Edmonds Sunset

February 16, 2017

A beautiful night at the Edmonds Marina

Charles' First Hikes

February 14, 2017

Why go for one hike when you can go for three? Our son Charles hit six weeks old on Saturday, and this was also the day that I could officially start exercising. We had been doing stroller walks starting a few weeks after he was born, but because my forty hours of labor ended with a cesarean I had to take it easy for a while.

On Saturday we walked Meadowdale Beach Park with Darin's parents. Charles is loving his carrier (and getting to spend so much time right next to daddy!) and has a pattern of staying alert and happy for the first half hour of the walk before slowly nodding off. If we keep him fed and dry, he's a happy hiker.

On Sunday we made the drive up to Hurricane Ridge to try him out on road trips. The forecast said sun and a temperature in the high thirties, so we figured his little lungs would be just fine. He did wonderfully and was happy the whole snowshoe.

We arrived mid afternoon (the lot can fill up and we have found that arriving later means the wait isn't as long) and I was able to nurse him in the lodge before we headed out for a short snowshoe.

On Monday Darin took his last day of parental leave and we decided at lunchtime that we had time to make a hike before I had to be back for book group. On a warm spring-like day like yesterday, we couldn't resist. We headed to Wallace Falls, taking advantage of the weekday. It was nice to actually be able to find a parking spot in the lot!

I'm so thankful to be feeling better, and definitely need to get back into shape! Just getting up to the middle falls was a little tough for me. Just another excuse to do even more hiking, I suppose.

Sunset and Sunrise in Paradise

August 14, 2016

On Wednesday evening when we started our hike from Paradise, we could see only fog. After gaining around 600', the fog began to lift. Soon the fog was below us and the mountain in clear view. The next morning we left our campsite a little before sunrise to drive up to Paradise before the crowds.

A little public service announcement regarding the wildflowers and trails of Paradise should you choose to visit: please stay on the marked trails.There were two other photographers out in the same area as me on Thursday morning, and I saw both decide to walk and shoot off trail. Please, please, don't do this. Photographers, your photograph is not more valuable than the experience of the visitors who follow you.

In all of my photography I make a point of obeying the regulations. I would feel guilty sharing and especially marketing a photo that I knew wasn't taken in a sustainable way. I absolutely understand the temptation. There are beautiful distant displays that would make amazing foregrounds, but those displays are in part there because of those who obey signs and don't tread on plants or decommissioned trails to get to them. Thank you so much to all those who obey the rules and help preserve the beautiful meadow.

It truly is a beautiful place at all times of day. Oh, what a Paradise.

The trail in this photo was at one point plants. Sure, it's dirt now, but if people keep walking on it, the flowers will never grow back.

Midday at Maple Pass

July 24, 2016

A beautiful hike, even at midday. My camera was only out for twenty minutes or so, and even in just that twenty minutes, the views were incredible.

To Yosemite and Beyond

May 12, 2016

John Muir's muse became what is understood as the first land ever set aside for preservation and public enjoyment, and we wanted to see the place that inspired the many national parks to come. We left our dear Pacific Northwest for a few days to drive down to pay Yosemite National Park our first visit ever. I understand now why the park is so visited and so loved. The towering granite cliffs and cascading waterfalls make for amazing sights. We camped in the park for three nights, and we were so glad to have had the luxury of that much time to explore. On our last full day the road to Glacier Point opened, and we were so thankful to be able to watch the sunset from there.

It was hard to leave, but we were also anticipating a night on the coast in a historic bed and breakfast. We figured we could splurge after car camping the preceding four nights. After our wonderful stay at the Requa Inn we camped another night and explored the Redwood State and National Parks. On our last night before we got home we did a beautiful hike to Fairy Falls along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge and then caught the sunset from the Crown Point Vista House. It truly was a trip I won't soon forget.

El Capitan. Can you see the headlamps of the climbers?