Perry Creek Trail NO. 711

May 31st, 2019- 7.3 mile hike

Back in May, Alex and I decided to do a day trip down to Granite Falls/ Snohomish County area to complete the Perry Creek trail. We started around 8:30 am and finished close to noon. This hike was a lot of fun and a lot of work. It might be one of my favorite hikes we have done so far. We gained about 2,500 ft in elevation and this was something Alex and I could both feel in our legs.

The journey on the way up was a lot of fun. For about the first mile and a half you are hiking through a forested area that is fairly flat. We even ran into a couple of huge frogs!

I apologize for the blurriness of this photos, but that frog was moving fast!

Once you get out of this and walk the part of the gravel trail, you are walking along a narrow ridge that warps around the mountain side. I had not done a hike like this before and it was really beautiful to see the other mountains close by. A lot of them still had snow on the tops, while others had gushing waterfalls flowing down their sides.

We weren’t too sure what to expect on the way up. We were concerned about running into snow, but ended up not seeing any. We did have to cut the trail a mile and a half or so short, as one of the creeks was too deep to cross. On our journey to the top, we had to cross through 3 different creeks. The first two were fairly calm and shallow, but the last one was a little more difficult to cross. It was manageable and both Alex and I ended up getting water up to our calves. This was kind of refreshing, but a pain to have to keep walking with shoes soaked/ filled with water.

The creek that was too deep to cross to continue to the top

Because we had to cut the hike short, we weren’t able to make it to the top of the mountain. We instead had to stop at the Perry Creek outlook. This spot was beautiful and a great place to stop and eat lunch. The rushing water helped keep up cool while we ate.

*End of Perry Creek Trail/ Perfect lunch spot!*

Even though the hike got cut short due to the aggressive creek, this hike felt so rewarding. My legs were tired and I was ready for a shower, but being able to look at all the beautiful surrounding mountains and walking through creeks made this hike a lot of fun. I heard the best time to do this hike is in the fall when the leaves are red and brown. I would love to do this hike next fall if I have the time, just to see the differences in the scenery! It is one hike that will remain on my to do list for fall.

Chanterelle Hike

May 26th, 2019 – 4.8 miles round trip

Sorry it has taken me so long to write about this hike. I have been supper busy with classes and everyday life. Now that I have a week off in between spring and summer quarter my goal is to get my blog up to date and continue to add to it when I have the time. Alright, with that being said here is a little background and my thoughts about the Chanterelle hike!

This hike was fairly easy and short in distance. It is about 20 minutes outside of Bellingham by Lake Whatcom. It took us about and hour and a half to get to the top and about an hour to get down. There was a lot of uphill, but nothing too crazy. I didn’t get many pictures on this hike, as it was foggy at the top and you couldn’t see too much. On the way up, we kept hitting patches of fog. It felt eerie and kind of spooky. It was cool to see how the fog hung between the trees.

I want to come back and do this hike again when it is clear. It was a fast hike, but I wish we would have been able to overlook Lake Whatcom, the San Juan Islands, and the Puget Sound. I am hoping maybe later this summer we will be able to get out and do this one again!

Here is Alex and I before starting out the hike

Overall, we enjoyed this hike. It was little shorter and easier than we were hoping for, but it still felt good to get out and enjoy the fresh air for a bit. I am excited to see what other hikes we will find this summer.

Gold Mine Trail

April 27th, 2019: Alex and I decided to venture out to Sumas Mountain and hike the 3.5 Gold Mine Trail. Along this hike we encountered an old gold mine safe door, a mine cart, some debris, and a cabin a top a grassy field.

This hike is filled with history, click here to check it out. Some of the history I will hit on throughout this post, but on the site above you will find much more!

Here is how the hike starts: a muddy trail right along someones property line who has a few cows grazing off in the distance. This is by far the most odd looking trail head I have seen. This part of the trail only lasts for about 10 minutes or so until you get into the forest and are on a more “legit” looking trail.

There were a few different trials you could take. The one on the left took you to the cabin and the one on the right took you to the old gold mine. We chose to go right. Below are a few photos I took of the old site:

This spot was really cool and only took about an hour to hike to. There wasn’t much to see, but the parts that we did find were interesting to look at. There was also a river that was close by, adding to the ambiance of these sites.

As you can see from the photos above, there are little pellets of hail all over the ground. It must have hailed not too long before we started our hike. Thankfully we missed this part! Below is close-up photo of the hail. It was beautiful how these pellets lined the trails and fell into the cracks of different things laying on the trail (like the photo below).

Since getting to the gold mine area didn’t take as long as we thought it would, we decided to go back and take the left trial towards the cabin. This trial added about another 30 minutes to our hike but was totally worth it.

This part of the hike was fairly steeper than the other part. It was so rewarding coming up from the steep trail and opening up to this flat, green area with a little cabin, fire pit, and outhouse.

At first, Alex and I were debating whether or not to take this trail up to the cabin, as it seemed a little too out of the way. I am so glad we decided to though. This cabin has a stove inside and areas to sleep if needed. It was well worth taking the extra time out of the hike to sit up here and explore the area around the cabin. It was so sunny and so green! This is by far one of my favorite reasons to hike in the PNW: there is green all around you.

