Category: pnw

Goals, hiking, pnw, travel

Lake 22 Trail

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

View at the summit of Lake 22

Lake 22 was one of the most beautiful hikes we did in 2024 . The pics don’t even begin to do it justice or show just how huge the rocks are…Amazing!

Stairs
This log was huge!

This trail was not at all what I expected. With the elevation being under 2000 gained I was thinking easy but it was not. It was a great workout and the views were stunning! It was rocky which I wasn’t expecting and had some bouldering .
Definitely one of my top favs!

Huge boulders
Look at how little these hikers look on one of the many rocks
Lake 22
Huge boulders
Other less traveled side of Lake 22
Best view!

The stats for this trail are ⬇️

📍 Lake 22 Trail

🧭 Granite Falls, Wa

🥾 5.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8.38)

🏔️ 1446 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1526ft)

⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

Trail to walk around Lake 22

View on the opposite side of Lake 22

Check out our reel below ⬇️

coffee, pnw, Review, travel

Unique Starbucks in Bavarian Town of Leavenworth ~ Review

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One of our favorite @starbucks is in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth . The decor is a modern ski lodge vibe which we absolutely loved!

Looking out the window you can easily access Aasgard without the grueling workout or magic portal 😉


If you’re wanting a fun weekend adventure , Leavenworth is a great place to explore. Hike, shop , eat , and enjoy feeling like you traveled to a different country. Grab your favorite book and grab coffee as you soak it all in at this unique Starbucks.

Hotel, pnw, Review

Salish Lodge & Spa ~ Review

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Salish lodge is one of our new favs! Oohh this hotel made us feel like VIPs !We can’t wait to return.


The rooms are beautiful,spacious, clean and offered a beautiful view over the falls. We loved the decor and the coziness of the room. My favorite moments were having coffee snuggled up in the fur blanket on the couch in the mornings.


A few special perks that come with your stay :
Complimentary welcome seasonal drink at checkin before 6
six different types of pillows to chose from to improve your rest and relaxation.
Terrycloth robes
Daily newspaper
Morning coffee and afternoon tea in the lobby
Trail mix station to fuel up with snacks
Copper kettle and pour-over coffee service in room


We also added the Club 268 package which included several upgrades including the Spa.The spa services were exceptional ! We enjoyed the pools and the sauna. Fresh lemon water was available and the relaxation room was the perfect ending. The eucalyptus shower spray is one of our new favs from the spa so we had to pick up a bottle of it to bring home.
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The food at the Lodge is impressive. We loved how they knew it was our Anniversary and set up the table with rose petals. Such an amazing surprise! Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious.
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After dinner we hiked down to the falls and it was wonderful. The views are breathtaking! You can do the short hike to the overlook or go to the lower falls which is a little bit of a climb to get back up but it’s super short and worth it.
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There are so many more hikes in this area if you’re feeling adventurous. We did Poo Poo Point on the day of checkout and were able to see the paragliders which was a cool experience. Some other hikes in the area are :
Mailbox Peak
Mt.Si
Little Si
Twin Falls
Rattlesnake Ridge
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If you’re looking for a peaceful escape with incredible views ,lots of nearby trails to hike and amazing food, Salish Lodge & Spa is the perfect place for your next getaway.

family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

White Pass Winter Castle Fun ❄️

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Winter Castle at White Pass

A few weeks ago we were able to attend the Bantam Cup event @whitepass. It was such a fun day and we loved all the excitement on the slopes. We saw so many that were dressed up as chickens and all sorts of characters that it added to the fun of the day.

Winter Castle podium
White pass Snow Castle
Bantam Cup


One of our favorites was the life size Winter Castle from the Winter Carnival weekend . The Castle crew, artists and sculptors all did an amazing job on the art and sculptures creating a circus theme. It also made the perfect back drop to the awards podium plus it was fun for the littles to explore.

Snow Castle
Tigger and Eeyore on the slopes


Have you ever seen a life size Snow castle? Check out our reel below of the castle ⬇️

And check out our other post of White Pass ⬇️

Bringing in the New Year on the Slopes
family adventures, pnw, Review, travel

Frankie Feetsplinters ~ Thomas Dambo Northwest Troll

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

“Frankie don’t like slimy fish, cause fishes are all so dumb
And Frankie don’t like little humans, humans are so dumb
Frankie don’t even like trolls, cause trolls are also dumb
But Frankie’s mouth’s the only one that says the word of dumb”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

  • Thomas Dambo


Frankie Feetsplinters,one of the Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls, lives at the National Nordic Museum in Ballard.He is one of the six trolls that the Danish artist has made from recycled materials and has installed around the Northwest . Frankie is the youngest and most irresponsible of all the Trolls in Way of the Bird King.You see him stepping on a wood bench which is part of the art.
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He is also one of the few Trolls which has come out of the forest to an urban environment.Look for the birdhouses . They are a clue that you are in the right area .
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Pro tip- plan to go on the first Thursday …Admission to the Nordic Museum is free ⭐️

Goals, hiking, pnw, travel

Hurricane Ridge Snowshoe

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

We were able to finally make it to Hurricane Ridge ✨The trail has eluded us for a few trips due to closures. The drive up was beautiful .The parking lot was quickly filling so once we parked , we geared up and set out on the trail . There were already several groups of snowshoers on the trail so plan to go early .


