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. . 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⭐️
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!
Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.
It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.
There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.
Here are the stats ⬇️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍Kamiak Butte Trail 🧭 Palouse , Wa 🥾 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57) 🏔️ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704) ⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What does climbing mean to you? . For me…There is something about each step I take on the way to the summit. There is a release of everything in my mental to do list or all the things in my life that are demanding my attention . Instead , my mind is filled with awe in all the beautiful details that I know my picture or video will not capture as accurately as I see it . Then the next step , the emptying of all my strength and full reliance on Gods strength, and constantly saying to myself “Oh my goodness , I can’t believe I’m doing this!! Praise be to God!” . Wherever you are today in whatever journey your on , I pray that you will keep going …one step at a time. If you have any summit plans I would love to hear ..drop it in the comments below so I can be praying for you ⬇️
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 22Huge bouldersOther less traveled side of Lake 22Best 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 22View on the opposite side of Lake 22
Espresso Chalet has one of the best views of Mount Index . It was the perfect stop to grab coffee after hiking Wallace Falls & Heybrook Lookout. Both hikes are within a few miles of each other with the Espresso Chalet between them. Look for the Bigfoot and you will know you are there.
We ordered our drinks and then went to soak in some more Mountain views… amazing! Perfect place to stretch your legs and grab some drinks or snacks before heading home .
A fun fact : this was an official location from the movie Harry and the Hendersons … anyone remember that movie?
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.
Our March Book Club pick was Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur. . Once a Queen is a fairytale fantasy that weaves real life family dynamics with magic portals , secret gatherings and magic woven tapestries. You meet 14 year Evie as she travels to England to meet a grandmother she has never met before who lives in a beautiful estate that has an intriguing staff. The staff is one we would all want if we were as privileged. . It starts off slow but then quickly starts to wrap you into the story as it unfolds. As the characters unfold , and the story is weaved ,and you get glimpses of the white stag, you can’t help but to start to step into the magic of the story . Definate Narnia vibes throughout that awakened my childlike faith in reading this. . Our bookclub enjoyed reading this and several of us are adding the other books to our list!
Resolutions checkin.. how are you doing for 2025? . This year, I planned and scheduled a quarterly refresh of our resolutions to go along with my cultivate quarterly refresh . Yay! For already having it on the calendar 🙌 This way it lets me look at our year 3 months at a time instead of the whole 12 months at once which was great! Our family was able to see some goals we achieved for the year and to also remember what we were all working toward. . Another fun way to stay motivated was making these vision boards with friends at the start of the year. I keep mine posted on the front door so I can see it everytime I leave . A good reminder of how I want this year to look and what I am working toward.
Vision Boards
Have you ever looked at your year as quarters or do you regularly review your goals /resolutions ? Share your tips below.. I would love to hear them.
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 ⬇️