Found outside the Cabin, I loved how vibrant they looked in the sun!

Overall, Alex and I really enjoyed this hike. It seemed short but it was a good way to start off our hiking for the season. I am hoping to get a few more hikes in this May! Stay tuned to hear about the other places Alex and I decide to adventure to!

More Snowy Photos

Below are some more photos I took when Alex and I ventured out into the snow on our extra days off.

Two weeks ago, we got 3 extra days off from classes due to snow. Of course this means we got extra time to go play in the snow… Alex and I did just that! We walked up to campus and ended up have a huge snowball fight in an empty field. We also were able to get out and walk some the trails near my apartment.

Here are some of the compiled photos from our extra three day vacation:

Snow Day in Bellingham

It was the best feeling waking up and seeing that 7:30am text that classes were cancelled for the day! Below are a few photos from my adventure out and about around Bellingham.

This was taken at Lake Padden (the second stop on our outing).

What a better way to spend your impromptu day off from classes than going to some of my favorite spots, playing in the snow, and avoiding having to study for my marketing midterm tomorrow.

The first place we went was Boulevard Park, I’ve posted some photos on here before of Boulevard and wanted to this time around also. I didn’t take too many pictures as it was freezing from the wind off the water, but here is one of my favorites from our fist stop.

Who says you’re too old to play on the playground?

The second place we ended up going was Lake Padden. Hands down, this is one of my favorite spots in Bellingham. Not only to run, but also a place to go and get away from all the busy and crazy nonsense that is college. When we arrived there was no one there. It was amazing how quiet and peaceful it was.

I think this photo was by far my most favorite one I took while at Lake Padden. I love the rolling hills of evergreen trees in the back, and the geese off to the right. It’s amazing how much you can capture in one photo.

It was so beautiful with the white snow covering the ground and trees. I couldn’t believe how peaceful it felt.

What I love most about these photos is the color scheme they all possess. They all have a gray ambiance and a light contrast to them. It makes them seem so much more intimate. This type of feeling is something that is hard to capture, but when I look at these photos there is something that draws me to them. Here are a few more photos below I thought were worth sharing:

I’m hoping for a bit more snow this coming week and more time to go out and capture the beauty that surrounds us in our everyday lives.

Sunrises and Cold Mornings

Here are some photos I took of my morning walks up to campus last week. These photos are the reminder of why I get up for my 8am classes five times a week…

I’m a week late on posting these photos, but I didn’t want to go too much longer without sharing them! The sunrises lately have been so pretty and I’ve been early to my classes, allowing me to take the extra time to capture some of these beautiful mornings.

This photo, by far, is one of my favorites I’ve taken. I love all the vibrant colors and the way the library lights up like this in morning.

It’s interesting how a walk I take everyday to and from campus seems to change day to day. I feel like I’m starting to notice the little things I would have never thought twice about.

Below is a quote I came across and thought it was fitting for the photos above…

“Don’t use the future to escape the present”

This, to me, encapsulates my daily routine and walk to classes. It is so easy to get caught up in the ideas of future plans and what I want to do with my life after college. It is easy to get swept up in the future and not focus on the here and now. It seems like college is so forward looking, making it easy to get caught up in plans big ideas for the near future. It’s important to take time and be thankful for the here and now. We need to look up from our phones, unplug our headphones and just enjoy the world around us.

Birch Bay

On January 20, 2019 my boyfriend and I decided to take a mini road trip up to Birch Bay, WA. Below are some photos I took while there, along with a little memo on our excursion.

Birch Bay is about 30 minutes northwest of Bellingham. After studying all afternoon with a friend from my marketing class, I had Alex pick me up from the library. Instead of heading straight back to the apartment, we decided to get on the freeway and head towards Birch Bay.

When we got there, there was a little public beach to walk on. It was fairly small, as it was gated off on both sides by private beach access, but still beautiful! It was really cold while we were there. I was able to snap a few pictures while standing outside before running back to the car to thaw out.

I apologize for the quality of the photos, as they are not my best work… I hope to start getting back to photography in my free time. It seems like I don’t have much free time to keep up with this part of my blog with trying to manage my classes and workout sessions. As the weather starts to get nicer I hope to start exploring places in and around Bellingham more as well as posting more of my adventures on here. For now, Birch Bay will suffice!

Overall, this little outing was a lot of fun. It was able to get out of Bellingham for a couple hours and not having to travel very far to do it. As the weather starts getting warmer in the spring, I really want to try and take a trip out to Mt. Baker and the Tulip Festival in Mt. Vernon.

One last note about this trip: all the public bathrooms on the beaches and in the state park are closed during the winter… so make sure you take care of this somewhere outside of Birch Bay. Also, none of the shops were open because it was a Sunday. I would take this into consideration if planning on going here anytime soon!!

The Amazon Spheres

Killing some time before going to the Lion King performance at the Paramount in Downtown Seattle.