The trail was absolutely beautiful! Trees covered in snow and really perfect conditions when we started. After we let the more popular turnaround point to continue to the summit , the snow became softer and was harder to navigate with just spikes so we changed to snowshoes.The snow became less packed and even with snowshoes there was still some post holeing making it difficult to climb . The path was also getting hard to see because the snow was covering tracks and even with navigation it was difficult. With white out conditions, we turned around about 1/2 mile from summit . Sometimes knowing when to turn around is one of the hardest decisions when you are so close .



Trail Stats ⬇️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
📍 Hurricane Ridge
🧭 Deming , Wa
🥾 3.4 miles RT ( we came in at 4.58 )
🏔️ 826 ft elevation gain ( we gained 758 )
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple


Hurricane Ridge is in avalanche terrain, so it is best to check the NWAC avalanche forecast before venturing out (updated every night at 6pm).

Check out our Snowshoe at Artist Point ~ Mt. Baker ⬇️

Artist Point Snowshow ~ Mt.Baker
hiking, pnw, travel

Wahclella Falls Trail

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Wahclella Falls Trail is one of our top 10 hikes! I lost count of the waterfalls as we hiked in and out but everywhere I turned there was a waterfall . It is definitely the greatest Show in nature and it’s a perfect hike if you are wanting a quick hike with a great views.

It felt a little bit like we were in Jurassic World because of how beautiful and lush it was. Absolutely breathtaking! You get a little of everything with this hike .. rocky , inclines , bridges and so many waterfalls ❤️

Stats ⬇️

📍Wahclella Falls
🧭 Cascade Locks , Or
🥾 1.9miles RT ( we came in at 2.9)
🏔️ 308 ft elevation gain ( we gained 591)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

Check out our reel ⬇️

hiking, pnw, travel

Pnw Hike ~ Otter Falls

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

This was one of our wettest hikes of the 2024 Season. I almost had a mutiny to not do it when we pulled up and it was still dark and pouring rain outside . So thankful for the friends who wouldn’t let me mutiny and encouraged me to still do it .

Persevering the dark and rain ❤️
Beautiful but so wet


It was so dark we had to have headlamps on to start so I had to include our pic of starting the hike. You start by walking through the forest for a few miles and navigate a few water crossings. Keep going until you come to the Otter Falls sign and then you go to the left . There is a bit of a hill to navigate over and then you come to a beautiful hidden rock face waterfall .

Heart Rock.. my sweet friend has a gift for finding them

It still amazes me that there are these hidden waterfalls in nature . And yes! It was totally worth it!

STATS
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📍Otter and Big Creek Falls via Taylor River Trail
🧭 North Bend,Wa
🥾 9.5miles RT ( we came in at 9.06 )
🏔️ 902 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1000 )
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

Check out our reel of the hike ⬇️

family adventures, pnw, travel

Bruun Idun, One of Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls ~West Seattle

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“In the night, there was a storm, there at the beach
Where she was born
And Idun felt a feeling wrong, and so she walked there
In the dawn
And in a flute, the magic horn, a tune so passionate and Strong
She played for them an orca song to ask them where they all had gone”

– Thomas Dambo

Bruun Idun, one of the Thomas Dambo’s Northwest Trolls, lives at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. She is one of the six trolls that the Danish artist has made from recycled materials and has installed around the Northwest .

Look for the birdhouses . They are a clue that you are in the right area . Walk along the water until you see her near the Colman Pool, and from her spot hidden in the trees, she sings to the orcas of the Salish Sea❤️

Thomas Dambo has trolls all over the world so I attached the link below to see a map of where you can find them ⬇️

https://trollmap.com/

family adventures, hiking, pnw

Horsetail & Ponytail Falls Hike ~Columbia River Gorge

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Horsetail Falls is located in the “Waterfall Corridor “ of the Historic Columbia River Highway. It plunges a 176ft over a basalt cliff and is absolutely breathtaking. This waterfall is easily accessible for all . There is plenty of parking across the street but on sunny days come early because it fills up quickly.

If you want to add another short hike to Pony Tail Falls (Horsetail Falls #438) you will follow the trail to the left . It is a bit steep at first but it’s short so hang with it because when you come around a bend there is a beautiful waterfall that is in sight and feeds the Horsetail Falls. It cascades over a cliff and you can walk behind it . There is a beautiful pool that in the summer we have played in. It’s almost like a hidden pool…So beautiful!

📍Horsetail Falls and Ponytail Falls
🧭 Cascade Locks , Or
🥾 .8 miles RT ( we came in at 1.04)
🏔️ 301 ft elevation gain ( we gained 294)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

Check out our reel with videos below ⬇️