Outdoor Life

Evie’s First Summit

Let’s just get something out of the way: I do not recommend carrying your infant up Mount Pilchuck. I’ve been on this trail many times before my baby-toting days and in my delirious, sleep-depraved state, I thought it would be a nice hike to take Evie on. It was the first summit for my husband and I when we moved to Seattle, and I wanted it to be her first, too. Well, that’s nice and all, but I failed to recall that the entire trail is constructed of rocks measuring the perfect size to break every bone in your leg from the knee down. I did remember the ladder to the lookout and thought I could handle that no problem, but I completely forgot that you have to scramble up many large boulders to get to it. Ugh.

The hike started off well with Evie in her new position facing forward in the ergo. This is accompanied by screams of joy and excitement at trees? Flowers? Fellow hikers? It’s hard to tell… The forecast called for partly sunny skies and as I drove to the trailhead it was clear that we would be in the clouds on the mountain. While this may bother most people, it made me really excited. I love climbing through the mist and getting above the clouds. There is a sense of mystery. You don’t know if you’ll get views or not and it is so exciting when a cloud disappears to reveal some nearby jagged peak only to cloud up again leaving you watching intently for the next clearing. Its nature’s version of peek-a-boo.

I was just starting to wonder how the heck I didn’t remember any of this ridiculous steep and rocky trail when Evie began to fuss. She was tired and I think my jostling her around to climb up rocks was not the kind of rocking she needed to fall asleep. I stopped and turned her around in the ergo to make it easier for her to nap which did the exact opposite and made her full on cry. I’ve taken Evie on a number of hikes in her short little life but she has never cried like this on the trail. There is something very jarring and unnatural about hearing a baby cry in the otherwise silent and peaceful wilderness. I was pretty sure her sad little wails were being heard in a multitude of valleys below. I had to make her stop.

So I stopped and nursed her and it helped a little, but she was still tired. I continued on, tiptoeing up the rocks and singing twinkle twinkle little star one word at a time in between breaths. I made it a little farther and then she started to cry again. I apologized profusely to my fellow hikers and tried going faster. I eventually gave in though and plopped down right next to the trail to nurse again. The bugs, an annoying mixture of mosquitoes and black flies, descended on us en masse. At first I tried to be all zen mom and not let the bugs bother me and just concentrate on keeping Evie from getting bitten. That lasted all of 5 seconds before I covered her up with my flannel shirt and used her little polka dot jacket to whip around my head like I was in a rodeo. Yeehaw.

People didn’t seem to care because they just mindlessly trudged on by murmuring things like, “I hate nature”, “yuck, I just ate another bug”, and “why did we come up here again?” At least Evie and I weren’t alone in our misery.

I couldn’t take the bugs anymore so I got Evie back in the ergo as quickly as possible and climbed on. We were getting close to the top and the clouds were starting to give a little. As I got to the last scramble Evie was finally asleep. I considered scrambling up the rocks for a minute, determined to get her to the lookout, then decided that I would be doing it more for me than her. Instead, I sat gently on a large boulder as not to disturb her and carefully and quickly ate my lunch.

On the way down the high clouds began to burn off revealing a marine layer below. We were above the clouds now, just as I had hoped for. Evie slept most of the way as I again cursed every rock and boulder on the trail. When she woke up she looked up at me intensely for a long time. I melted and smiled at her thinking maybe she was appreciating that I just carried her up to the top of a boulder infested mountain. It was a sweet moment. Then she began to cry.

Hikes Featured in this Post:

Mt Pilchuck

You may also like: Lookouts: Mt Pilchuck

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Outdoor Life

Orcas Island Camping

Around the time Evie turned 5 months old, I was getting antsy. The weather was cool and drizzly and we hadn’t been getting out as much I’d like. My husband was out of town and there were just a few days when the weather would be nice. I thought it would be fun to take Evie on the ferry and camp on Orcas Island. And then I thought about how much effort that would require and it made me very tired. I took a nap instead.

