Category Hiking
Three Peaks Challenge: Mount Snowdon
We drove through the night from the Lake District in northwestern England to Snowdownia in northern Wales. We were sweaty and sore from the two previous hikes, and I dearly wished to sleep. Alas, it was at best a night of fitful dozing. At 4am we arrived at the base of Mount Snowdon, the last […]
Three Peaks Challenge: Scafell Pike
After a many our drive from Scotland to the Lake District, we reached the base of Scafell Pike, the tallest peak in England, around 6:30pm. We climbed up in the golden light of a lowering sun and made it back down by around 10:30pm as it was finally getting dark. The top was initially shrouded […]
Three Peaks Challenge: Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the tallest peak in Scotland, and all of the UK for that matter. We tackled it first. Left the lodge in Fort William at 5:00am and got to the trailhead about 20 minutes later. We paused long enough for a group photo . . . . . . and then took off […]
Three Peaks Challenge
I’m on the train to Scotland! The farther north we go, the wetter and greyer it becomes. Green hills dotted with sheep and sat upon by thick low clouds. It’s a refreshing change from sweltering London. This morning started early. I bid fond farewell to Amanda, whose month-long stay has ended; she’s en route to […]
Walking at Bray’s Head
One of my colleagues had recommended visiting Bray, a village on the coast a few miles south of Dublin, and walking up to the cliffs at nearby Bray’s Head. Thanks to the beautifully long days here in Ireland, I was able to make it there in time to watch the sun set. It was gorgeous. […]
We climbed a hill!
The ancient city of Edinburgh nestles among the rocky crags of extinct volcanoes. The castle sits atop one of them. The other most prominent crag is known as Arthur’s Seat and it rises above the city some 800+ feet. Its name colorfully evokes Arthurian legend but the origin is actually unknown. It could also be […]
Labor Day!
Labor Day was forecast to be excellent weather, so Justin and I decided to take advantage of it and go for a hike. We picked Little Si, a 4.7 mile hike not too far from downtown Seattle. The trail wasn’t difficult. Most of it passed through lush green forest. The epitome of the Cascades. We […]
The Hike: Backpacking the White Pass – Pilot Ridge Loop
Two weekends ago I took a day off work and went backpacking in the Northern Cascades with two of my best friends from law school. Amy flew in from DC, and Kristin flew up from El Paso. We spent Friday night running last-minute errands to REI and the grocery store, and then left first thing. […]
Memorial Day Weekend at Whistler
Memorial Day weekend! I’ve always thought of this weekend as the first weekend of summer, when the days are warm and long, and you have an extra day to get out and enjoy the weather before it gets hot. Memorial Day is not quite so summery here in the Pacific Northwest (that won’t really come until July), but with […]
The Hike: Autumn color in the Enchantment Lakes
The last time I went on an overnight backpacking trip was, gosh, probably sometime during the year or so after I got my Eagle Scout award. So, early high school, roughly 20 years ago. Since then I’ve hiked, and I’ve camped, but both together? Not until this last weekend. On Wednesday my friend Colin asked […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 