ONP: Mount Ellinor

If you are big on nature, or just enjoy a slight on top of the world feeling then this hike is definitely for you. The views from the peek are just fantastic and unbelievable. With the clouds scattered around us and the wind throwing them around the scenery was ever changing.

We did this hike back in September on Labour day. I do have to admit the hike up wasn’t the easiest i have been on, with 4.5 round trip and a total elevation gain of 2100 ft the climb is quite steep. Usually on these trails the beginning feels easily and it gradually gets harder, but this one as soon as we started the trail looked like a staircase the climbed through the woods. The switchbacks get shorter and more and more steep until about half way Read more

Hyas Lake

Here are some photos of our backpacking trip to Hyas lake back in August.

Grove of the Patriarchs, Mount Rainier National Park

Suspended bridge, crystal clear waters, crisp air and 1000 some odd year old trees are the highlights of this very short hike. The trail is mostly flat and about 1.5 miles round trip, but it has so much to offer. We go there that day late and we were losing light so we didn’t get a chance to go through the whole loop, but what we saw was already amazing. We are planning on going back to the trail very soon.

For more details on the trail and directions check out the National Park Services website.

Elandan Gardens: An education on bonsai trees

Back in September, few of our friends sent us on a treasure hunt in the north-west Washington. The first destination on our trip was the Elandan Gardens. From outside the gardens seemed to us to be maybe an ordinary bontical garden. But the gardens and the experiences were anything but ordinary. The owner Dan Robinson gave us a low down on what bonsai is and where the art of growing these small magnificent trees comes from. After our quick introduction we were on our way to visit the garden. Their cat Diva, volunteered to be our tour guide for the day and followed us step by step as we examined each and every one of the trees in the garden.

The trees that Dan has gathered in this garden range from 70 to 1500 years old and are some of the most amazing pieces of nature I have Read more