The next morning I woke up feeling energized. I thought maybe I could pack everything and make it to Anacortes in time for the afternoon ferry. I went into turbo mode and ran around the house packing stuff like a madwoman. I put everything outside next to the car and then puzzled it all into the back of my little VW Golf. It was so much more than I’ve ever needed on a camping trip, but it all fit perfectly with no room to spare. Nali got the backseat next to Evie and we were off.

Leaving on a Sunday afternoon, we basically had the ferry to ourselves. I played it cool among the locals heading back to the island from Seattle. Evie watched out the big window to see islands floating by. We went outside to feel the rush of the wind from the upper deck. First ferry ride: check.

Once we got to Orcas I found a lovely and lonely campsite on Cascade Lake. I set up camp and put Evie in the bumbo which she loves. I sang head, shoulders, knees and toes to get her to smile as I reheated some leftovers for dinner. I have to say I was pretty proud of myself for thinking of bringing leftovers to eat while camping. Gotta celebrate the small victories.


Later, as the sun was beginning to go down, I packed up baby and dog and headed up the long windy road to the top of Mount Constitution. There was just one couple that pulled in ahead of me and a single deer. I exchanged pleasantries with the couple and the deer, and we watched the sun setting on the nearby islands.


It was a long night full of feeding Evie, making sure Evie was still alive, and wondering if Evie was warm enough. It was so calm outside with not even the faintest rustle of a breeze. So I was surprised when I heard a long vrooooom sound like a stealth airplane and then a minute later I heard a splash and a little screeching cry. Then dead silence. Literally. I sat straight up, eyes wide, and didn’t move for a long time. I was listening for a clue to what just happened and I thought to myself, dude, something just got murdered.


I racked my brain to think of what predators might live on the island. It had to be an owl right? Yeah, owl sounds right. But could it have been a bear? Definitely not a bear. A cougar? Maybe… No, cougars don’t live on the island. Do they? Was it a raccoon or a possum? I don’t think they are predators. It was definitely an owl. It had to be. Or could it have been a cougar? This cycle continued on until dawn.


Needless to say, Evie, Nali and I slept in that morning. When we (I) mustered up the energy, we headed to Turtleback Mountain for a hike. The trail starts on an old logging road through the forest. It felt good to be out, Evie in the carrier and Nali at my feet. Evie didn’t make a sound, she just looked up at the tall cedars and Douglas firs. It made me think of when I moved to Seattle and couldn’t believe that there were so many tall trees along the highway. I had never seen trees so tall in my life. This will be Evie’s normal.


The trail left the road and continued through a hardwood forest carpeted in green. It felt like we were in a fairy tale. We lingered at the summit watching hawks glide back and forth in front of us. It felt like we had the whole island to ourselves. After the hike I drove into town and we visited the Brown Bear Bakery for lunch and then browsed the books at the charming Darvill’s bookstore. I picked out a picture book about a girl and a whale for Evie to read when she gets older.

 


I wanted to take Evie to a beach so I drove out to Obstruction Pass. The tide was high and there was a small amount of rocky beach to explore. The sun was just beginning to get lower in the sky. The blue water sparkled and the madrona trees glowed orange in the sunlight. It was a beautiful day. When we got back to the campsite we watched the sunset on the lake while Evie sat in her bumbo smiling away while I sang. I slept good that night.

Hikes Featured in this Post:
Turtleback Mountain
Obstruction Pass

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Outdoor Life

Dog Mountain

One of my favorite trails to visit in the spring is Dog Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge. Situated on the north side of the river, its flanks are fully exposed to the south and all the sunshine. In the spring, the hillsides explode with the most brilliant yellows of arrowleaf balsomroot.

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This was the first summit I hiked on my own many years ago. The trail climbs, steeply at times, 2800 feet above the river below. But I hardly noticed the elevation as I was so distracted by the flowers. I knew that the trail was famous for its balsomroot blooms, but I didn’t know that it was also home to seemingly hundreds of other flower species. I was just starting to learn my PNW flowers so I stopped to take photos of all of them to identify later. Most were new to me at the time.

