Sunday, April 20, 2014
Saturday, March 15, 2014
ONE MONTH TO GO!
Exactly ONE MONTH from today, on April 15th, HB and I will be starting our hike at Campo! Shit just got really real over here! We already have all our gear bought, plane tickets booked, most of the food purchased. We even already have a Trail Angel waiting for us in San Diego!
Now comes the hardest part.... waiting game.
I'm often a pretty impatient person who is also very excitable, and the combination of my emotions is making it hard to sleep these days. I'm too excited to start the hike already! It's a good thing we still have a lot of things to do and plan in the meantime.
Here's what still needs to be done before we leave:
- separate what probably is about 100 lb worth of bulk foods into 2-person meals with many many ZipLocks!
- realize that we still don't have enough food for 2 people hiking hard for 6 months and go buy more food
- then package that food too
- buy solar charger for my phone and camera battery
- agonize over camera gear
- scrutinize every decision I have made about the trip and then probably go buy more gear.... Jesus....
- go to Post Office and pick up flat rate boxes every size
- pack around 30 boxes with food, socks, extra layers, maps, baby wipes, and many many more random things
- I need to pack up all my belonging and move them out of my room so my friend can sublet it while I'm gone
- buy more ProBars! Seriously, you can NEVER have too many ProBars!
Oh, and last but not least:
- hang out with all of my friends a lot before I leave because I will miss their dear faces more than my comfortable bed or fresh meals. In fact, I already miss them and I haven't even left!!!
Now comes the hardest part.... waiting game.
I'm often a pretty impatient person who is also very excitable, and the combination of my emotions is making it hard to sleep these days. I'm too excited to start the hike already! It's a good thing we still have a lot of things to do and plan in the meantime.
Here's what still needs to be done before we leave:
- separate what probably is about 100 lb worth of bulk foods into 2-person meals with many many ZipLocks!
- realize that we still don't have enough food for 2 people hiking hard for 6 months and go buy more food
- then package that food too
- buy solar charger for my phone and camera battery
- agonize over camera gear
- scrutinize every decision I have made about the trip and then probably go buy more gear.... Jesus....
- go to Post Office and pick up flat rate boxes every size
- pack around 30 boxes with food, socks, extra layers, maps, baby wipes, and many many more random things
- I need to pack up all my belonging and move them out of my room so my friend can sublet it while I'm gone
- buy more ProBars! Seriously, you can NEVER have too many ProBars!
 |
| How are you so delicious ProBar???? Nom nom nom nom nom.... |
- hang out with all of my friends a lot before I leave because I will miss their dear faces more than my comfortable bed or fresh meals. In fact, I already miss them and I haven't even left!!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Countdown: One month before my last day at work!!!!
Getting really excited over here for my upcoming journey on the PCT. Exactly a month from today, which is April 11th, I will say goodbye to my job that I have had for almost four last years and embark on my big adventure!
I still have hard time believing it's actually happening!!!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Pacific Crest Trail!!!
Ok I got a BIG announcement to make! My friend Hilary and I are going to do the whole PCT starting next month!!! I'm so super stoked! I've been planning and scheming hard since last November and everything is finally coming together!
If you never heard of PCT... Well, I'll tell ya all about it! It's super long continuous trail that goes from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada for about 2,700 miles through California, Oregon, and Washington. It starts in the Mojave Desert and climbs over High Sierras all the way to North Cascades.
You can learn more about the PCT right here: www.pcta.org
Our trip starts on 04.14.14. We fly to San Diego that day and get picked up by a trail volunteer or a Trail Angel who'll host us for the night and then give us a ride to Campo where the trail starts. After planning all our miles and resupply stops and rest days I estimate we will be done around October 7 in North Cascades. Which means non-stop thru-hiking April 15 - October 7!!! Can't imagine a better way to spend 6 months!!!
Here's a tentative plan of action:
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| Hilary and I make the best team ever! |
You can learn more about the PCT right here: www.pcta.org
Our trip starts on 04.14.14. We fly to San Diego that day and get picked up by a trail volunteer or a Trail Angel who'll host us for the night and then give us a ride to Campo where the trail starts. After planning all our miles and resupply stops and rest days I estimate we will be done around October 7 in North Cascades. Which means non-stop thru-hiking April 15 - October 7!!! Can't imagine a better way to spend 6 months!!!
Here's a tentative plan of action:
Town/Stop point
|
Miles between towns
|
Special Gear |
Stay in town?
|
Mt Laguna
|
42.3
|
||
Warner Springs
|
67.3
|
||
Idyllwild
|
69.0
|
||
Big Bear City
|
95.5
|
ZERO DAYS
|
|
Wrightwood
|
89.5
|
||
Agua Dulce
|
90.8
|
||
Mojave
|
103.9
|
ZERO DAY
|
|
Kennedy Meadows
|
144.5
|
Microspikes, bear canister, gaiters, mosquito nets |
ZERO DAYS
|
Independence
|
121.4
|
My 28th B-day!
