Memoirs of a Pilgrim

Hiking, Backpacking, & Traveling around the Pacific Northwest & Beyond

Follow along on my adventures where I often solo-hike with my two pups around Washington state.

Follow On:

Recent Posts

Hike

Spring Wildflower Hike during Sunset at Coyote Wall Trail along the Columbia River Gorge

2021 April 15th

The gloomy, gray skies cleared and brought fields of blooming wildflowers. The trail loops around and climbs up exposed fields, yielding views of the Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood.

Hike

Snowy hike up the to Summit of Hex Mountain

2021 March 11th

On a perfect late-winter day, I saw a day with perfect visibility to tackle Hex Mountain. The top has 360 views of the North Cascades and of Cle Elum Lake. I hiked back down during golden hour and sunset.

Road Trip

My Golden Birthday Celebrations at the Dome Home in Joshua Tree, California

2021 January 31st

To celebrate my birthday, some friends and I booked this incredible Airbnb out in Joshua Tree, California. The sun, the hikes, and the great company were just what I needed for the most perfect socially-distant/quarantine vacation.

Hike

Incredible Sunset Snowshoe to Artist Point

2021 January 14th

My first snowshoe of the season was the most stunning experience I could have asked for. I've been patiently waiting for the conditions to be just right to do this trail as a snowshoe, and it paid off! The sun was shining, the snow was easy to climb up, and the sunset was the most gorgeous sight I've seen in a while.

Hike

Easy winter hike at Baker Lake

2021 January 7th

Baker Lake is my go-to for an easy, (mostly) snow-free hike in winter. Year-round it remains lush with ferns and large trees that are covered in moss and lichen. This trail also has a couple of campgrounds that are great to backpack to and enjoy some time at the lake.

Hike

Bridal Veil Falls & Lake Serene

2020 December 16th

Bridal Veil Falls is a go-to winter hike of mine when conditions aren't appropriate for higher elevation. My third visit to the falls made for a perfect opportunity to extend the hike up to Lake Serene, which had the most stunning, snowy-mountain sights.

Hike

Snowy Climb up to Annette Lake

2020 November 28th

I finally decided to embrace the fresh snowfall and hiked up to this gorgeous alpine lake. The trail was busy, but had a solid trail packed in which made for an easy journey up. Back down was more challenging.

Hike

Sunset Hike to High Rock Lookout

2020 November 2nd

A final hurrah to snow-free fall hikes, I climbed the steep 1.5 miles up to High Rock lookout to watch the sunset over Rainier and surrounding mountains.

Hike

Sunset at Black Butte Lookout

2020 October 29th

The final hike of my Oregon road trip! It was a quick but steep two miles to the summit, where I made it just in time to see the sun set behind the mountains. As the colors of the sunset shifted to night, I explored the large summit with two fire lookouts and 360 views!

Hike

Broken Top

2020 October 29th

This was the most unexpected and most amazing trail. The drive was rough and exciting, the trail started easy with amazing views and as it climbed up there was a gorgeous, jade-colored alpine lake. The final stretch went up to a ridgeline with views of so many surrounding mountains.

Backpacking

McNeil Point

2020 October 27th

I started a 3-night roadtrip to Oregon with an overnight, backpacking trip on Mt Hood! This trail had so many incredible views throughout and kept getting more and more gorgeous the higher I went.

Backpacking

Pete Lake

2020 October 20th

This is a great choose-your-own-adventure trail, where you can hike an easy 4 miles in and set up camp on the lake. Once there, you can hangout, have a campfire, fish and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains over the lake. You can also take advantage of the network of trails that branch off from this one.

Backpacking

Camping in Snow at Summit Lake

2020 October 15th

This lake typically draws large crowds, but going on a chilly fall weekday gave me the entire lake to myself as I slept through a fresh snowfall and woke up to a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier from my tent.

Hike

Larch Madness on Maple Pass Loop

2020 October 7th

I typically avoid crowded hikes, but Maple Pass Loop during "larch season" is an exception. The 7.5 miles of this trail go quickly as dramatic views grace majority of this trail. Top it with an array of foliage transitioned into fall colors and you have yourself one of the dreamiest hikes in existence.

Backpacking

Seeing the Sunset, Stars and Sunrise at Lookout Mountain Fire Lookout

2020 September 30th

Nothing beats a tough hike better than getting to crash in a real bed, surrounded by unbelievable views. Getting to camp overnight in a lookout is an incredible experience and it's even better with complete solitude and an incredible sunset and sunrise.

Hike

Hiking the Chain Lakes Loop on the First Day of Fall

2020 September 22nd

A perfect way to send off summer and to ring in Fall. The last of the wildflowers were surrounded by a buffet of huckleberries, and there was a crisp autumn breeze with colors just starting to change. This loop offers views of mountains, several alpine lakes, and ever chaning scenery within a doable 7 miles.