 

Near the summit is an old lookout site. The lookout was built in the 1930’s to watch for fires across the river. As airplanes took to the skies in search of fires, lookouts all over the west became obsolete, including this one, which was removed in 1967.

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It is said that the mountain got its name from a writer who described the steep and rough mountain as “that dogged mountain” or “that doggone mountain” and recommended sturdy boots for the ascent. There is also a legend that says some men got stranded on the mountain and had to resort to eating their dogs. I’m hoping this theory is not true.

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No matter the hardships endured to get to the top of this mountain, its hard not to have a smile on your face and hum “The Sound of Music” along with the infinite number of bees feasting away.

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But, with all the springtime beauty comes crowds. This trail, with its close proximity to Portland and Vancouver, is one of the most heavily trafficked in the Gorge. Parking is nearly impossible, so be sure to arrive very early or go on a weekday.

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Be prepared to share the trail with others and make the best of it. Some of my favorite hikes are crowded ones where I get to see the happy faces of other hikers enjoying the same beautiful space.

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Hikes Featured in this Post:
Dog Mountain

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Book Club

For the Time Being

“Live. For Now. For the time being.”

Time. It seems to be both elusive and abundant these days. Hours pass by like minutes as I play with Evie. We babble back and forth and I endlessly dance and sing and make silly faces just to make her laugh. When she cries, time slows and it feels like hours before she calms. The nights go on for days as I wake every few hours to feed her. When she falls asleep on me I cling to every nanosecond.

When Laura chose A Tale for the Time Being for April’s book club pick, I was excited to revisit one of my all-time favorite books. The timing was perfect. I was ready to jump back into the club and get out for a hike with my book club friends. We headed to Goose Rock at Deception Pass. It was a rare sunny day in this epic winter / spring of rain. Our spirits were high as we climbed and crossed under the famous bridge.

We continued through the forest sprinkled with the rusty brown of Madrone trees and took a detour out onto the open meadows to see what flowers we would find. There weren’t as many as there would normally be this time of year, but we did find some red paintbrush, spring gold, a few camas, and a checker lily. My favorite part of the meadows, though, is the glow of the sage-colored reindeer lichen.

The trail dips a bit and then climbs to our destination, Goose Rock. We had the rock all to ourselves and we made ourselves at home as we spread out and chatted about the book. Laura thoughtfully brought a thermos of genmaicha, a lovely Japanese rice tea to go along with the theme of the book, and some delicious chocolate chip cookies. I was in heaven as I enjoyed these treats. Evie was content and enjoying her dose of Vitamin D and we lingered for a while. We discussed our theories about the book and read some of our favorite quotes. We all enjoyed the character Jiko, the main character’s zen Buddhist grandmother who talked of “supapowas!” and offers prayers of gratitude to the toilet: “As I go for a dump / I pray with all beings / That we can remove all filth and destroy / The poisons of greed, anger and foolishness.”

The “supapowa!” Jiko was trying to instill in her granddaughter was the ability to be in the now, to wake up to her life in the present moment and to stop living in the past. As we sat on the Rock and looked out to the Puget Sound with the sun shining on us, I did my very best to be as present as possible in that happy moment. In a time where it is so easy to escape the present by spending time on our phones and devises, I am determined to be a Time Being, in the here and now. As a mother, I hope to ever stride toward harnessing this supapowa! and passing it on to Evie.

When you beat a drum, you create NOW, when silence becomes a sound so enormous and alive it feels like you’re breathing in the clouds and the sky, and your heart is the rain and the thunder.

