See the Larches at Blue Lake + Washington Pass Lookout – North Cascades

We often detail day hikes – check out our full archive here.

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If you live in Washington, it’s time to pencil in a weekend to see the larches! If you’re not familiar with larches, they’re the bright yellow pine trees in the photo above. Larches are deciduous conifers meaning they have needles instead of leaves and although they are conifers, larches are deciduous trees that lose their needles during autumn. Pretty neat!

I hadn’t seen a larch until I moved to Washington state. They are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south. Larches are among the dominant plants in the boreal forests of Siberia and Canada.  In the U.S., you can find larches in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, here in Washington.  In Washington, you can typically count on larches being in bloom at the end of September and the beginning of October. The vibrant color varies each year and is different depending on the time and elevation, so your best bet is to get out there early and often. Larches can grow to be big boys – sometimes reaching 150 feet tall.

If you’re looking for a nice walk with bright autumn color, any old hike will do ya, but I highly recommend hiking to Blue Lake. Note there are at least six lakes named ‘Blue Lake’ in Washington (and another Blue Lake that Kate visited in Colorado!). I’m referring to the one just off of Highway 20 in the North Cascades. Blue Lake is an amazing Seattle weekend getaway destination. This beautiful 4.5 mile out and back hike features towering granite peaks, evergreen forests, meadows and slide areas with wildflowers and foliage, and of course the most beautiful blue mountain lake.

If you’re traveling from Seattle, it will take you about two hours and forty minutes to Blue Lake. Blue Lake is a sparkly gem surrounded by sheer granite peaks and it would not be a stretch to say it’s the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen and way up there on my short list of best hikes. That’s no giveaway coming from someone who has been hiking and backpacking since the age of eight. Someone who has hiked across mountain ranges in Nepal and through jungles in Thailand, this hike was freaking amaze balls. If you’re within a three-hour radius, grab your boots, drive to Blue Lake, and start walking.

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I’m going to go out on a limb here and say we also caught Blue Lake at the best possible time of year. Before setting out on this hike (back in 2018!), I had no idea the larches were in bloom. I actually had no idea what larches were, but now I plan weekend adventures around these beauties. You have to catch them when they change color before the needles fall. You’ll be ooing and aahing every step of the way. Just for reference, this hike to Blue Lake was during the last weekend in September, on the 29th to be exact.

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Seattle Weekend Getaway and Day Hike to Colchuck Lake – Central Cascades

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If you’re looking for an amazing autumn getaway near Seattle and you’ve already visited the beautiful crystal clear Blue Lake, head to Colchuck Lake as it is just as gorgeous! Another alpine lake, Colchuck Lake is surrounded by mountains and lined with plenty of boulders to sit on and snack the afternoon away. Take a dip if you dare, but remember your quick-dry towel and warm puffy jacket because Colchuck Lake sits at an elevation of 5,570 feet. We hiked Colchuck during the final weekend of September when the undergrowth was popping with color, the air was crisp, the sun was hiding, and the breeze encouraged a quick pace to the top.

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Colorado Hiking: Devil’s Thumb Trail

If you want to read about more of our hiking and camping adventures, you can find them here. And if you want more Colorado hikes, they’re here.

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Last weekend I went on my first big hike in years, and it felt amazing. Click on to read about my little day hike across the continental divide from one Colorado ski-town to another. Continue reading

Hiking the Hoodoos!

This hike took place during our July 2019 road trip from Colorado to California. Along the way, we also stopped in Escalante National Monument and hiked the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail. And here’s some encouragement from Sarah to visit Utah’s national parks during the off-season.

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This was our first visit to Bryce Canyon National Park. And nothing sums up the day better than both boys proclaiming that “this was the best hike” they’ve ever been on.  Continue reading

Lower Calf Creek Falls

Want to see more hiking posts? Click here. The only thing you’ll regret is the time spent in front of the screen instead of outside ;-). And Sarah wrote about her visit to Escalante in this postcalf_creek_falls2_title

Last weekend we visited Escalante National Monument and spent a magical 36 hours camping and hiking in the Calf Creek area. Come along as I share a few photos from our hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls.  Continue reading

FriendRaising – Start a Meet Up Group

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Since the start of the year, we’ve been focusing on monthly initiatives. A theme that sets the stage for some of the posts we’ll be sharing throughout the month. In January, we focused on good habits. During February we kept those good habits going with a particular focus on taking care of our mental health. This month, we mentioned in the Monthly Welcome that we want to put the focus on relationships, and in particular, to something called “friendraising” like fundraising, but with friends, ya dig it? Here’s how to start a meetup group and do a little friendraising for yourself. Continue reading

How To: Plan Your Family Camping Trip Step-by-Step

Dreaming up a trip? Here’s how to create a budget and here’s how you can start saving today.

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I’m not a planner per say, but mention a trip idea and I’ve already booked the accommodations. There’s just something about travel, adventures, and vacation that puts me into planning mode and not the crazy, ‘there are so many things to think about that I can’t even think’ type of planning mode, but the, ‘wow, what wonderful possibilities, let’s go with the best one‘ type of planning mode. I have a certain travel planning chi that allows me to avoid the overwhelm and skip right to the excitement. I started my travel guiding service, Schu Tours, partly because everyone is always asking for travel planning help. Continue reading

Fall Camping

If you’d like to see more of our Colorado adventures, click here.

