just me

Mailbox Peak.  June 4.  Sunny, clear day.  Sharpest view I've seen from the Cascades.  From the summit, I could see the Space Needle.  Mount Rainier was in full glory.  Mountains humble me.  "Our choice is the song of realization.  And today's realization is tomorrow's manifestation.  Again, tomorrow's manifestation is only the beginning of a forward and upward and inward journey.  Today, on the strength of our inner choice, we move forward, upward, and inward to reach our chosen destination.  But today's destination will only be our starting point for our father, higher, and more fulfilling goal of tomorrow.  There is no fixed goal for we are all evolving.  In the process of evolution we are running, flying, and diving towards an ever transcending, deepening, and widening goal.  To run farther, fly higher, and dive deeper is the only choice that each individual should consciously, devotedly, unmistakably, and unconditionally make."  Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007)

Swakane Canyon

Birthday hike with Jenee.  Swakane Canyon is located along the Columbia River, near Wenatchee, WA.  From the trailhead onward, gorgeous view of rolling mossy green hills and clear blue water.   I kept thinking and saying out loud "this is so beautiful.  Incredible.  We are so lucky."  Last night in Advanced Exploration at The Samarya Center, Molly initiated discussion about the idea of connection, and how small actions we all make could either contribute to or mitigate connection with others.  The rich conversation led my mind to wander to ways I enhance and stunt connection and growth for my spiritual life.   Today, spending hours in nature amongst wild flowers and chirping crickets generated immense love and stillness inside of me.  And, there is a converse. I have spent many a mountain climbs feeling irritable and totally disconnected from whatever grandeur created the ground I treaded.  The difference?  Intention, perhaps.  I chose to spend my 27th birthday with a cherished friend on a new trail because I wanted to explore an area of Washington new to me, and be outside of the city.  Other times, I have sought solace in the mountains to escape my chaotic and unpredictable mind.  It seems that when I am using nature as an escape, rather than an experience, my time is less enjoyable.  I'm still trying to 'get somewhere', rather than 'be somewhere.'   Most ideas lead me back to examining my spiritual life, which is the basis for all of my other relationships.  If I don't feel connected to the self of me that is outside of my mind, I have a very hard time maintaing balance and equanimity in my interactions with other people.

sunburn-free

Second trip of the year up to Camp Muir.  Overcast, snowy day.  At base camp, the clouds shifted and we got a fleeting partial view of Rainier.   Despite consistent cloud coverage, it was very bright on the mountain.  We were treated to gentle snowflakes most of the way up; at about the halfway point during our descent the snow started falling much heavier and visibility was significantly reduced.  Round trip 7 hours, including a couple of 20-30 minute breaks.
Saturday, May 28.  Me. Jenee. Nathan. Kirsten. Deb.
















One of the other groups hiking to Muir hauled up a keg of beer on a red sled.

We were able to glissade part of the way down from Panorama Point.  Such a treat after the long hike.  Lately, I've been thinking that my fitness has more to do with my yoga practice than my 'training' regimen.  I was out of town for two weeks this month for a yoga teacher training.  This last trip up to Muir was the first training hike I have done in three weeks.  I feel the best I ever have.

Mt. Rainier base camp Muir

Saturday, April 30.

Brett, Tom, Leigh, me, Flora, Wei, and co-worker of Flora and Wei.  Left Seattle at 5:50 AM.  Started for the base camp at approximately 9 AM from Paradise, elevation 5,400 feet.  Leigh and I arrived to camp Muir, elevation 10,188 feet, at 1:55 PM.  Long, difficult trek up the mountain.   Fresh powder made it necessary to kick steps in as we hiked up.  The soft snow also caused post holing (sinking a full legs-length into the snow), particularly during the last 300 feet.   Leigh and I arrived first, with Wei and Flora 20 minutes behind.  Brett and Tom stayed back with our other party member who wasn’t able to continue climbing past 8,500 feet.   The entire group hiked down the mountain together, returning to Paradise at 4:55 PM.   The weather was a bizarre mountain mix – clouds at the bottom when we started, blue skies and hot sunshine once we broke through the cloud line up to Muir.  On the way down our visibility decreased drastically; it was snowing at the cloud line and near white-out conditions past Panorama Point, the mid-point between Paradise and Muir.

heading up; rest stop at Panorama Point

me and the mountain

Leigh with the clouds

climbing in the clouds

looks close, yet so far away

sunbathing at Muir

view of Mt. Adams in the clouds

blizzard near the bottom

whiteout

Mount Defiance

April 23, 2011

Me and Nathan.  Near Oregon Scenic Highway #30.  On the Columbia River; outside of Hood River, hour east of Portland.   Most intense training hike of the season so far.  In entirety, Mt. Defiance is 12 miles round trip, 5,000 feet of elevation gain.  I carried about 40 pounds in my pack. We made it to about 3/4 -½ mile from the top before deep snow postholing stopped us.  Gorgeous 180 degree view of Washington across the river – Mt St. Helens to the left, Rainier in the middle, and Adams to the right.  Well worth the slog, though near the top, my exertion level reached the audible ‘motherfucker’ threshold – I explained to Nathan that when I start slinging ‘motherfucker’ out loud it means ‘beyond what I think I can and want to do with no visible end in sight’,  - pretty much an 'are-you-kidding-me?'  I was at the dirty, dust-ball corners of my limits; tears brimming in my eyes.  Sometimes it is only at the end of the effort do I remember why I began.

vacation!

Spent the last week in Katy, Texas with my fam.  I took the week off from training, my job, Seattle life, and the raw diet.  I learned that a) its ok and deeply restorative to pause and evaluate every so often b) my muscles will not atrophy if I don't compulsively work them c) it isn't so much about what I eat, rather how I eat it  d) I like training e) I like resting f) it is enlightening to go somewhere different and leave my ideas behind

Plan for the next two weeks - bump up stairs/running workouts to three times per week.  Two spin classes for cross-training, 4-5 yoga classes, one hike w/weight + elevation on weekend, long bike ride if I have excess energy to burn.  Otherwise, rest day.   On May 6 I am leaving for a two week yoga intensive teacher training.  I probably won't know until I am there how much time I will have for training and what type will be realistic.

Mt. Si

Saturday 2 April.  Me, Leigh, Kirsten, Nathan.  2 hours up, 1.25 down.  We moved quickly that morning.  I carried my pack with slightly less weight than the Mailbox hike, and felt noticeably less stiff and sore the next day.  Snow was on the trail at around the 2 mile mark - fortunately, it was snowing while we were on the mountain, and the fresh snow provided traction against the ice beneath.  I read on the Washington Trails website that a person needed to be rescued off the trail the day after our hike because they became immobile after slipping on the ice.   The sky was grey at the top, we decided against the haystack scramble.  

It was a quick morning hike - Si is my preferred training hike -I can complete the entire eight miles round trip with approximately 4,000 feet elevation gain, and commute to/from North Bend, in less than six hours.