 

I am very aware of the privilege I have that allows me to spend time with my baby in the outdoors and I am eternally grateful for all of it. I must remember gratitude. Thank you book club friends, thank you Goose Rock. Thank you tea and chocolate chip cookie. Thank you book, thank you Ruth Ozeki. Thank you trail and those who built this trail. Thank you tree and flower and Baby Bjorn carrier and car and roads and…

 

A Tale For the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

 

Book Ends

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Outdoor Life

10 Best Seattle Parks

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of my time in the urban parks of Seattle. My baby is a mover, so on days when there is more crying than napping I pack her up and head to a nearby park to walk her calm. Lately, though, she has been sleeping in the car and been more awake on the walks, but she is at least calm and content. It makes me happy to know that she’s looking at the trees and birds and hearing all the sounds. Eventually she will doze off a bit and it will be enough to say we made it through another day. I thought I would share a list of my favorites to visit on these early spring days, with or without an overtired baby.

Discovery Park
Discovery Park is the largest park in Seattle with 534 acres and 12 miles of hiking trails. It is located on the former site of Fort Lawton on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Open meadows invite you to spread a picnic blanket and take in the views. In the summer, tall golden grass glows in the sunset. Head down to the beach to wander the shoreline and visit the lighthouse. To get the full experience, hike this 3 mile loop that highlights the best of the park.

3801 Discovery Park Blvd //  Trail map

 

Carkeek Park
A lesser known park boasting gorgeous Puget Sound views, beaches, and miles of trails is Carkeek Park. The forested 220 acres is home to an important watershed, Pipers Creek, where salmon are released and return to spawn. In the spring, visit the small salmon fishery where little fry are bulking up for their journey. Hike for miles in the lush forest or head across the walking bridge over the railroad tracks to explore the beach. Take this 3.5 mile loop that spans the length of Pipers Creek and even leads to a secret orchard. Afterward, warm up with some tea and a treat at Preserve and Gather.

950 NW Carkeek Park Rd //  Trail map

 

Washington Arboretum
One of the best places to see cherry blossoms in bloom in Seattle is the Arboretum. Park at the Graham Visitor Center and head to Azalea Way. I like to find my way there by sneaking around all the windy trails until I spot some pink in the distance. The park is really a massive botanical garden, each tree, plant, and flower meticulously placed and cared for. You will find some native species, but mostly this is a place to see unique species from around the world. One of my favorites is a little grove of redwood trees. To make an afternoon of it, grab a vegetarian lunch at Cafe Flora or stock up some macarons (the best in Seattle, in my opinion) at Belle Epicurean. In autumn, the Japanese Garden can’t be missed.

2300 Arboretum Dr E //  Trail map

 

Volunteer Park
What this park lacks in acreage and trails, it makes up for in charm. Volunteer Park, perched atop Capital Hill, boasts an impressive collection of trees. This map shows the walking paths and identifies each tree in the park. The park is also full of little hidden gems like perfectly circular ponds full of ducks, a water tower (that you can climb up) and stunning dahlia gardens in the summer. There is a playground and a wading pool for the kiddos too. It is also home to the Seattle Asian Art Museum (currently closed for renovations) and my favorite part, the Conservatory. Visit the nearby Volunteer Park Cafe for the full experience.

1247 15th Ave E // Trail map

 

Seward Park
Nestled on a peninsula in Lake Washington is the little oasis of Seward Park. This park has some of my favorite forested trails in the city lined with towering douglas fir. But its the birds that rule this park. All kinds of local species including bald eagles, woodpeckers, and owls make their home here. Visit the Seward Park Audubon Center to learn about this important bird habitat or to join in on a guided nature walk or nighttime owl prowl. A 2.4 mile paved trail follows the outside perimeter of the park along the water, but to really enjoy all that this park has to offer, wander into the interior trails. There is a playground for the littles and even Toddler Trails and Tales with storytime and trail exploration. After a peaceful morning here, head to Third Place Books and grab lunch at Raconteur.

5900 Lake Washington Blvd S //  Trail map

 

Golden Gardens
If campfires and sunsets are more your jam, head to Golden Gardens. Watch sailboats cruise with the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop at this stunning beachfront park. Dip your toes in the sandy beach and bring firewood for the first-come, first serve fire pits. If you are looking to get some miles in though, there is a little know trail system in the park. Here is a 2.5 mile loop to get you started, or if you are looking for more exercise there are plenty of stairs to keep you in shape. Dogs are not allowed on the beaches in Seattle, but they are allowed on the trails and there is even an off-leash area of the park. Kids will love the jungle gym playground at the bathhouse. Walk down to Little Coney for an ice cream or chowder depending on the weather.