Once the calendar turned to September, we leapt into fall with all of our hearts. Granted the days have still been warm, but we’ve found that if you climb high enough into the mountains, then the evenings are cool, the leaves are changing colors, and the mornings are perfectly crisp.

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Here are a few snapshots from our recent weekend camping trips. If you feel inspired to hop in the car this weekend, at the very bottom of the post, I link to a few posts to hep you get started, including some of our favorite/essential gear.

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Autumn Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Hey y’all! Happy weekend! In need of an adventure this autumn? I’m (Sarah) hosting two camping retreats in North Carolina during October and November. If you’d like to learn more you can visit my website where you’ll find the dates, details, pricing, and itineraries for two epic outdoor weekends in beautiful North Carolina. I’ll explain them briefly here too.

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HIKE! For this two night adventure, we’re rustic car camping (no electricity, but we do have showers + bathrooms) at Lake James State Park. Due to park rules, you’ll need to make your own campsite reservation ($40 total), but otherwise I have you all taken care of. Not only will I feed you and build your fire, I will lead you on four separate day hikes totaling about 12 miles, all with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Think expansive vista views, interesting rock formations, and the height of fall foliage, and that’s where we’ll be hiking.

This adventure is perfect for those completely new to hiking and camping, but it’s also perfect for those wanting to transition to overnight backpacking trips. I will demonstrate the type of gear needed to sleep on the trail overnight and even point out some possible first trips on the trails that we hike together.

Here’s a link to all the info about HIKE! + how to register for this event.

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CAMP! Camp is an overnight at Jordan Lake. Camp is meant to bring you out into the changing yet not too chilly forests of North Carolina during early November. Between day hiking, paddling, hammock hanging, and fire building, we will do a fair amount of conversing about set ups, gear, and best practices. We’ll also share our experiences and learn what works for others and what works for us. Camp will also encourage you to craft easy and delicious camping meals in the future for your own crew as I help demystify camp stoves and cooking over a fire.

CAMP! is perfect for those completely new to hiking and camping, but it’s also perfect for those simply wanted to decompress in the woods for a night. Join us at CAMP! and meet other awesome locals like yourself.

Here’s a link to all the information about CAMP! Dates, pricing, and all the details.

Getting Outside : Where to start?

We are huge proponents of getting outside and enjoying the benefits of nature.  In addition to mental and physical benefits, we also believe that time in nature strengthens our connection to the natural world. If you want to learn more about the importance of nature, check out these two book recommendations (one and two) from Sarah.
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Going one step further, we strongly believe that learning about the natural world is critical to wanting to protect and preserve these ecosystems that are then crucial to our survival and well-being.

Having grown up in a household with these values, these ideas and actions come easily to us, but I could understand that if you don’t have the same inclination to get outside, then it can be hard to know where to start.

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Take it easy

You don’t need an epic adventure to reap the benefits of nature.

  • Step out into your backyard or onto your front stoop. You’re outside! You don’t have to do anything else. You can watch the clouds float by, listen to the birds, and even catch a butterfly flutter along.
  • Get to know your local parks. If they have trails, take some water and go for a hike. If they’re small and urban, take a picnic and relax.

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Step it up

But a day-trip can be fun…

  • Take a friend and visit your closest state or national park. If you’ve never been, stop in at the visitor’s center and ask the naturalists to recommend a trail that meets your energy level and time limitations.
  • Join a hiking meet-up group. The group organizers will handle all of the details, you just have to show up! There are groups for different fitness/adventure levels, and even within a group, you’ll often find a variety of events. Choose something that matches your comfort level, wear the appropriate clothing, and take the right snacks. Join the event knowing that others in the group are looking to meet people, share their love of outdoors, and want to help you have a great time.

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Get adventurous

Maybe something epic is enticing…

  • Plan a vacation centered around outdoor adventure. If you aren’t the camping type, stay at a lodge or resort that focuses on outdoor adventures. This may be a lodge in the mountains of Colorado or an eco-resort in the rain forests of Costa Rica. The lodge can help you plan every aspect of your adventure and they will often have guides and gear available for your use.
  • If you want a more private vacation, go to a state or national park. You won’t need camping gear if you reserve a park yurt or cabin.

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The Don’ts

  • Don’t think that being outside isn’t for you. You just have to experiment and find your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll discover that you’re a lot more adventurous than you thought.
  • Don’t think that you need the right gear. Start with the comfortable clothes and shoes that you already own. Add sunscreen, snacks, and water. You’re an instant outdoor warrior.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions and help. Park naturalists love to make suggestions and help you find the right trail. Social media is a great resource. Find those meet-up groups, ask friends about their recent adventures, shoot us an email!  Seriously.

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As you spend more time outside, any initial discomforts you experienced will slip away. You’ll get better at knowing what to pack. You’ll feel confident while walking along a trail. You’ll notice other positive changes;  screen and social media time will be replaced by daydreaming and creative thoughts.

So go. Take a hike! xo