This past week has been pretty cold here in the Pacific Northwest. With the temperatures in the 40s most of the days, and at times below freezing, we weren’t much motivated to get any real hiking done. Well, that, and it’s also been rainy. Instead, what we did manage to do was go out and explore two nearby state parks that we’ve had on our list for some time now.
Read MoreThe Mud Mountain Dam was completed in 1948 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At the time, it was the highest rock and earth-filled dam in the world. It’s used for flood control in the lower White and Puyallup River valleys.
Read MoreAs we started our 3 hour drive towards the state’s most south western point, where the Columbia River opens to the Pacific Ocean, we were getting hammered by the rain. The closer we got, the harder it came down. We planned on setting up our tent and camping for one night. Thank goodness we opted for only the one night instead of two like we originally planned. We still knew this single, wet, windy, and stormy night would be pretty uncomfortable.
Read MoreIt was 9:31 A.M. when we parked, according to the Jeep it was 37 degrees out, and there was a drizzle of rain. The forecast called for heavier showers around 2–3 P.M., so we hoped to be back before then. A quick potty break, then off we went. We reached the lake at 12:40 P.M., it was now around 32 degrees with snow just above the lake. Our time here would be brief.
Read MoreTolmie Peak Trail is an easy-to-moderate hike starting from Mowich Lake and ending at the Tolmie Peak Lookout tower. The round trip distance is about 6.5 miles and it took us approximately 1.5 hours to reach the top and about an hour to get back. We went in late June and the weather was in the low 70s, dry, and cloudy. The parking lot was full and a long portion of parking on the road was also full. We came across 15–20 other hikers along the route and at the peak there were about 10 other hikers.
Read MoreThe 848-foot monolith, Beacon Rock, is located along the north side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Washington’s Beacon Rock State Park. Discovered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition on October 31, 1805, and sold for $1 a little over a century later, this rock was almost destroyed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers with plans to use its material for the jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Lucky for all of us, it still stands today.
Read MoreThe day was filled with clouds and drizzle, with the temperatures in the high 40s. It was an early afternoon in early October when we set out. No snow falling, or already accumulated on the ground. There was plenty of wind howling through the trees. Views of Mt. Rainier were hidden behind the clouds. Spray Falls made up for that in a huge way.
Read MoreShi Shi Beach is one of those hidden gems that most people are unaware exists. It’s located in the upper northwest portion of the Olympic peninsula. It consists of a 2.5 mile coast line with tide pools, archipelagos, caves, sea stacks, wildlife, perfect sunsets, pristine stargazing, and more. The journey there is a long one as it’s roughly a 4–5 hour drive by car from the Seattle/Tacoma area. Once at the trailhead it’s about an hour hike to the beach and then another hour or so walk to the south end of the beach to the Point of the Arches. It’s all worth it as this is the best wandering experience we’ve had so far!
Read More
