It was so refreshing to hike with Lucie, a friend I met through the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. She's an avid traveler, hiker, and inspiration, having climbed many of WA's highest peaks.
We started hiking at 8:05am. It was hot, the sky was cloudless, and the parking lot was relatively empty. It was a nice, gradual climb up through the lowland forest. As the trail got more exposed, I reapplied sunscreen. A billed hat was also key.
This was both of our first times hiking the Summer Route (main trail). Instead of bouldering our way up to the top, the main trail guides you to the far backside, switchbacking its way up until you arrive at the lookout.
The lookout was closed (I think it's permanently closed, or at least it's been closed for the past two years). The biggest surprise was little pairs of butterflies fluttering around. It was a sweet and summery surprise, not to mention the views of Mount Rainier which always deliver, as does the 360 panorama on a clear day.
Overall, the hike took us just under 5 hours (which includes the 30 minutes we rested at the top).
Best of all wasn't the lookout, but the trail, the conversation, and the experiences we shared of adventures we've loved and the ones we long for.
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