Snowy Hikes are the Best Hikes

There was a magical day I lived back in 2016 with my friend Marie. We went up to hike Mt. LeConte on a 70 degree day in January just to find the entire trail covered in more than a foot of snow. The skies were blue, the air was crisp, and we were shedding layers of clothes with each mile we climbed.  I have forever coveted that day, knowing it isn't likely I would stumble upon another snowy hike that was warm enough for me tolerate.

Enter Rainier National Park in late June.

Mag-ic-al!  At least for me it was.
We drove to the Paradise corridor of the park with plans to hike the Skyline Loop Trail. 
While we maybe expected some snow, I think we were all surprised by how much ... and by how non-existent the trail would be.





We followed a narrow path of footprints for a while, which led us to a beautiful waterfall...  Beyond that point, it was each man for himself.  There was no trail to be found! Just a giant mountain standing at 14,000 feet high and some slippery slopes to climb.



We had varying levels of engagement from our little crew here - but for the most part, everyone was on their best behavior.  My suspicion is that they were all lectured into staying quiet and letting mommy have her day in the sky.
 

And that she did.

Can you even believe the crystal clear blue skies?  

Everyone was starting to wear down at this point...  but you could see a ridge just ahead and I really really wanted to get to the top.
Charlie went on a climbing adventure with me to go see what we could see.

Sam eventually joined us as well.

We found several ranges of more beautiful peaks
We also discovered it's way easier and less slippery to just run down the mountain than it is to try to carefully step.

It was truly a gift to get to experience this kind of day in this gorgeous national park with my favorite boys 💙 at least for me it was
This, here, is a gift for the whole family...  Sam has a really great habit of sneezing when he has to look too long in the direction of the sun...  I have so many pictures like the one above of him in mid-sneeze 😂


On our drive out of the park, we stopped at Reflection Lakes to get one last photo of this beautiful mountain.   It took a bit longer than it should have...  my darling youngest and his daddy were about 30 ft away from me trying to skip rocks, making all kinds of ripples across the entire lake... completely OBLIVIOUS of the 20 other people trying to get their perfect reflection picture.

The endless beauty of being a boy mom!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In That Space

Image
Wow! It's been a while.  Coming to this seat to reflect and write is always in the back of my mind, but sometimes it's just more complicated than others to actually get here. I have several significant events to share with you. I have pictures!! You must see! We've celebrated Charlie turning 5 (Oh my Lord! His world has changed!) We had our family Christmas time. We've had SNOW! We went skiing. Life keeps happening. I photograph it when I can. And I come here when it's time. It occurred to me today why I haven't been posting much.  This blog is primarily a place where I capture memories, store my photos, share a few laughs, and watch my kids grow. I tend to organize it around the photos I take. While I have a few pictures that I want to (and will!) share with you, for some reason my thoughts haven't been very focused on those photos or those events. I've kind of been in a weird space since the beginning of the year. It's not a bad space…...
Read more

… And My Most Silly Sweetheart ~ My Baby

Image
Finally, I get to introduce to you my baby ~ Charlie Aaron Hatcher. Chuckles. The most perfect nick-name there ever was ~ It's so profound as a mother to bring a new life into the world, and only a few short weeks after the little miracle arrives, you feel like you already know his personality and who he will be. I am describing Charlie to you today using nearly the same words I would have used when he was 3-months old. Funny, whimsical, stubborn - yet easy going, independent, and extremely loving (when he wants to be!) This child has enriched my life in so many ways. He is a little ball of energy, with a sassy attitude that cracks you up. And it's all topped off with a sugar coated sweetness that can melt your heart. I thought I had nearly mastered parenting, disciplining, and molding a child by having practiced with Sam ~ but come to find out I essentially had to throw out everything I learned with Sam, because this one has been a whole new ballgame. Amazing how that wo...
Read more

We Heart the Tomato Head

Image
It has become quite a tradition for the Hatcher family to visit our beloved Tomato Head anytime we have the opportunity. Because we tend to go out to eat a LOT… and because a good dining experience is quite high on our (or at list my) list of priorities, the opportunity to go to the Tomato Head presents itself quite frequently. Always once, many times twice per week. I do believe Sam and Charlie have even decided it to be their favorite place to eat (or maybe they just know it makes mama happy!) On Monday, while on our (home) vacation, we decided to take advantage of our glorious East Tennessee treasures up in the Smoky Mountains. Lucky us… there is a Tomato Head in downtown Maryville ~ so we had to visit as we were passing through. At both locations (Market Square and downtown Maryville), we prefer to sit outside. They have their trademark colorful lights hanging at both locations. Our meal always begins with blue chips and hummus. Always. Sam and Charlie gobble up their ...
Read more