On New Year's Eve Alex and I finally tackled a hike that we have wanted to do for over a year and a half, and we couldn't have done it without the help of Chelsea (who joined me on my trip to Blue Lakes in October!)
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The past two years Alex and I have taken the long Thanksgiving weekend to #optoutside and spend some quality time in the national parks. Finding places to go in November that aren't too cold or too snowy can be a challenge but we've found that Utah is a pretty good bet. Last year we hiked in Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, but this year I wanted something a little more remote.
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Night photography is my favorite type of photography. I find it the most challenging and therefore also the most rewarding. It requires me to brave the elements, forgo a proper night of sleep, and face my fears of scary unknown noises in the great outdoors past sundown.
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I've had my Deuter ACT Lite 60+10 for an entire summer backpacking season now. Last spring I went into REI hoping to exchange my one-size-fits-all cheap generic pack for a pack more suited to my body. I had gone into the store assuming I would walk out with an Osprey, having only heard stellar things about their packs. However, as I began trying different Osprey packs on it became very apparent that they did not fit me the way I had hoped.
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We wanted to get one last hike in on our final day in Washington before we had to head to the airport for our redeye flights. Lake Serene, located in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, seemed like what we were looking for. It was just over an hour from the airport and, at 8.2 miles round-trip, would make for a perfect day hike.
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After our hike to Mount Storm King Alex and I drove to the Third Beach Trailhead to begin our 6.4 mile hike to Toleak Point. High tide was scheduled for 2pm so we set out from the trailhead at 4pm. This would ensure the tide would be low by the time we reached a few stretches of beach and the headlands that require a low tide for crossing.
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Packing for a ten day backpacking trip was a logistical challenge (read: nightmare). I needed to pack enough food, gear, and clothing to last me ten days in the wilderness without any sort of resupply. The longest I had spent in the backcountry without heading back to civilization was two days so this trip was about to smash that record.
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