Over break I got the chance to go into the Amazon Spheres in Downtown Seattle. In order to get into the main part of the domes you need to be with an amazon employee and that’s where my boyfriends family comes in! His older brother and wife both work there and were able to get us in to see the many wonders of the Spheres.

When first entering, we were hit with the hot, humid air that fills up the spheres to keep all the plants alive in an environment like the ones they came from. It was amazing to see the walls of this place covered with greenery and full of life. These Spheres were the perfect mix of nature as well as a coffee shop kind of feel with all the many places to sit and eat. There was a coffee stand and a place to get donuts, along with other places to eat (these weren’t open so I’m not quite sure what was in them). The donuts though were AMAZING! Definitely some of the best donuts I’ve ever had. They were fluffy and filled with a vanilla cream, but they weren’t too sweet which made me hungry for more. I really wish I would have gotten a photo of them before devouring it.

After donuts, we meandered our way through the four levels of the spheres seeing countless flowers, trees, and places to sit and talk with friends. Check out some of the photos below of the different plants I thought were interesting as well as the ambiance this place embodied…

A coffee shop kind of feel within the Spheres…

The Amazon Spheres were a really fun way to cut down on the time we had before getting to the Lion King performance. It was pretty humid and sticky, but all the flora was really interesting to see. The layout and decorations of the Spheres were beautifully thought out and all the common space made the entire Sphere feel welcoming.

Pine and Cedar Lakes Hike

One of the last hikes my boyfriend and I did over the summer up in Bellingham, WA.

To wrap up our summer adventures, my boyfriend and I did one last hike up in the Chuckanuts near Bellingham. I didn’t take many photos while on this hike because of the difficulty and steepness we encountered for the first couple miles. This hike round trip was about 5 miles and was a pain to climb. The elevation gain was insane for the first mile or two into the hike. About half a mile in, my legs were burning and I was ready for a water break. There weren’t too many people on the trails which was nice and there were many different viewpoints to this trail you could take.

So, instead of going to the lakes, we took a little off shoot and got a pretty cool view of Mt. Baker and a great place for lunch. This spot was in the sun and all you could see were trees for miles! Another example of why I love hiking in the PNW.

Here was our lunch spot: trees for miles and a view of Mt. Baker

Overall, this hike was a lot of fun. It was pretty steep and a lot of work, but the view was totally worth it. I definitely got my leg workout in for that day. If you’re ever in the Bellingham area, I would recommend taking a drive through the Chuckanuts or stopping for a hike if you have time! Oyster Dome is another popular hike up here and I hope to do that one in the spring when the weather gets a little nicer and it’s a bit warmer out!

Hawaii for the First Time

Join me on my adventure (and many photos) as I embark on Honolulu for the first time!

Over this summer at the end of August and into early September, my family and boyfriend all flew to Honolulu for the first time EVER! We spent 10 days at a house we rented on the North Shore. When we first stepped foot outside of the airport in Honolulu, I couldn’t believe how humid it was. It took me a couple days to adjust, but after that I barely noticed it. Driving from the airport to North Shore took about 45 minutes. The house we stayed at was beautiful! There was so much greenery and the view of the ocean from the lanai was amazing.

The view of the ocean from the lanai at the house we stayed at.

We spent most of our time exploring the island and shopping (of course). One of our favorite spots was a city called Haleiwa, just about 10-15 minutes from where we were staying. Here we went to Laniakea Beach to watch the sea turtles, we went shopping, and tried many of the food trucks around the island. Most of our days were spent driving to different beaches and swimming in the ocean. I had never been in water so warm or so blue, it was amazing to me how clear the water was!

The beaches here were so beautiful. The sand was soft and the water warm.. what else could you ask for?

Another thing that really surprised me about Hawaii was all the little geckos everywhere, both inside the house and out. There were also a lot of chickens running around. Here are a few photos I captured of the geckos. These were really hard to take, they move really fast and taking photos of them on an Iphone was a challenge! But being on “vacation time” I had all the time in the world to try and capture how cute these guys looked:

As you know, I love taking photos of flowers. The North Shore didn’t disappoint with all the beautiful flora and fauna. It was really cool to see the difference in plants and animals when comparing my home in the Pacific Northwest to a tropical island like Oahu. Check out some of the flowers below:

These other photos are of different places we went including the Waimea Valley (where some of the photos of flowers above were taken). The Waimea Valley is known to be sacred to the Hawaiians. Here you will beautiful botanical gardens, a waterfall, and a place that holds a luau in the evenings. We also went to La’ie Point. This was probably one of my favorite places we visited while on the island. You can walk around these cliffs that over look the water and see the huge waves crashing below you. As you look out in the distance you can see a rock with a huge hole in it that was cause from a tsunami hitting it.

Going to Oahu this summer was something I will remember forever. It was so beautiful, the beaches were so warm and inviting, the people there were very helpful, and the food was amazing. I hope to explore the other islands in the future and make my way back to Oahu someday. But for now, I have all the photos to reminisce about all the places we went and long for the warm sun on my skin, sand in my hair, and spending time with the people I love the most.