Classes at UW started back up last week, which I guess puts a wrap on my summer, at least officially speaking - I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, though. It’s been an unusual summer, and not only because of Covid. This was my first summer wandering around in a post-Bulger daze, trying to figure out what to do now that I don’t have a list for guidance. I took up mountain biking, which offers a lot of fun, and less time spent taking photos. For my trips into the mountains, I tried to get into the areas that the Bulger list didn’t take me, although I still have lots more ground to cover on that front. Highlights include a great but too-short trip into the southern Pickets to climb the East Ridge of Inspiration, a long (for me) solo backpacking trip to Whatcom Pass and Tapto Lakes, a skyline traverse of the Liberty Bell-Early Winter Spires group, and a silly overnight bushwhack off of Highway 20 for a view of the Ragged Ridge from the north. Special thanks is owed to Sean for supporting me as I continue to push my alpine climbing goals.
Outside of the Cascades, I spent more time discovering new scenes in southern California, where I’ve been feeding my strange and potentially misguided obsession with lone trees in golden fields. I also returned to Glacier National Park and Grand Teton National Park, although both of those places deserve much more time than I was able to spend.
Some abbreviated statistics:
28 nights camping
113,605 vertical feet climbed
276 miles hiked
Countless photos taken (including plenty on 4x5 and panoramic film formats)
I whittled the many photos I took down to 17 of my favorites, not just for their artistic merit, but also because of the memories they conjure up.
