Tag: washington state

hiking, pnw, travel

Pnw Hike ~ Otter Falls

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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

Pinnacle Peak Park via Cal Magnusson Trail Hike to Fire Lookout Tower

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Elevation Hike that makes you work for it! Mt Peak in Enumclaw has two routes .. Long and steady or short and steep . We took the short and steep on this trip .



Once we made it to the top , we enjoyed a break in the beautiful Fire Lookout and snapped some pics. It took us just about 2 hours round trip . Below are our stats⬇️

📍Pinnacle Peak Park via Cal Magnusson Trail
🧭 Enumclaw, WA
🥾 2.7miles RT ( we came in at 2.5)
🏔️ 1299 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1004)
⭐️ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple

coffee, pnw, Review

Fika @Farm 12 Valentine’s Treats

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

Check out this fun cold brew we ordered at @farm12puyallup Fika. The Cupid’s Cold Brew …yumm❤️ It was so good and even had tiny heart sprinkles!

They have a fun Valentine’s Special Menu ,but only for a limited time , so grab a friend and go!!

And check out all these amazing treats!!

family adventures, hiking, pnw

Gold Creek Pond Snowshoe

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Gold Creek Pond Snowshoe is a perfect beginner Snowshoe ✨

It’s located 1 hour from Seattle, and offers some of the best winter views . Check the trail conditions and snowfall before you head out. I always like to check WTA and AllTrails for recent reviews of the trail so I know more of what to expect.

Details of the Snowshoe
📍Gold Creek Pond
✅ Snow Park Permit required
🥾 Elevation Gain 45ft (we came in at 72ft)
⭐️ Distance 1.2 mile (we came in at 1.9 )
🏔️ Difficulty easy

Stats are based on AllTrails

One of the bridges we crossed

If you are planning to visit Gold Creek Pond, here are a few things you should know before you go:

It’s in Snoqualmie Pass, WA
You will take the Hyak exit
If the road is closed , add 1/2 mile to your distance.
Dog Friendly
Microspikes /Snowshoes are advised
Roads may be icy and may have snow so be prepared with chains in case they are needed.

Frozen Lake

Check out our Snowshoe Adventure at Whitepass if you want to add another Snowshoe to your list this winter

Bringing in the New Year on the Slopes

coffee, family adventures, Review

Seattle Starbucks Reserve Roastery ~ Holiday Menu

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The Starbucks Reserve in Seattle never disappoints ☕️

We went right before Christmas to try some of the holiday flavors, like the Starbucks Reserve peppermint mocha, which by the way was delicious! The eggnog cookie was a fun treat that had the sprinkled star, the raspberry cornetto was delish , and my husband always looks forward to the Whiskey Cold Brew when we visit.

Check out how they serve the Whiskey Cold brew with the old fashioned ice cube.🧊

Want a tip on to save for parking? Comment coffee below and I’ll send you how we save on parking ❤️

Goals

Goals

redeemingbeautyfamilyadventures

All starts with first spending time with God ❤️

pnw, Review, travel

Skamania Lodge Review

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The husband and I were able to getaway for a few days to @skamanialodge for a romantic getaway right before Christmas which at first I thought was terrible timing but turned out to be just what we needed❤️
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Skamania Lodge has so many things to offer not just for the two of us but for the whole family. There are two restaurants on property , coffee and tea service that is complimentary, Spa , game room set up with games ,adventures like zip lining , on property trails and their Holiday Walk during our stay.

Fireside w/view King


We were able to hike on our way to the lodge and then enjoy the hot tub once we checked in , which was so nice! There is an indoor and outdoor one .. the outdoor was our favorite!

Playing chess


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While we waited for our dinner reservations , we headed to the game room to play a game of chess. After dinner, we grabbed a complimentary umbrella and headed out for the Holiday Light Walk. It was an added treat and we enjoyed it . The best part was hearing an owl throughout the walk …so cool!


It’s no secret we love the Columbia Gorge area and Skamania Lodge is located in a great location to access so many different adventures . There are so many trails in this area to hike , so much history to immerse yourself in , and gorgeous views every where you look!

From our window


Have you ever visited the Columbia Gorge area? If so , what’s your favorite thing to do there?

Beautiful Lobby
Views❤️
Looking ahead to the New Year

Airbnb, family adventures, Review

White Pass Airbnb Review

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Loved the bathroom

Check out this cute Airbnb we stayed at on our recent trip to White Pass. It was the perfect spot to stay to refuel, rest and play games before heading back to the Mountain. The hot tub was amazing and we loved the fire and the cabin feel.

Cute living space

Loved the kitchen ❤️
Coffee Bar


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Comment “Getaway “ below and I’ll send you the info on this Airbnb for your next getaway 🎿

Check out our reel below ⬇️