Category: 52 Hike Challenge

  • Beckler Peak [Hike 24/52]

    Beckler Peak [Hike 24/52]

    Distance: 7.6 miles, roundtrip Gain: 2240 ft. Pass: None Hiked 6.24.18 I think my tagline should be “will hike for views” because the only reason I picked this hike was for the 360 degree views of the Cascades from the top. I mean, look at this view! So. Many. Mountains.  We got a late start from […]

  • Talapus and Olallie Lakes [Hike 23/52]

    Talapus and Olallie Lakes [Hike 23/52]

    Distance: 6.2 miles, roundtrip* Gain: 1220 feet Pass: Northwest Forest Pass Hiked: 6.17.18 *We only hiked to Talapus Lake, but you can continue to do the full hike to Olallie Lake This was a family friendly, easy weekend hike up in North Bend. We wanted something nearby, and Koda wanted to go swimming with the […]

  • Thunder Knob & Diablo Lake Overlook [Hike 22/52]

    Thunder Knob & Diablo Lake Overlook [Hike 22/52]

    Distance: 3.6 miles Elevation Gain: 600 feet Pass: None Hiked: 6.10.18 I’m sure you’ve seen photos on Pinterest of Diablo Lake. I knew that when Erica told me she was visiting, it was something we needed make a trip to go see. Diablo Lake is absolutely stunning. This was also my first time in North […]

  • May Valley Loop [Hike 21/52]

    May Valley Loop [Hike 21/52]

    Distance: 6 miles, roundtrip* Elevation: Unknown Pass: Discover Pass Hiked: 6.3.18 *Due to the encounter, we only did 2-3 miles of this trail. We weren’t in the mood for a challenging hike, but we wanted to get out into nature, so we chose this hike nearby in the Issaquah Alps. It was Sunday morning, and […]

  • Visiting the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, UNESCO World Heritage Site

    Visiting the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, UNESCO World Heritage Site

    After a quick trip to Germany, we left our hotel in Zurich to drive to Lake Geneva, the French part of Switzerland. We landed in Lausanne, Switzerland to check with the tourist information office for some maps of the UNESCO site nearby. 
What is UNESCO? UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization. […]

  • Barclay Lake [Hike 15/52]

    Barclay Lake [Hike 15/52]

    Distance: 4.4 miles, roundtrip Gain: 500 feet Pass: Northwest Forest Pass Hiked: 5.5.18 We wanted an easy, pleasant hike to do before getting ready to head to Switzerland, and we found this one! It won the rare award of Brighton’s approval. He couldn’t stop saying how “pleasant” the hike was because of the terrain, nice […]

  • Rattlesnake Ledge [Hike 14/52]

    Rattlesnake Ledge [Hike 14/52]

    Distance: 4 miles, roundtrip Gain: 1160 feet Pass: None Hiked: 4.29.18 This is a popular hike that we first visited in December 2017, but it’s a great, nearby hike with big payoff! The one (big) downside is that it’s usually very crowded. Even on the gloomy, drizzly day we hiked, there were still a lot […]

  • Coal Creek Falls [Hike 13/52]

    Coal Creek Falls [Hike 13/52]

    Distance: 2.5 miles, roundtrip Gain: 416 ft. Pass: None Hiked: 4.17.18 This was a quick after-work hike that we did on a Tuesday. The weather was decent (overcast) so we visited the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildlife Park, a new destination for us. When we got there, there was plenty of parking but I have to say […]

  • Wallace Falls State Park [Hike 12/52]

    Wallace Falls State Park [Hike 12/52]

    Distance: 5.6 miles, roundtrip Gain: 1300 ft. Pass: Discover Pass Hiked: 4.15.18 After struggling to think of an appropriate hike for a potentially rainy day, I decided on Wallace Falls State Park for a multiple-waterfall treat! I have to say that the real treat is the Middle Falls. We did see all three Lower/Middle/Upper falls, but […]

  • Heybrook Ridge [Hike 11/52]

    Heybrook Ridge [Hike 11/52]

    Distance: 3.3 miles, roundtrip Gain: 760 feet Pass: None Hiked: 4.7.18 There was supposed to be a break in the rain, which we were hoping to catch but we only caught the tail-end of the break. Nevertheless, it was a fun hike splashing around in the puddles with Koda as we raced up the trail […]