8498 Seaview Pl NW //  Trail map

 

Green Lake
By far the most popular park on this list, Green Lake is seemingly the place that the entire city flocks to when the sun comes out. And for good reason. The paved trail around the glacier-formed lake is 2.8 miles, making it the perfect distance for a morning run or a coffee walk with a good friend. It is the meeting place of any and all and the best place for people watching. You’ll see tightrope walkers, bird watchers, painters, dog meet-up groups, and even skateboard mushers. Rent a boat to experience the lake from a different perspective, let the dog run off-leash at the dog park, or even visit the Woodland Park Zoo. Fuel your walk with a coffee at Fix Coffeehouse.

7201 E Greenlake Dr N

 

Alki Beach
Alki Beach became the birthplace of Seattle when the Denny party landed there in 1851. Today it is as close to a beach town as it gets around here. Burger joints and breweries line the street and the sandy beach begs for sand castles and bonfires in the summer. But this park is built for walking and riding as a wide paved trail and bike path follow the beach for 2.5 miles. Head south to the Alki Point Lighthouse or north for views of the city skyline. And don’t forget to grab a donut and coffee at Top Pot.

1702 Alki Ave SW

 

Lincoln Park
If you are looking for a less busy and less crowded alternative to Alki Beach, head to Lincoln Park, also in West Seattle. Trails wander through impressive forest and switchback down to the beach. A wide trail follows the beach making it great for biking or running or just walking along in quiet contemplation. On the beach, the driftwood begs for sitting and the rocks for skipping. In the summer, come for a swim at the outdoor Colman Pool. While in West Seattle, it is always worth a stop on California Ave at Bakery Nouveau for a killer croissant.

8011 Fauntleroy Way SW // Trail Map

 

Matthews Beach
This little known tiny park, eclipsed by nearby Magnuson Park, is all charm on a sunny day. The grassy knoll on the banks of Lake Washington, dotted with little white flowers, is hard to resist. In the summer, brave the chilly waters for a dip in the lake. Head away from the water to find a playground and an entrance to the Burke Gilman Trail. This is where the trail finds its way to the shore of Lake Washington. Head north on the trail and walk or for as long as you like or, if you are feeling ambitious, bike all the way to Woodenville for a sip of wine and lunch at The Commons.

5100 NE 93rd St // Trail Map

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Outdoor Life

A Rainy River Family Hike

This weekend we finally got out for our first family hike. The weather looked somewhat promising so we jumped at the chance to get out on the trails. We headed to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River for a low key meander through some beautiful forest.

The trail begins by crossing the raging river on one of the coolest wilderness bridges I’ve ever seen. The suspension bridge was built in the 1990’s and before then it was a dangerous ford across the river any time of year. After lingering on the bridge we headed left along the turquoise river.

 

The trail soon climbs away from the river to higher ground with views of Garfield Mountain in the distance. Fresh snow dusted the top and clouds gathered around the cliffs giving it a majestic appearance.

Moss carpeted the ground as we continued through second growth forest and past the shear wall of Stegosaurus Butte looming hundreds of feet above.  Later the trail widens as it crosses many creek outlets on an old railroad bed. The route was once used to transport logs and you can even see some old rusted track along the trail.

Until this point it had been a mix of sun and clouds, but as we got about 3 miles in, it started to rain on us. We pulled out the little rain fly on the baby’s ergo carrier and found a place to sit and eat lunch. Evie got her first wilderness diaper change and nursing. I felt a bit like a wild animal while I nursed her on a rock covered in moss while the rain fell around us.

