Adventure #19: Noble Knob

The mountains were calling, and I had to go.

It had been a weekend of clear, calm, and sunny days, and I knew that I had to get out and go visit Rainier--especially because of my recent commitment (see previous post for details). Veterans Day was a perfect opportunity to avoid crowds, and after doing some searching on WTA's Hike Finder, I discovered Noble Knob, and set out for my first solo hike as part of this project.

Headed out from the trailhead!

The hike was perfect-- gorgeous views through the burned out trees from the Norse Peak fire, just enough snow to make it a wintry wonderland without making it difficult to hike, and some lovely unexpected companions too.
Fires are devastating, and it's heartbreaking to see the damage they can do to our beloved areas-- we all watched with baited breath that September to see if Crystal Mountain would be able to remain a ski area, if our friend's cabin would be destroyed, or if all of Mt. Rainier would go up in flames. As global warming has made droughts longer, and drier, it has made fire season all that more dangerous. Fires are a natural part of forestry, and are important to helping some plants and animals grow, but human influence has made fires bigger, hotter, and more destructive than in the past. I'm thankful that the Norse Peak fire was put out relatively quickly, and there was no structural damage, but it's hard to walk though this trail without imagining what it could have destroyed if things hadn't gone according to plan.

Even among the destruction, you can still find some signs of life! Winter is coming to blanket everything in thick snow, but next spring, animals will be back, seeds will be dropped, plants and trees will grow again, and life will come back to this beautiful place. Although the views of the mountain might not be so clear...

My goal for the day was the top of this final rise. Not too long, not too steep, but just enough to get your heart pumping. I was glad Adriana had reminded me to bring my microspikes! I got them in the REI Gear Loft last spring, and hadn't had the chance to try them out! Definitely a worthwhile investment, especially when working my way uphill, and along tricky, narrow trails.

The view from the top was exactly what I was looking for. I had a great conversation with two gentlemen (hello, Brandon and Logan) who said they'd look into reading my blog. They'd spent their morning making the snowman seen here, and had brought their backpacking stove to enjoy warm snacks at the top-- definitely a habit I should start getting into!

On my way back down, I reflected on how grateful I am to have so many good things in my life--a body that lets me hike, natural places full of beauty and solitude, clothing to keep me warm, and people willing to defend my country, and let me live the life I want to lead. There are many places in this world where a woman would not have these opportunities, and I'm eternally grateful that I have them. My country isn't perfect, but veterans have fought for my right to say that. They've fought for my right to vote to make changes when I'm unhappy, and for my freedom to get married (or not get married) to whomever I like, to wear what I like, to learn what I want, to drive whenever I want to, and the freedom to do just about anything I like.

Be sure to take some time this month to go outside and appreciate what you have too.

All smiles on the way back down!

Adventure #18: Fundraising

I have long considered Mt. Rainier my backyard. If the weather was clear, I could squint through the trees of my childhood home, and proudly claim "the mountain is out today". Anybody from Western Washington knows that you don't need to clarify which mountain. It's always her. My family skis at Crystal Mountain, and we all know it's the best view in the state. My father would joke that you don't need to get a degree in meteorology to predict the weather around here-- if you can't see the mountain, that means it's raining; if you can see the mountain, that means it's going to rain.

The view from the top of Crystal Mountain

As my world expanded, and I traveled farther and farther from home, I grew to appreciate how many beautiful places our planet has to offer--coral reefs, isolated islands, waving wheat fields, pristine beaches, rugged coastlines, lush swampland, historic castles, and more. I love getting to experience new (and old) cultures, try foods I've never had before, and immerse myself in worlds so different from my own, but I also love coming home to my own bed, snuggling my cat, and seeing "my" mountain when I land at SeaTac. She is ever present in her majesty, breathtakingly formidable, and is always there to welcome me home.

In 2016, I made a summit attempt. I had prepared for this like nothing I had ever prepared for before. I was running regularly, and participated in a 15k race. I was hiking almost weekly, and most of the time I was carrying a weighted pack trying to slow me down. I had visited doctors and gotten prescriptions against altitude sickness. I spoke with other climbers about their climb stories. I read books on rest-stepping and HACE and HAPE symptoms. I took a mountaineering class. I reached the summit of Mt. St. Helens.  I was as ready as I could possibly be, but as it turned out, it wasn't my time. The winds were high, and a piece of dirt from Disappointment Cleaver was swept into my eye. I lost a contact, scratched a cornea, and then had a stress-induced asthma attack at 12,000 feet. As she looked down, wearing her smug lenticular crown, and I knew that even though I hadn't succeeded, I made the right decision in turning around.

