Our 2019
Well, another year has come and gone and what a year it has been! Every year we do a “yearly review” of all our adventures, mainly for us, but also in case anyone is interested in seeing what we did to get some trip ideas. This year we decided not to travel and instead stay local and be true weekend warriors (same plans for 2020!!). We had a long list of places and spaces we wanted to experience in every season and we got to check off SO MANY of them! I thought it would be fun to throw everything we did into our yearly review so you can see what hikes we did in what seasons. (You may need to give this page a few extra minutes to load - there are a ton of pictures!)
JANUARY
In January we basically went snowshoeing everywhere! We checked out a few waterfalls along the McKenzie River (Sahalie and Koosah Falls), hiked through a winter wonderland to McNeil Point on Wy’east, and explored June Lake near Loowit. We also spent a long weekend in Bend where we checked out local breweries and snowshoed to Tumalo Falls.
FEBRUARY
In February I flew to San Francisco to meet my sister and her friend to celebrate her birthday. We spent our time exploring the city and in Sonoma Valley sipping wine. We also did a short hike to Muir Beach that was beautiful!
MARCH
In March our friends Mel and Will flew up from San Diego to visit us. We spent our time at the coast making bonfires on the beach and then snowshoeing on Tahoma. We also showed them around Portland and checked out a few local breweries. Also, my friend Paige took me out to try skiing for the first time and I was HOOKED! Skiing comes so much more naturally to me, compared to snowboarding, and I was in absolute heaven!
APRIL
In April I spent a lot of weekends skiing at Timberline and spent one weekend away down at Mount Bachelor. On our way back from Mount Bachelor we stopped by Smith Rock State Park. Paige and I also went camping in the high desert and it was absolutely magical. The desert was green from the spring rain (really the only rain they get) and we had a really relaxing weekend.
MAY
In May I got to visit Vancouver, BC, for the first time on a business trip. When I wasn’t in class I spent my time running around the Sea Wall and exploring the beautiful city! Paige and I also hiked to Abiqua Falls which is one of my favorite short hikes/waterfalls in the PNW!! I also hiked to Angels Rest on Mother’s Day (big mistake), the hike was incredibly crowded but the views at the top were really beautiful of the Columbia River Gorge.
JUNE
In June I was in the thick of my half marathon training and spent a lot of time in Forest Park on the trails. I got to go out to the coast to trail run Saddle Mountain and Michael and I also did a trail run to Marion Lake & Marion Falls which was absolutely stunning!
JULY
July was a packed month for us with amazing weather! We opted to spend our Fourth of July in the backcountry and we backpacked to Gem Lake in the Alpine Lake Wilderness; we read books and enjoyed the cool mountain air. I also hiked Paradise Park Loop with Paige which is a 13 mile trail that takes you along the Pacific Crest Trail and up into the high alpine meadows of Wy’east. Later in the month, we went backpacking at Canyon Creek Meadows which is an alpine meadow that sits below the peak of Three Fingered Jack where we watched mountain goats grazing the slopes and relaxed.
AUGUST
In August my brother drove up from California to visit me before driving back to the east coast. We went to the coast and also to one of my favorite waterfalls, Lower Lewis Falls, to escape the heat in the city. Michael and I also went out for a little trail run to Fall Creek Falls one weekend. Also, I ran my first half marathon!! I ran the Bridge of the Gods Half Marathon and it was so much fun. I also did my first solo trail run on Wy’east; 6 miles from Cloud Gap to Elk Cove along the Timberline Trail.
Towards the end of August into September (Labor Day Weekend). Michael and I embarked on a road trip up the Olympic Peninsula, then to Vancouver, BC, then back down through Mount Rainier NP and finally home again. We started in the Hoh Rainforest where we camped and relaxed before driving further up the peninsula. We had SO MANY hikes planned and even an overnight backpacking trip, but we didn’t do any of it and instead opted to just relax and unwind (if you know me you know this is VERY uncharacteristic of me!!!). Also, after a weird AirBnb situation, we decided to cut our entire vacation short and head back to Portland.
SEPTEMBER
In September we started the month by hiking in the Tatoosh Wilderness (this was the end of our Labor Day vacation). Twelve miles and 4,100 feet of elevation gain and DANG was it one of the hardest hike’s I’ve done in a long time. Also, in September my parents came out to visit and it was both of their first times in Portland! We spent some time hiking to waterfalls, relaxing on the coast, in the Columbia River Gorge, in the city and on Wy’east. We had a lot of fun! At the end of the month Michael and I headed to Mount Margaret backcountry and got treated to a landscape covered in the first snow of the season! It was a beautiful day, and it was a beautiful hike.
OCTOBER
October was a particularly lazy month, but my friend Mel came to visit for Columbus Day Weekend! We went on a 13 mile hike to Russell Lake (which has recently reopened) and it was stunningly beautiful. We also had one great weekend surfing in Pacific City!
NOVEMBER
In November Michael and I celebrated 6 years together by going on a trail run to Ramona Falls. Ramona Falls had been on my list for a while, but I wanted to wait until a time of year when the waterfall would be full. November did not disappoint, and we were treated to a beautiful waterfall and unseasonably warm weather. Later in the month we went with our friends to Ape Cave and hiked the Lava Tubes! I also spent a week in Las Vegas and hope I never have to go back, HA! Also, Michael and I had our first Thanksgiving, just the two of us, and we spent the morning snowshoeing the White River on Wy’east before heading home to cook dinner and relax.
DECEMBER
In December we spent a majority of the month at home with family and friends for the holidays, but while we were on the west coast we did get out to ski a few times! The ski season in the Pacific Northwest historically starts sometime in early/mid-November, but this year it was slow to start with low snowfall amounts.
That’s it for 2019! We hope everyone had a fantastic year and a very happy New Years! Enjoy 2020!!