 

The rain wasn’t letting up so we headed back. We spotted what we thought was a dark colored deer and later when looking at the trailhead board, saw that elk lived in this area. We thought maybe it was a juvenile or female elk. This was a treat as we seem to rarely see wildlife on the trails.

As we packed Evie back up into the car, we decided that she is a true Northwest baby. She didn’t so much as fuss the entire time and the rain didn’t seem to bother her a bit. She babbled away in the car seat as we headed back home which is a new (and very fun) phase. I talked back and listed all the things we saw today: trees, river, rocks, bridge, ferns, moss, lichen, doggies, babies. How many trees do you think we saw? How many rocks? How many ferns… and on and on all the way home.

Hikes Featured in this Post:
Middle Fork Snoqualmie River

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Outdoor Life

Evie’s First Hike

Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I’ve been thinking about baby’s first hike. Of all the firsts that she will have in this life, I was most excited for this one. I wanted it to be special, but as three months passed with never ending rain and as the realities of parenthood setting in, I realized we would just have to go out and do it.

Drink in the beauty and wonder at the meaning of what you see.

So we did it. I packed her up and off we went on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to Twin Falls. This easy, often crowded, short hike was one of the first hikes my husband and I did in Seattle and I’ve been there many times since. Usually the crowds would keep me away on a sunny weekend but it didn’t bother me now. Evie and I were in our own little bliss bubble and I was actually quite happy to see a great diversity of hikers and lots and lots of families on the trail. 

We headed down the trail and I took it all in with new eyes. Not only was it Evie’s first hike, but it was also my first hike in a long time. I took a deep breath and soaked it up. Evie was awake and alert and doing what she loves to do in her ergo carrier- push her head back as far as she can so she can look at everything. She is the most curious baby and loves looking at new things.

I think about what it must look like to her, it is all just a blur of sky and shapes? Does she know that what she hears is a river rushing by? Will she recognize the smell of mud and skunk cabbage next time? There is something magical in knowing that this is the first time she has really looked at an old growth cedar and a sword fern and a waterfall. 

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

I want to point out everything to her and tell her the names of the plants and trees. But as Rachel Carson writes in The Sense of Wonder, we should give up the impulse to teach and explain and let our children explore with feelings and emotions. This will be a challenge for me, I want to teach her everything I know as soon as possible! But I must remember to allow her to discover things on her own.

 

It is not half so important to know as to feel.

So instead I make up a song to sing on the way down the trail as I see her eyes getting drowsy. ‘What goes up, must come down. Down, down, down. Down, down, down. What goes up, must come down, down to the river.’

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.


 

The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson

The legendary environmentalist Rachel Carson wrote this essay in 1956 about spending time on the coast of Maine with her nephew. Her lessons hold up decades later as she gives advice on how to introduce children to nature and spark a sense of wonder. She says that we should rediscover our own sense of wonder and help them discover the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. The edition we have that was gifted to us is a beautiful hardback full of lovely photographs to accompany Carson’s lyrical words.

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Outdoor Life

Pregnant in the Wild

When I found out in the spring that I was pregnant, the first thing I did was calculate my due date. The second thing I did was calculate how pregnant I would be in August. I had plans. I had a long list of hikes and mountains to climb this summer, including a multi-day backpacking trip complete with a summit of Mt Adams. But I would be 5 months pregnant in August. I naively thought perhaps these things were still possible. 

As the snow melted and trails opened up for the summer, it was clear that my hiking days would be limited. After a few months spent doing nothing but napping, I returned to outdoor life. But I was completely out of shape and out of breath on even the easiest of trails. Well, if I wasn’t going to climb a volcano while pregnant I at least wanted to do something besides hobble down an easy trail without passing out. I decided that I would try backpacking.

This was not an immediate decision and I went back and forth about it over and over again. Would it be comfortable sleeping on the ground? How much weight could I carry in addition to my growing belly? And of course, most importantly, was I going to hurt my baby? After doing some research, I decided that I could do it as long as I didn’t carry much more than I normally carried on a day trip. That wouldn’t be possible with just me and my husband, but luckily, we had some family coming to town who offered to carry the extra weight.

