Hiking in Washington for the First Time

I hope everybody is having an awesome summer! We've had beautiful weather in Tacoma so far, and some days have been extremely hot!

People are always surprised that even though I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for the last three years, I've never been hiking in Washington. One reason is because I'm absolutely terrified of heights, and even though there have be many opportunities to go on a trip through PLU Outdoor Recreation , I have been too scared to try it out. Since this is going to be my last summer as an undergraduate student, I decided that I wanted to at least give it a try this summer and hike up an easier trail.

I went with a friend, and we decided that morning to try the North Lake Trail, which is a hike in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (Here is the trail if you would like to check it out!). This trail also included two lakes, so it was extremely scenic. We passed by our first lake, Independence Lake within the first hour of our hike, and ended the first half of our hike with the second lake, North Lake before we headed down the mountain. We started our hike around 12 PM, and luckily it wasn't too hot that day! As the first half was mostly an upward hike, I got to enjoy the plant-life and nature the mountain had to offer. Although we got lost trying to find North Lake, it was worth the extra time spent looking for the trail leading up to the lake. Even though the hike was a little more challenging than I anticipated, overall I would say that I enjoyed hiking in Washington and would definitely want to do it again. If you have any hikes you would recommend I try out, please let me know!

I hope everyone enjoys their summer!

Loana

Approaching North Lake from the mountain!

Taking a break by North Lake before hiking back.

Adventures in the City and in Nature

I hope everyone is having a good summer! I went home to Japan for three weeks, and now I'm back in Washington for the rest of the summer working in the Admissions Office. Since this is my last summer as a student not working full-time, I wanted to take advantage of this summer and go on adventures in Washington. Though I came back from Japan with no plans, I have already been able to go on a few adventures; whether it's going to an event in downtown Seattle and trying new food, or going to the lake for the day with friends. Here are a few things I have been up to this summer:

1. Seattle Pride Parade
Seattle Pride Parade is an event that happens every year at the end of June. This year's parade was especially awesome, since it was the weekend after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage and many people were very excited. It was a great opportunity to explore downtown Seattle as well, and whether or not you've been to Pride in other cities, I encourage you to go next summer!

 

 

2. Trip to a Lake



One of the coolest thing about Washington is that there are a lot of lakes in the area that are accessible to the public. It's nice to just take a day (or maybe just a couple of hours) to go for a swim in the lake. Even though they get a little crowded during the weekends especially when it's hot, it's still gives you an opportunity to enjoy nature and cool down!

 

These are a couple of things that I have been doing this summer! I've also never been hiking in Washington or camping, so I'm hoping to cross those off my list. Let me know if you have any questions or want any recommendations on things to do close to PLU!