|
|
Mammoth Lakes
|
116.4
|
ZERO DAY
|
|
South Lake Tahoe
|
186.4
|
Mail microspikes and gaiters back home |
ZERO DAY
|
Sierra City
|
104.6
|
||
Belden
|
91.6
|
NERO
|
|
Burney Falls SP
|
134.4
|
||
Castella
|
82.9
|
||
Etna
|
99.8
|
ZERO DAY
|
|
Ashland, OR
|
120.3
|
ZERO! REI!
|
|
Crater Lake
|
103.8
|
ZERO DAY
|
|
Elk Lake Resort
|
127.9
|
My aunt’s b-day!
|
|
Timberline Lodge
|
149.0
|
||
Cascade Locks
|
47.8
|
Better raingear, Smartwool top, microspikes |
Portland ZEROS
|
White Pass
|
147.7
|
||
Snoqualmie Pass
|
99.0
|
||
Stevens Pass
|
74.5
|
||
Rainy Pass
|
117.5
|
Almost there!
|
|
Canadian border
|
25.0
|
WEEEEEE!
|
 |
| The Mountains are calling and I must go! |
Pow Chika-Wow-Wow!
This 2013/2014 Snow season has been a very slow and disappointing one. It has barely snowed the whole winter until February and I've been doing almost no snowboarding at all. Sad! But the last month has more than made up for the lost time on my board.
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| With my bestie HB! |
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| Stevens Pass had some amazing Bluebird days this season! |
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| Hilary learning to shred the pow! |
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| Hitting some gnar on Stevens backside |
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| Getting ready for some solo Backside action |
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| Perfect groomer day |
 |
| Hilary learning to carve with her new Flow bindings |
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| About to shred some serious deep gnar! |
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| HB shredding all over the place. I'm so proud of her amazing progress! |
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| Ready to ride before the lifts even open! |
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| This February has had really high tree well danger. Be smart out there! |
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| My legs can barely handle 3 days of snowboarding in a row. Too much of a good thing! |
 |
| My Lil' Subie is a mountain superstar! |
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| Favorite ski buddy Nathan the Walrus! Such fun days! |
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| Totally bad-ass season at Stevens! |
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Lake Ingalls
So I've been trying to up my mileage this winter and also my speed in my runs aaaaaand.... I got shin splints. AND my left ankle hurts. AND my right hamstrings are feeling mega-tight. So while I'm following RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) regimen this week on my bed I'll share my favorite photos from some of my favorite hikes.
One of the hikes that I do almost every year is Lake Ingalls. It's great any season, but I especially prefer it in the fall because of its famous larch displays. This hike is located in a picturesque Central Cascades area called Teanaways, which is about 2.5 hr drive from Seattle on I-90. The hike is only 8 mi roundtrip and is an easy grade.
You definitely will see wildlife on the trail be it marmots, mountain goats, or even airborne hikers!
But most people visit Lake Ingalls for its famous Larches in late September-early October. On a bluebird day there's nothing more breathtaking...
Can't wait to come back to this magical place next time!
 |
| Ice bags and REI down booties. It's a thing |
One of the hikes that I do almost every year is Lake Ingalls. It's great any season, but I especially prefer it in the fall because of its famous larch displays. This hike is located in a picturesque Central Cascades area called Teanaways, which is about 2.5 hr drive from Seattle on I-90. The hike is only 8 mi roundtrip and is an easy grade.
 |
| Mt Stuart |
You definitely will see wildlife on the trail be it marmots, mountain goats, or even airborne hikers!
 |
| Hoary marmot |
 | |
| Inquisitive mountain goat |
 |
| Yours, truly. AK |
 |
| My hiking buddy L |
 |
| My hiking buddy C-glow |
But most people visit Lake Ingalls for its famous Larches in late September-early October. On a bluebird day there's nothing more breathtaking...
 |
| Lake Ingalls |
Can't wait to come back to this magical place next time!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Cascade Pass - Sahale Arm
When someone asks me what is my top favorite day hike in Washington I always reply it is Cascade Pass - Sahale Arm. I NEVER get tired of this hike and it's great in any time July-October. I especially like bringing on this hike people who are new either to hiking or to Washington State or to the North Cascades; it never fails to wow the crowds!
The hike starts from the most picturesque parking lot surrounded by the majestic snow-clad peaks and climbs through a forest for about 3.5 miles. The trail's switchbacks are a very doable, gentle grade.
The views from Cascade Pass are breathtaking. Every. Time.
After the pass the trail climbs steeper through talus and alpine meadows to the top of the ridge.
The truly best views of the hike start on top of that ridge and just keep getting better the farther you go. The trail goes as far as the Glacier and climber's camp, but I've never made it that far because as I mentioned above I always go with new hikers.
More of my favorite pictures from "the top":
Can't wait to go there next summer!!! The Mountains are calling!
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| Evening at the pass |
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| Sunset and fog |
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| First views after 3 miles of the forest |
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| Cascade Pass after fresh snowfall |
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| Lunch bench at the pass at 5,392 ft |
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| My hiking buddy Olesya |
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| My hiking buddies Lauren and Mark |
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| Cascade Pas always has plenty of abundant wildlife |
 |
| Boston Peak |
 |
| My hiking buddy Sarra |
More of my favorite pictures from "the top":
 |
 |
| My hiking buddy Alex |
 |
| Pika! |
Can't wait to go there next summer!!! The Mountains are calling!
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