We set out on a hot August morning on the road to Mt Baker. We chose to hike up to Twin Lakes since it was an easy road hike and people would be car camping up there so we could get a ride down if we needed it. That gave me some peace of mind. It was also a short climb with stunning views and we could visit one of my favorite lookouts on Winchester Mountain.

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I shouldered my backpack and felt comforted by its heft. I knew I could take more but I let the others carry my weight. I would have to get used to this. I’m not accustomed to letting others help me and I know I have to let go of the urge to prove I’m strong by imposing unneeded suffering on myself. This just seems like an unhealthy parenting style to me and anyways, I don’t have just me to think about anymore, but my little growing baby too. I let it go.

As I trudged up the road at a snails pace and sweating buckets, I was instantly grateful for my light pack and for my husband who hiked slowly with me. I thought about giving birth and how it was going to be infinitely harder than this. I told my husband that when that time comes and I’m struggling, to gently remind me that at least there are not swarms of black flies in the birthing suite trying to eat my flesh. I vow to keep all things in proper perspective.

It wasn’t too long before we reached the lakes and had lunch. We found perhaps one of the best campsites in all the North Cascades and set up camp. We wandered back down to the lake and dipped our toes in the ice cold water. It felt so good. I found the most comfortable patch of grass and laid my head on a smooth rock and took a nap with Nali curled up at my feet. That night we cooked up some delicious food and played Yahtzee until the sun set and we had to use our headlamps. Before we went to sleep my husband and I snuggled on a blanket and watched the stars come out. 

The next day we trekked up to the lookout on Winchester Mountain. I had no pack this time but I was still incredibly slow. Young couples glided past me and I envied their normal-sized bodies and their infinite energy. A few fit young moms carrying their toddlers on their backs passed me and I thought it insane that a body can go from this to that and decided there is no way that my body will ever do that. I decided to just not think about it and have a snack instead. Pregnancy is humbling in so many ways…

I used the following day to rest while the others went to hunt for mines. I took out my sleeping pad and sleeping bag and piled all the soft things I could find up at the top to prop myself up. The air had just a hint of coolness that made it the perfect temperature to put on my beanie and lay in my sleeping bag and read. I was reading about mindfulness. I read through the body scan meditation and really felt every sensation happening to and around me. I don’t think I’ve ever been more relaxed than I was right there snuggled in my bag, Nali curled up next to me with nothing else in view but mountains.

I thought about getting up to grab my camera or phone to take a picture so I could remember that moment forever. But I knew if I got up the spell would be broken. Instead I took a moment to commit it all to memory. The contours of the peaks on the horizon, the waving evergreen limbs of the trees, the hum of the bees buzzing in the wildflowers nearby. It’s all in my head now, there to recall whenever I need it. When the pain comes, this will be my happy place.

 

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Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke

This is the mindfulness book that I was reading on this backpacking trip. I really recommend it for anyone who is pregnant and anxious about the birth. Bardacke teaches meditation to prepare the body and mind for relaxation during the birthing process. This is a whole new way to think about pain and endurance. The jury is still out for me on whether it works or not, but I know that it has already helped to calm my worried mind in preparation for birth and I can only hope that it helps someone else as well.

 

 

 

 

Hikes Featured in this Post:

Winchester Mountain

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Outdoor Life

Evergreen Mountain Lookout

This year for my birthday all I wanted was to spend the day with my husband and go for a hike. We chose to go to Evergreen Mountain because it checks all of my pregnancy hike boxes, which is really just one: short. And, bonus, it’s a lookout! Double bonus: blueberries!

We got lots of elevation out of the way on the long drive to the trailhead which was much appreciated as we hit the trail in the heat of the day. Luckily there were lots of huckleberries to distract from my frequent stops to catch my breath. The trail is short but it’s a bit steep in the beginning and I was a little worried as I looked up to our destination.

