The first snows to hit the higher elevations open a unique window. You can get into some really special places without having to worry about avalanche dangers, roads being closed or hiking in snow the entire way to your destination.
Me, Trish, and two close friends decided to take advantage of this window and headed straight to the hills for a 3-day backpacking trip.
Arriving at the trailhead I was a bit surprised to see that there were no other vehicles present. Normally 50-100 cars pack the lot on any given day during the summer.
Maybe it was because of the torrential rain pouring overhead, or was it the fact that it was the day after Thanksgiving?
Not sure but an empty trailhead always excites me!
We hit the trail with umbrellas overhead. The heavy rain transitioned into the snow and the incredibly green rainforest became even more vibrant against the contrasting white.
So pretty.
I’ve spent a lot of time hiking through the river valleys of this region but this was my first time doing so in such conditions. Amazing.
The small streams of water that were rushing down the trail transformed into a slushy slough and then finally solid snow was underfoot.
Fast forward a few hours and 37 switchbacks later and we arrived at our destination.
About 2 feet of fresh snow blanketed the ridge we were on. We set up camp in the last moments of light as our toes warmed up in our down booties.
We were completely socked in but the forecast was calling for clear skies the following day.
I knew what views we were in for and could barely sleep anticipating the visuals. Waking up and getting out of the tent a wee bit before sunrise, I was greeted with a full moon setting in a bright pink sky to the West.
To the North, my eyes caught an expansive view of a winding snow-covered valley that stretched all the way to salt water.
I get overly excited about these situations sometimes. I started making a commotion and got everyone out of there tents.
Good friends don’t let friends miss out on the sunrise! Especially a stunner!
Hiking always brings me to such a meditative state. The snow takes it to another level though.
So quiet. So peaceful.
We spent the rest of the day hiking up and down the surrounding ridges snapping lots of photos. Another good nights sleep and a nice hike out made for one of my favorite trips of the year.
Did I mention my friend Barefoot Jake wore sandals the entire trip!? Well, I guess you don’t get a name like that for no reason. Respect!
Photos in this blog are snaps from my outdated iPhone. Stay tuned for images I captured on the big camera once I get them processed.
Can’t promise they are any better, but there’s always hope. If you made it this far thanks so much for reading. You’re awesome! Feel free to share:) Back Home!
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