Giddy-up, let's hike!

One of my goals this summer is to do a lot of hiking. I'd like to average at least 3 hikes a month (but hopefully there will be more!) From May through September, that means 15 hikes.

Living in the Seattle area means there are so many mountains, with so many trails, it won't be hard at all to find places. Maybe a little harder to find the energy...especially for my Rob. But, as an infinite benefit to me, I can experiment with a new category of fashion and to layer, layer layer: grungy tank tops, flannel, windbreaker, and hard core hiking boots. I feel so...so...RAWR!


So far , we've been going strong. We did a minor hike on Tiger Mountain near Issaquah. I can't even remember which trail we took as it wasn't a terribly memorable hike...it was just a way to get out and get used to trecking up a hill.

Also, Rob and I bought some fancy hiking boots (thank you REI sale!) and did an epic 3 hike weekend.

We did a quick and easy hike on Saturday to Twin Falls. It was a nice hike with rewarding river and waterfall views. Unfortunately, we didn't take a camera, because it was pretty rainy that day. My primary goal was to break in our hiking boots for two more challenging hikes on the next day: Lake 22 and Heather Lake in the North Cascades.



Robert was not particularly pleased with being brow-beaten into two 5-mile hikes, but I did a lot of cheer-leading to get him onto the trails, and a little bit of groveling on the way home as we nursed our sore feet. I still think it was worth it. I always love a good challenge, and we saw some amazing sights!


I would recommend either the Lake 22 or Heather Lake hikes to just about anyone. Both are very well maintained trails that feel safe and organized, but still outdoorsy and natural. Lake 22 is a bit harder, but in my mind it's a nearly perfect hike. Along the way you're treated to stunning old growth forest, waterfalls, rivers, and then the crystal clear lake and snow capped mountain view at the top.
The main con with Lake 22 is that it got to be pretty crowded by late morning/early afternoon. Heather Lake is a little easier -- it's shorter and the terrain is less rocky. Also, it's less crowded than Lake 22.

While we saw some hikers, we mainly had the trail and the view points to ourselves. We even saw deer on the way back!