This weekend we headed back to Curt Gowdy State Park for a bigger hike around Crystal Reservoir. By stitching together Cliff Hanger, Canyons, and Crystal Ridge trails, we created a giant loop around the lake. Just for fun, we also added in the Highline loop, which was absolutely worth it! Our final hike clocked in …
Continue reading Wyoming Hikes: Cliff Hanger Loop and Highline Loop
One thing that was readily apparent when we started exploring Cheyenne, Wyoming was its railway history, specifically its Union Pacific heritage. In 1865, what's now Cheyenne was the campsite for the team charged with finding a route over the Laramie Mountains as part of the nation's first transcontinental railroad project. As construction of the Union …
Continue reading Union Pacific Heritage Fleet Heads to New Home
Aside from a long weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park a couple years ago, I haven't spent an appreciable amount of time in Colorado. So when our friends told us they were attending a week-long work conference in Denver, we immediately made plans to head down the weekend ahead of time to catch up! Denver …
Continue reading Exploring Colorado’s Red Rocks and Lookout Mountain
When we were considering our move to Wyoming, one of our criteria was proximity to mountains and places to hike. With 109 named mountain ranges and sub-ranges in Wyoming, we thought it was a safe bet we'd be able to access something of interest no matter where we landed! If you've visited Cheyenne, Wyoming, which …
Continue reading Wyoming Hikes: Crow Creek to Hidden Falls Trail
Although we've tried to see and experience as much as possible during our seven years in Washington, a big gap in our travels has been southeastern part of the state. We enjoyed our couple trips to Spokane and our wine tastings in Walla Walla, but we somehow never made it around to exploring the area …
While Mount Rainier is the volcano most people associate with Washington, Mount St. Helens is the one Washington residents most like to discuss, especially on the anniversary of its May 1980 eruption. My work colleagues in particular each have a vivid recollection of where they were during that time and in the days and weeks …
Continue reading Visiting Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
It's been several weeks since we had time for a longer hike in the mountains. Yesterday we set out on a morning trek into the Cascades following Saturday's rain and snowfall, heading north to Snoqualmie Pass and a new-to-us hike to Dirty Harry's Balcony. With a name like that, I wasn't expecting this hike to …
Finding direction and purpose on the road, in the outdoors, and on the page
Finding direction and purpose on the road, in the outdoors, and on the page
Finding direction and purpose on the road, in the outdoors, and on the page
Heather's Compass 