Yes, a little late, but here is the synopsis of the trip to Seattle.
We arrived in Seattle on a Tuesday afternoon, and hung around the house the rest of the day.
Lisa and I invited Janna, Andrew, and Uncle Scott to join us on a hike to Snow Lake (
pictures). This is accessed form the
Alpental Ski Area, and is a high mountain lake. Even in July, there was still snow on the lake, and on the slopes around the lake. It was a nice treat to be able to see snow in July.
All of us (except Uncle Scott) went to
Pike Place Market (
pictures) to see the sights and do some shopping. Lisa couldn't believe the great flowers that were available, and Mario couldn't keep himself from the
cherries.
Lisa and I woke up early to catch the
ferry across the Puget Sound to the
Olympic Peninsula (
pictures). She wanted to see the "lush NW forest", and Uncle Scott suggested the Olympics. We went up to
Hurricane Ridge for a short hike, where we had a nice view of the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. From there, we continued on to the
Hoh Rain Forest, where Lisa was very satisfied with the sights. We went westward to
La Push and the Pacific Ocean. The town wasn't so nice, but the beach (and hike to it) was. We saw driftwood, rocky spires in the ocean, a "keyhole", and a
banana slug. We passed by lots of logging areas, small towns (
Port Angeles,
Sequim), and took a late ferry back across the sound.
We went back to Seattle (
pictures) to Pike Place Market again, but also to visit the
Troll, and see some floating houses (Sleepless in Seattle). We spent another day around the house, but also went to XXX Root Beer for a car show.
We spent our last day in town with a trip to
Deception Falls (
pictures) in the mountains. These are nice falls, with great areas to see them all. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my
Crocs on this outing, and missed an opportunity to put my feet in the stream.
We did leave some things to do next time we go, like snowboarding, visiting
Leavenworth, and hiking at
Mt. Rainier.
Yes, a little late, but here is the synopsis of the trip to Seattle.
Lisa and I woke up early to catch the ferry across the Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula (pictures). She wanted to see the "lush NW forest", and Uncle Scott suggested the Olympics. We went up to Hurricane Ridge for a short hike, where we had a nice view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. From there, we continued on to the Hoh Rain Forest, where Lisa was very satisfied with the sights. We went westward to La Push and the Pacific Ocean. The town wasn't so nice, but the beach (and hike to it) was. We saw driftwood, rocky spires in the ocean, a "keyhole", and a banana slug. We passed by lots of logging areas, small towns (Port Angeles, Sequim), and took a late ferry back across the sound.
We went back to Seattle (pictures) to Pike Place Market again, but also to visit the Troll, and see some floating houses (Sleepless in Seattle). We spent another day around the house, but also went to XXX Root Beer for a car show.
I went on a backpacking trip across the NH Presidential Range, by staying at the AMC White Mtn. Huts.
Day 3: After waking early from the sounds of wind and snoring, I noticed a different world outside. The temperature had lowered, and the clouds and wind had increased. Autumn was arriving in the alpine zone, and I was part of the welcome party. Temperatures were in the 30s, winds in the 40s, and mileage to go near 8. I knew that the trail ahead was potentially dangerous, but by no means was it impassible.
I left Lakes Hut at 8am, and made good time as I approached treeline. The wind was a problem at times, as it blew fog and sleet over the ridge at me. I gingerly made my way down to Mizpah Hut in time for an 11am bowl of soup. After finishing that, I made my way out of the forest, passing weather-cautious hikers on their way to Mizpah and beyond.