Sunrise from 12,000 feet

In 2017, I sought vindication via The Wonderland Trail. This 11 day adventure remains one of the best trips I've ever been on, and one of my accomplishments that I am most proud of in my life. If you asked me on day 2 of the trip, I would have said "never again". If you asked me by day 11, I was ready to do a second circuit (with maybe a day or so for rest, a hot shower, and a pizza). I am now looking at other long-distance trips and hope to complete sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Camino de Santiago.

My favorite night on the Wonderland

Since 2016, I've been rolling the question around in my mind whether I'd like to make another attempt. I learned that year that I'm not really a fan of mountain climbing, as it is very isolating. Even though you're literally tied to a group of other people, most of the time you're about 30 feet apart, and there is little conversation as you try to conserve air, focus your oxygen deprived brain, and commit to carefully placing your feet so you don't end up down a crevasse. But I'm also not the kind of person that sets a goal and gives up after one attempt. There were a lot of cards stacked against me that day, and what happened was out of my control.

Enter SheJumps.
I first heard about this organization while I was skiing at Crystal Mountain and they were hosting an event called "Get The Girls Out". Their whole mission is about encouraging girls and women to get outside, and take advantage of all of the wonders that our natural world provides--definitely something I'm a fan of. As it turns out, once a year they do a fundraising climb to raise awareness about their mission, and money for their Wild Skills youth education programs which include first aid, navigation, leave no trace, and shelter building. How cool is that?!

SO I'M CLIMBING MT. RAINIER THIS JULY!

How is this an adventure? I know it doesn't fit with in the time constraints (adventures should be completed by May 3rd) and technically I've attempted the climb before (and adventures should be new experiences) so I'm counting the fundraising aspect as something new. I've never tried to raise this much money before, and I would LOVE to have my minimum goal ($3500) met by May 3rd. (I'd actually love to have that goal met much earlier, but I'm going to be forgiving with myself.)

How can you help? Donate of course! There are LOTS of ways to do this!

1.  Make a donation to my donation page: Don't want me to keep hassling you about money? Just make a donation! I promise, no donation is too small. Also, please consider sharing my story! Feel free to share this link, any of my many upcoming social media posts, or even this blog post with your friends and family. The more people that hear about it, the more potential donors I have!
2. Pledge to support me in my training: Pledge $1 per mile I run? Pledge $5 per training hike with a loaded pack? Pledge a dollar for every pound I carry up Mt. Si while training?  I'll keep all of my training and pledges made logged HERE so you'll know how much you owe...and how much work I'm doing to prepare! Want to make a pledge? Contact me and we'll work out something that fits your budget!
3. Purchase my expertise: A good friend reminded me last spring that I am an expert in the outdoors, and I shouldn't take that for granted. Given that the whole fundraiser is about helping women get out and explore the outdoors, I'd love to make that part of my experience, and this way, you get something out of donating too! Is there something you've never done before, but you'd love to try? Let me help! Chat with me, make an appropriately sized donation, and we'll find a time to make it happen! This is not a female exclusive offer, so let's go out and have some adventures!
   
   Ideas include going for a hike, going on a backpacking trip, car camping in a state or national park, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, plan your own Wonderland trip, gearing up with a "personal shopper" at REI, learn how to set up a tent, kayaking, outdoor meal planning/cooking, or learn how to build a fire (s'mores supplies included). Dream big! I'll supply as much gear as I can to help you get started (or provide you with a gear list), provide transportation or carpooling options if needed, and help you feel confident and comfortable in the outdoors!
4. Attend an event: As a performer and social butterfly, what better way for me to raise money! I'll be producing a comedy show called Stand Up for SheJumps on February 10th (save the date!). I'm also interested in hosting a few get-togethers (how about a Mountain House freeze-dried meal tasting or an outdoorsy movie night?) Stay tuned to my social media, or send me a message to be updated about upcoming events! 

Spite is a powerful form of motivation, but I don't want it to be the only thing pushing me up the hill. So, with each donation, each word of encouragement, and each new experience I get to share, know that you're helping to get me there too (weather permitting). I've known for a while now that I'm an externally motivated person, and right now I am fired up for this climb. I'm thrilled to already have so many people cheering me on, and I'm really looking forward to teaching people new skills to help them learn how to be safe and have fun in their own "backyards" too.

