The PNW
Published December 14, 2022
So this was a few months late, but I travelled to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for a long overdue vacation. It was filled with food, hiking, and exploring with trips to Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Snoqualmie Falls, and also crossed the border and headed to Vancouver! I've missed it so much, and the first thing you'll notice when getting off the plan is how much fresher the air is up there. The abundance of wildlife and trees brings in that fresh air, and it immediately gives you that energy!
Mt. Rainier
This was the hike I was looking forward to the most, but given the time of the year, we were not guaranteed to get a beautiful view of this. We woke up in the early hours of the morning (4 a.m., to be precise), since the drive was about 3-4 hours from where we were staying. Given that time, we would get to Mt. Rainier around 10 a.m. and would be able to get our hike, which was estimated to be 4 hours taking the longest path, and be able to get back so stay in Seattle with the sun still out.
Unfortunately, we did not get a break, with Mt. Rainier being in overcast the majority of the day, with dense fog in the mornings. Most of the hiking trail had a visibility of less that a quarter of a mile with elevation gain, starting from 6,400 ft and elevating 8,100 ft. First and foremost, be sure to bring lots of water, and though you won't feel like you're thirsty, be sure to make stops to stay hydrated, and remember to pace yourself! It's not like a normal walk, so you will definitely get short on breath.
The early morning hike had fewer people, but this was also due to us hiking after the main season out in June/July, when the weather is perfect, and we went during the fall season (mid-September), where rain is forecasted more often than not. Luckily, we did not encounter any rain during the hike, but we hit small pockets of scattered showers with our drive to and from.
Small waterfalls were abundant at Mt. Rainier due to the glaciers that surround it, so we enjoyed the view of these at the beginning of our hike. When we elevated more and more, the land became more barren, covered with rocks and gravel. If you aren't into the hours of hiking, take the small hike to go to Myrtle Falls, Mt. Rainier's most scenic waterfall, and you can enjoy the whole day still!
The earlier hiking hours definitely helped with the smaller crowds, as well as getting a cleaner photo without everyone standing on the bridge. The fog does take away the depth of the shot, but we have to work with what we had.
The one person in the shot on the left was my friend, so that was planned!
Mt. Baker
The following day, we headed out to Mount Baker, which was a lot closer to where our stay was (about an hour away), and the day was a lot clearer. From the freeway by the Pacific coast, you could clearly see it peering out in the horizon in all its glory, almost like a painting. It was glorious, I don't think a picture could describe how grand it looked.
We took a small canoe out to Baker Lake on this peaceful day, and since it was during off-peak hours, we enjoyed the peace and quiet by just sitting in the lake and listening to the birds chirping and the casual waves crashing ashore. Of all the days, this was the most serene and calming times, where we could sit and reflect on everything, or just enjoy nature at its best.
Vancouver
Knowing Vancouver was only an hour away allowed us to cross the border and enjoy some time in the Great White North! Although it wasn't snowing - or even cold - at the time, we took the opportunity to see Seattle's sister city and do some tourist-y things there.
We first hit Granville Island, which is a market, much like Seattle's Pike Place Market, but a lot more compact. This spot had lots of open-air fruit stands, bakeries, restaurants, and small souvenir shops. It's a great place to walk around and enjoy some time seeing a lot without much driving. The traffic was a rather busy since we arrived on a Saturday morning/afternoon, but it did not deter us. However during the world we live in nowadays, we always have to be cautious!
My favorite spots were the fresh fruit stands, where you can find less common fruit at the grocery stores, such as lychee, dragon fruit, and other asian staples. The lychee was great, and if you've never had it, think of it as like a grape, but instead of eating the entire fruit, you peel the skin and don't eat the seed in the middle.
Located 15 minutes away from downtown Vancouver was a tourist attraction, the Capilano Suspension Bridge. This pedestrian bridge is located in its own park, so there is an admission fee. If you would like to have a small, non-exhausting walk, this is the place to go. There's an abundance of tree cover, and small pathways that lead you from the main suspension bridge to small spots to sit and enjoy the fresh air.
If you have a fear of heights, this may not be the walk for you since the bridge is about 100 feet up from the bottom, and as you cross the bridge, it rocks side to side due to people walking on it and weight shifting to each side. There are side railings to keep you safe, so as long as to no stunt is done, like attempting to do a backflip. All in all, this is a nice stroll that can take an hour from the beginning and stopping to enjoy what the park offers.
There is a small shop that sells refreshments in case you get hungry, but you are close enough to the city that you can always head back in and find some delicious food around!
All in all, this was a fun trip! If you do not want to deal with the sea of people with these sightseeing hikes, go during the fall around September (or October, at the latest), but do note that you take the risk of getting the cloudy/overcast days, like I did. Since it becomes the rainy season for the PNW, I did not get to see Mt. Rainier again, since last time was also a big fail due to not preparing at all for the hike!
Enjoy these other photos taken throughout the trip, and I'll update you next trip! :)