But as we continued on, the trail mellowed through some trees providing much needed shade. From there it was just one final push to the top. We were extra happy to find that the whole upper side of the mountain was completely covered in ripe blueberries. We paused to munch away vowing to harvest them on the descent.

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Where there wasn’t blueberries there were wildflowers pink and white inviting us higher. It was mostly Sitka valerian, spirea, and pink heather, some of my favorites. Soon enough, the lookout and Glacier Peak came into view.

The lookout was not open but we had the place  to ourselves so we huddled against the shaded side of the structure. We ate our lunch and identified the surrounding peaks: Monte Cristo, Columbia, Sloan, and of course, Glacier Peak.

It was just three years ago when we climbed that mountain and my how things have changed. Being pregnant, I sometimes forget how it was in the not so distant past when I was un-pregnant. I miss spending a full day on a long, grueling but ultimately rewarding hike and then waking up the next day and doing it all over again. I miss checking off summits and feeling like I earned my exhaustion, not just feeling exhausted because I got out of bed today. Sometimes I think I will never have the energy or time to climb mountains again, but I know that’s not true. My “to be climbed” list just has a new title: “to be climbed someday with my kid.” Man, I really hope she likes mountains…

Hike Featured in this Post:

Evergreen Mountain Lookout

Book Club

Summer Summit

I first hiked to the top of Sauk Mountain solo back in 2013 as part of my quest to climb 30 peaks before I turned 30 years old. It quickly became one of my favorite hikes, so when I was thinking of places to take my book club group, this one was on the top of the list and I couldn’t wait to share it with them.

The road to the trailhead is 8 miles of rough, steep gravel. It seemed we were driving all the way to the summit when we finally broke out of the trees to meadows and the trailhead. We craned our necks up to see the summit towering above. I pointed out the zig zag of a trail scrawled on the steep mountainside. I promised it wasn’t nearly as bad or scary as it looked from there.

Just a few steps down the trail we stopped at possibly the cutest outhouse on the planet. The little brown wooden A-frame is trimmed in white scallops and the best part of all- it was stocked with toilet paper!

We continued onto the famous switchbacks which start out from the beginning and cut back and forth through a steep blossoming meadow. White and purple dominated for a few switchbacks until the other colors of the rainbow emerged as we climbed higher and higher. We stopped to capture the colors and watch the butterflies and bees collecting pollen.

As the trail nears the upper portion of the mountain you really feel a sense of accomplishment as you look down to the trailhead below. For such a steep mountain, the switchbacks really take the pain out of the climb and are much appreciated. At one particular switchback I turned back to chat with the others and stopped in my tracks with a “whoa!” as Mt Baker came into view rising like Mt Fuji above the hazy valley below.

My favorite part, though, is when the trail swings around at the top. All at once the North Cascades come into view in all their glory. On this side, the mountain plunges again into a valley, this one full of open green meadow and wildness. Climbing a bit more, we were led to a small campsite in the trees overlooking Sauk Lake far below.

The trail then enters some talus and from here it’s a short steep climb to the summit. We spun around to identify all the mountains we could see- Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt Baker, Sloan Peak, Three Fingers and finally settled down for lunch. We discussed The Summer Book and picked out our favorite stories from it as I read out loud some of my favorite parts. We laughed at how funny and sweet six-year-old Sophia and her grandmother are in this book. I passed out homemade Lingonberry muffins to go along with the Finnish theme.

As we returned down the trail, we reveled in the views and the much welcomed sun. I thought about Sophia and those formative summers of my own childhood and the memories that I still cling to from my hometown back in PA. I thought of summers so hot and humid that we spent entire days and nights splashing in the pool. I thought of exploring the woods in our backyard and climbing trees and building treehouses. I thought about how my daughter’s formative years will be. Her playground will be quite different than mine and for that I am a little sad. But better yet, she will have these spectacular views.

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One summer morning at sunrise a long time ago I met a little girl with a book under her arm. I asked her why she was out so early and she answered that there were too many books and far too little time. And there she was absolutely right.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

 

Book Ends

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