Sunday, August 13, 2017

2016 Adventures (in a nutshell)

I'm finally getting around to posting some photos from my travels in 2016. While these trips didn't take me abroad, they did allow me to explore some incredible places. I've been busy living life in Seattle. What else can I say?

In March, I made the trip up to Mount Vernon, WA to see the tulips in bloom. There are so many colorful fields. It's awesome!


In late spring and through the summer, I did a lot of hiking to prepare myself for an August summit of the highest mountain in the lower 48, Mt. Whitney. This involved some great hikes in Washington including Lake Serene,

Mount St. Helens,

Talapus and Olallie Lakes,

and Blanca Lake.

My girlfriend, Maeja, and I made a trip out to the Washington coast in the beginning of July. We visited Ruby Beach and the northwestern-most point in the U.S., Cape Flattery.

And then while she summitted Mt. Rainier, I went with my family to Glacier National Park in Montana.

Right before the big hike, I went back home to Gardnerville, NV and did a final preparation hike on the Bayview Trail near Emerald Bay.

Finally, it was time for the 3-day, 2-night backpacking trip up Mt. Whitney (measuring in today at 14,505 ft above sea level). Me, Maeja, and three of our friends made it to the summit on the morning of August 1st. It was a great trip and one that I will always remember. Mt. Whitney has been on my bucket list since I was a teenager.

I finished the year with a hike in the north Cascades called Yellow Aster Butte. Late September was the perfect time to catch the fall colors on this hike.