 1 oz) would be worth it. We had read online reviews of the Bear Vault Solo that had complained about how difficult it is to open. The instructions for opening the canister…
Deception Pass State Park
We were privileged enough to be invited to the wedding of two of our favorite people here in Seattle. They were married at Deception Pass State Park and invited guests to camp at Bowman Bay Campground both Friday and Saturday nights. We had never been to this part of the state and probably never would’ve gone, given the size and popularity of the area. We generally look for more privacy and quiet when camping on the weekends. But, this was the perfect campground for a large group. The park is a “4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline,…
Hidden Lake Lookout
We finished setting up our campsite in the nearby Mineral Park Campground and it was just noon. Time for a hike! We wouldn’t be able to hike the following day because Bobby had to be at the airport for a business trip to New York. We had passed the Hidden Lake Lookout trailhead on our way into the campground along the Cascade River Road and decided to backtrack and check it out. We followed a 5 mile rough, steep, and switchbacked forest road that took us up to above 3,000 feet to the trailhead. We had looked at the map…
Mineral Park Campground
Last weekend the urge for adventure and the outdoors struck us as we arose early on a beautiful summer day in Seattle. Bobby would be headed for New York on a business trip on Sunday afternoon so we decided not to go backpacking but to once again spend the night car camping. The hardest part of preparing is deciding where to go. The plethora of options for camping in the Cascades is, at times, overwhelming. The Northern Cascades holds a special place in our hearts with its unbelievable glory and beauty so we decided to make the trek North. It…
Pete’s Creek – Colonel Bob Peak
This weekend was all about winging it. We decided to go camping at 7:30 in the morning on Saturday and spent about 5 minutes deciding where to go, with very little information. Sometimes the most haphazardly planned mini vacations are the best there are! On Sunday morning we awoke to a glorious day in the Olympic National Forest, having camped in Campbell Tree Grove Campground. We had the whole day to do with whatever we liked! We had noticed a trailhead on the dirt road we took to get to the Campground the day before and decided to give it…
Campbell Tree Grove Campground
Camping is one of my favorite things to do. It brings back many happy memories of my childhood and the numerous camping adventures we would take that would define my summer holidays. Our family vacations involved cramming my parents, six kids, enough gear to house and feed all of us, bikes for each person, and sometimes a canoe into our fifteen passenger van with a homemade trailer for the bikes and canoe attached behind us. The back seat of the van had been removed and was replaced with a large wooden storage box that my Dad had custom built that…