In late June, I went to Tacoma, Washington to visit my daughter. I love this area. The stark, rugged profile of the Cascades is awe-inspiring. Mt. Rainier is a behemoth among mountains, dwarfing all the other peaks and showing off her ever-present dome of snow. In contrast, the Olympics remind Read more…
Just before the last week of June, we squeezed in 11.7 miles in three separate hikes. My goal was to find more native orchids and wildflowers before leaving for the Pacific Northwest to visit our daughter. The Round-Leaf Orchid (Platanthera orbiculata) is one of my favorites, and a tricky one Read more…
A few weeks ago, we re-visited Mt. Mitchell to enjoy the long-range views and show our out-of-town friends the highest peaks in the Eastern US. Upon arrival, it was in the high 40s and windy, but abundant sunshine and hiking would generate some heat. Our goal was to find more Read more…