Tag: adventures

cascade mountains, family adventures, hiking, pnw

Chasing the Golden Larches ~North Cascade Mountains

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

October in Washington State is one of the most beautiful seasons and the perfect time to visit .

Look at all the beautiful fall colors that are so vibrant and welcoming🍁

Heading up to Heather Pass

The Golden Larches were on full display and we were lucky enough to catch them..they turn the bright golden color for such a short time before they lose their needles .It was interesting to touch them .. they were so soft .

Look closely you will see a beautifully hidden lake (Lewis Lake ) just past the larches .. thanks to my friend who spotted it!
Viewpoint at Heather Pass

We also talked with another hiker .. Keith from Ohio who recommended a short trail off of the Maple Pass Loop …the Wing Lake Trail ..where he captured the most beautiful hike through the larches .

The weather in the North Cascades is a little of everything …sunshine,rain and even some snow and the mountains are basking in the final streams of sunshine as they prepare to welcome winter.

Heading to Maple Pass

We experienced all their weather including the snow and enjoyed all the beauty of fall. The pics look so unreal but the actual views were so much better! The camera never captures the full experience .So thankful to be able to experience all this beauty!
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“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭113‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Descending Maple Pass is so beautiful! You see the path as it zigzags along the mountainside and everywhere you look you see mountains. If you look closely you will see other hikers who look like little specks .

Look to the left of the picture .. do you see the path through the trees? We hiked all the way around and could see the other side from where we were.. so cool!
That zigzag is our path down

Views of Rainy Lake as we were descending back to where we parked.

Here are our stats⬇️

📍Maple Pass Loop

🧭 Winthrop, Wa

🥾 6.5 miles RT ( we came in at 7.9 miles)

🏔️ 2162 ft elevation gain ( we gained 2254 )

⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple 

The Larches in all their beauty this past week at Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascade Mountains was such a blessing to experience. So thankful we were able to catch them during this magical transformation.

Maple Pass Loop also connects to Rainy Pass with the PCT Trail and we had the privilege of catching up with one of the PCT hikers,Daniel and his dad who was there to provide refueling snacks for those on the trail. Daniel started hiking in April from Mexico and had it had been 179 days since starting and he had just a few more to finish the PCT ! So impressive! He looked great and by the time we finished the hike he was already on the trail again but his dad was still there to cheer on the PCT hikers and us! What a nice guy! You can follow all his adventures on his YouTube channel I linked below ⬇️

https://youtube.com/@mountainhearthikes?si=bAXXtT3K2Q1OiBRi

Here is a reel of our full day and all the views! Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to see more of our adventures!

pnw, Review, travel

Village Books and Paper Dreams Bookstore ~Fairhaven ,Wa

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Village Books and Paper Dreams Bookstore in Fairhaven located in Bellingham,Wa, is a great place to visit and grab an espresso ,visit with a friend and pick up a new book.
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They offer new and used books as well as stationary,cards and lots of fun gifts for the book lover in your life.


The cafe is a great place to meet with a friend in a cozy setting with a living wall . Such a fun atmosphere!

history, pnw, Review, travel

Charm of Historic Fairhaven ~Bellingham , Wa

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Visiting Fairhaven feels like you have just stepped into a hallmark movie. Unique shops and twinkle lights everywhere pulls you into the magic of this beautiful town.
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With its charm also comes history .Fairhaven was settled in 1853, and started out as a booming manufacturing hub , it has since been designated as a National Historic District.


It is also host to the annual Ski to Sea race which takes place on Memorial Day weekend. The Ski to Sea race is accompanied by the Historic Fairhaven Festival, a street festival in Fairhaven to celebrate participants completing the relay race.

