:: journal
:: SPECTACLE LAKE
Deep in the Alpine Lake Wilderness lies a body of water that’s different from any other lake I’ve witnessed. Spectacle Lake is an absolute gem and more than worthy of a strenuous hike. I knew the window of good weather was closing here in the Northwest so I found a patch of consecutive sunny days in mid September to make the journey.
:: THE ENCHANTMENTS
“Ooooh, the EnCHAAAAANTments…” Yes i’ve heard about the Enchantments for years, and the obligatory oohs and aahs that always accompany the experience people describe hiking here. To me it’s felt a like a pipe dream; after entering the permit lottery for years to camp I’ve never won. (not too surprising given it’s about a 6% chance of winning).
:: SADDLEBAG ISLAND
Island camping had been on my bucket list for a long time, and living in the Pacific Northwest certainly increases the odds with a large number of island parks with campgrounds. I had heard of Saddlebag Island located just off of the port town of Anacortes (about 90 minutes north of Seattle) as a good ‘starter’ island with well maintained campsites for both boaters and paddlers. I gave my hockey mate Adam a shout and we picked a toasty July day for the adventure.
:: KACHESS & STEAMBOAT ROCK
Summers in the Pacific Northwest are full of indelible moments and experiences: warm gusts of air rushing through the Douglas fir and cedar treelined trails, sun dappled lakes with tepid water, mouthwatering smells of mesquite wood burning and outdoor grills, and of course what all us Northwesterners desperately crave after the cold months: glorious sunshine!
:: PTARMIGAN TRAIL
The Ptarmigan Trail has been on my bucket list for a long time and with good reason: it’s an absolute gem of a hike with big incredible views of towering Mount Shuksan at the start and the majestic Mount Baker towards the end. Summer was slowly slipping away so I kept a keen eye on the weather and thankfully found a break in late September.
:: COACHELLA VALLEY, PART II
If you want beautiful desert hiking with sheer isolation, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than the Coachella Valley just outside of Palm Springs.
:: KALALAU TRAIL
Some past memories of Hawaii feel like a distant dream: fuzzy and fading with obscured details, colors and images (like the 35mm film I shot with my Pentax camera).
:: COACHELLA VALLEY
when stuck in the doldrums of a Seattle winter and in dire need of a respite and some sunshine (Seattle winters can get rather doomy and gloomy) i hopped a quick two hour flight down to my friend Greg’s casa in Palm Springs. it had been years since going down there so was definitely overdue.
:: WENATCHEE
is there really an apple capital of the world? you bet your sweet honey crisp there is…it’s the town of Wenatchee! my good buddy Brian recently made the move from Seattle this smaller town located in central Washington, and i finally managed to nail down some dates for a visit.
:: GOTHIC BASIN
mystifying. mind blowing. fomo inducing. jaw dropping. it’s easy to run out of superlatives to describe the endless beauty of the Gothic Basin after an unforgettable backpacking trip there.
i had heard about the Basin over the years and the fact it’s one of the tougher places to hike to (let alone with a heavy backpack on your shoulders).
:: BIG HEART LAKE
had it really been seven whole years since my last backpacking adventure? to be honest I was a bit nervous about the idea of being out in the woods again, alone with the environment with the unpredictable. maybe that’s the real fear: the unknowing about what may happen, and yet in that unknowing lies the promise of excitement and adventure.
:: FAMILY GATHERING 2021
another year, another EPIC Frasier/Casertano/Lucier/Williams/Smith family gathering! we had to switch gears for this trip: the original plan was to head north to Canada for a two week stint in Banff and Jasper National Parks. COVID however had other intentions with the border closed, and when Canada finally declared July 22nd as the opening, our plan was shot given our reservations previous to that date. luckily we had a decent backup plan with some campground reservations right on Lake Quinault on the Peninsula.