I've done a bit of "Facebook stalking" of the women I'll be climbing with, and at first I was intimidated-- so many of them do so many incredible things: skydiving, rock climbing, back country skiing, teaching yoga, flying planes. You could put together a collection of their profile pictures and have the winter catalog for REI. And then I remembered a tweet I saw recently:

So then I took a moment and scrolled through my own Facebook, and realized that I'm a pretty "intimidating" and incredible woman too. I backpack all the way around mountains, I raft class V rapids, I travel internationally, I snowshoe, I camp whenever I can, I teach high school students, I create, direct, and perform in improvised shows, and I have a pretty decent sized collection of Junior Ranger badges too.

And by July 14th, I'll add "I raise thousands of dollars for non-profits, and I climb fourteeners" to that list.

Get ready Columbia Crest. Here I come!

Adventure #17: Rattlesnake Ledge

As an avid hiker, I consider myself well versed in many trails around the Seattle area, but I had long avoided one of the most popular hikes in the area: Rattlesnake Ledge 


It has a reputation for being overcrowded with inexperienced hikers, and that doesn't exactly sound like it will provide the peaceful solace I crave when I go outdoors. I'm pretty outspoken, and I won't hesitate to chastise people for meadow trampling, littering, or even blasting their music on the trail, but it's usually easier if I just try to avoid the trails where that will happen. However, the end of October was nearing, and I wasn't sure if I'd have a hiking buddy that day, so I figured a trail that was guaranteed to have some other people on it would be a good plan. As it turns out, Adriana was free, and had also never done Rattlesnake Ledge, so we set off for a nice afternoon in the woods!

The hike is lovely and shaded most of the way. Moss covered trees and boulders line the trail which climbs steadily upward. While it's definitely a climb, and it certainly FEELS like a hike, it was not so steep as to be discouraging--and sometimes it's nice to feel like you're doing some work for the reward.

If you look closely, you can see the middle and lower viewpoints from here.

We definitely chose to hike at the right time of year. There were plenty of people on the trail, but there was still space in the parking lot, and everyone out there seemed to be experienced (no hikers in flip-flops, nobody struggling with heat exhaustion, hypothermia, or dehydration, no music blasting from bluetooth speakers) which always makes my trip much more enjoyable.

Hike happy!

What you can't see is that I'm desperately clutching my backpack so it' doesn't fall. I've learned a thing or two about sitting on the edge of a cliff this year...

Adriana and I were both feeling good, so we decided to push on to the upper ledge, rather than the lower one most people stop at. Boy was it worth it! About a half mile more of trail gave us a private viewpoint of our own! The lake at the bottom had dried up at the end of the season, but I'd love to see it full and I may have to re-visit this early in the spring (before everybody else decides it's "hiking season" again).

One of the best parts about a good hike? Good food afterwards. If you're headed out to the Issaquah Alps, be sure to stop at the North Bend Bar and Grill for some killer nachos!

The remnants of a pretzel and a mountain of nachos

My next "adventure" is going to be a big one, so stay tuned!
Hint: It's going to involve a lot of training on the "hill" featured in this picture :)

Adventure #16: Yurt Camping

October can be beautiful with its orange leaves and dramatic grey skies, but it can also be very soggy which sometimes makes it difficult to want to spend time outside. The remedy for this? YURTS!

Grayland Beach State Park is right on the coastline in southwest Washington, and has a plethora of yurt sites available for camping year round. A yurt is a semi-permanent structure with canvas walls that provides a lot more space (and shelter from the rain) than the average tent does. Our particular yurt also came with a set of bunk-beds, a futon, electric lights, and a VERY efficient heater. While I love spending time in my backpacking tent or my car camping tent, I was willing to spend a bit more money to rent a yurt this time around as insurance against a cold, soggy, October evening.

Yurt Bunks!

Our trip gave us the best of all beach trips--the sound of rain against the canvas roof to fall asleep to on Friday night, quaint shops (and wineries to explore) on Saturday, a sunset walk along the shoreline, and a clear Saturday evening for a campfire. The Westport Winery was a great place to enjoy a glass and play on their pitch and putt course. We found a personal succulent garden that was open to the public, and drove out to see the beautiful colors of a cranberry bog too!

This swing is definitely made for small friends.

Did you know that Washington State Parks offer a Junior Ranger program? I didn't either!

Definitely a great place to spend a weekend!