If you find yourself in Washington State , this is definitely a stop to add to your itinerary⭐️

pnw, reading, Review, travel

Powell’s city of Books ~Bookstore

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Powell’s City of Books in downtown Portland has just about any kind of book you are looking for. There are so many floors of books! You could stay there for a whole day and still want to go back the next day to see more.
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Located in downtown Portland ,the store pretty much fills up a city block . That’s kinda cool to think about….a city block of multiple floors of books. Wow! A book lovers dream.
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So grab your list of books you are looking for and go.. you are sure to mark a few off your list .If you have been there , let me know what you love in the comments ⭐️

Goals, hiking, pnw, travel

Colchuck Lake ~Gateway to the Enchantments ~Hiking in the Cascade Mountains

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Colchuck Lake has easily become a yearly favorite . The first time I ever had the privilege of doing this hike it turned into a crazy day . We had an injury in our group, we experienced bouldering for the first time , many of us ran out of water , it took us way longer then we planned  , and we met our first skinny dippers at the lake 😂 Since then, we have had so many laughs looking back at that first time. 

Here is some of the first boulders we experienced.. but stay to the right and you will find a path that makes it easy to get through.

This hike is so captivating that when you first get the glimpses of the water you are in awe that you have just stumbled on this hidden gem . It is surrounded by two of Washington’s tallest peaks ,Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. Literally, I could stay there all day ! So beautiful and the water is so clear . 

Colchuck Lake is one of the two gateways to the Enchantments. It’s an iconic hike in itself but if you want to challenge yourself more ,you can continue on to Aasgard Pass, the door to the Enchantment Core. Makes me think of a portal to another world , which now after doing Aasgards ,it actually does seem like a whole different world you step into . Look for that post later! 

Here are our stats⬇️

📍Colchuck Lake

🧭 Leavenworth, Wa

🥾 8.7 miles RT ( we came in at 10.55)

🏔️ 2342ft elevation gain ( we gained 2491)

⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple 

And now for coffee ☕️

Check out the full reel of our adventure ⬇️

And check out our post of the cutest Bavarian Starbucks we went to after our hike

Unique Starbucks in Bavarian Town of Leavenworth ~ Review
faith, Gathered thoughts, homemaking

Gather 🍁

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Having an inviting table doesn’t have to be super fancy . You can take a few things to make a beautiful setting that is practical and inviting.
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The memories , conversations , plans, school work and sharing of life that happens around a table is immeasurable. It is essentially the hub of a home. A place to gather , cry , work out life and laugh ❤️
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I do wonder if every grain in the wood of this table could contain all of it. Would the grain lines of the wood be darker when there were years scorched by fire or hardships ,would the grain have lines wider in years being well watered and flourishing in love or have thinner lines in years of drought ? Interesting to think about what it would hold.
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What ever season you are in , remember it’s just that a season. Take time to enjoy your family or a friend around your table. Invite them to linger and stay a little bit longer. Savor the grain lines that are forming 🍁

“she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

family adventures, pnw

Mt. Rainier Family Adventure

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

The Mountains were calling and so we headed out to explore Mt. Rainier and do some snowshoeing .

We headed up to Paradise first, since it closes earlier. It was so beautiful and the perfect spot to start our adventure.

We were able to snowshoe around the Paradise Inn and get some terrific views from behind it. Absolutely beautiful ❤️


We had such a fun time exploring and playing in the snow at Mt. Rainier National Park .Its definitely one of our family’s favorite activity’s.

Family activity, Review, travel

Grand ole Opry

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

This has been a bucket list adventure since I was a little girl watching Hee Haw ⭐️We had the opportunity to go visit @opry and do a backstage tour.
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Upon arriving,you are ushered into this beautiful room that is rich with history all over the walls.To see some of Country Musics Performers ,past and present is amazing.

You are then greeted by a virtual Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood as they walk you through the Opry’s history and how it all started.Seeing the past performances is priceless✨

It was also pretty cool to learn how they brought the wood circle from the Ryman with them when they moved.For performers, it is the highlight if their career to step onto the circle ✨The Opry has a limited amount of performers that get asked to become a member of the Opry . It is a lifetime achievement moment for those that are asked.

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It was so amazing to see the look at the @opry through the years. It totally took me back to watching the show sitting with my Grandma & Grandpa and the sweet memories⭐️
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If you are visiting @nashvilletn then you need to put this on your list⭐️
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a few tips .. DO NOT BUY ONLINE we figured this out the hard way . We bought tickets online and the service fee was slot more then if you just buy on property. The only time it would benefit you to buy online is if you are on a strict timeframe and need to plan your visit .