My husband and best friend and adventure partner turns old and grey and thirty today. Happy birthday, JK – it’s all downhill from here, so just strap on those skis and go!

Jeg elsker deg, Gapo!

While we’re on the subject (sort of) of traditions, this is one I’ve really come to enjoy: the annual hike to Kendall Peak Lakes to celebrate Tom’s advancing age.

This birthday celebration is how we first met Tom back in 2009 (though it was actually just a ploy for us to meet Tom’s stout canine companion, Jasper), and the trip was repeated in 2010. At this point we figure we’ll have to keep it going while we still can; Tom’s bones are growing more brittle by the minute and it’s only a matter of time before he falls and breaks a hip.

Ironically, Scott and I were the ones using our walkers (well, feet) while the old man (and JK) donned skis.

This was my first time visiting the lakes in under clear skies, and I finally realized why it’s such a popular snowshoe destination. Even the road walk portion was pleasant (why yes I did just write those words – the sun must have made me delirious).

All in all, it was the perfect trip for a festively plump (*cough*) hiker trying to get back in shape, especially with Jasper around to confiscate our food when he thought we were eating too much.

I don’t know if skiing down the forest road was quite as exciting as Tom had hoped, but at least he made it back to the car with all his delicate joints intact. I guess there’s hope that this tradition will live to see another year.

I heard rumors (aka whining on facebook) of a massive snow dump in the Cascades while I was in Norway, so JK and I decided to cross-country ski up Amabilis Mountain on Sunday. Apparently we should have done more research, since there was barely any snow for the first 1.5 miles and the white stuff we encountered the rest of the way was hardly fit for skiing (although I could just be saying this to cover up my lack of skiing skills).

I was also totally unprepared for how deliciously warm it would be. It was amazing! I rolled my pants up (and cursed myself for wearing my black ninja clothes instead of a t-shirt) and went on to stockpile enough vitamin D to last me all week.

After optimistically putting our skis on and dejectedly having to take them off again about seven times due to the random whims of the pathetic snow cover, we got annoyed and decided to forge ahead, snow or no snow:

Once we hit continuous snow, the rest of the trip was a breeze. This little mountain has a lot of views for minimal effort. We soaked up some more sun at the top while eating cowboy cookies and taking in the scenery.

Skiing back down was like trying to push myself forward through some sort thick, gloopy paste, but (miraculously!) we made it back to the car without a single fall.

This was a great little cross-country ski tour even for a novice (I fear I am forever entrenched in this category); it’s a gentle uphill all the way, which fortunately also means it’s a gentle downhill on the way back. According to my GPS, our loop was 11 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain.

Park at the Cabin Creek Sno Park (you need a groomed trails pass in the winter when there is actually snow that can be groomed). North of the freeway, ski (in our case, walk) Forest Service Road 4826 until you get to the sign for Amabilis Mountain/FS 4822. After two miles or so, you get to a junction; both roads lead to the top.

As if the day wasn’t good enough already, we stopped and had phở on the way home. Aah, Washington, how I have missed you.

Happy holidays! I hope everyone had a good *insert your holiday of choice* celebration. I was a little concerned that Christmas would feel sad this year without having any family over from Norway, but JK and I (and the pups of course) had a wonderful time.

For us, Christmas begins on the 23rd, Little Christmas Eve. Since we knew we wouldn’t be getting a white Christmas in Redmond this year, JK took the day off so we could find some snow in the mountains instead. Out of sheer laziness, we went back to Skyline Ridge. I was there just a couple of weeks ago, but it’s short, easy, doesn’t require any planning, and it seemed like the perfect place for JK to try his new randonnée skis. I followed him on snowshoes.

We had been promised sun, but skies kept changing from blue to grey to white to yellow and pink, which made for some eerie light but unfortunately blocked our views to the north. As we climbed above the Stevens Pass ski area, we got some excellent views into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

The local views weren’t bad either – after listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks in the car on the way up, the snowy trees were all it took to finally get my into the Christmas spirit. Bliss!

(If anyone has any tips on taking photos of snow on overcast days, please share – mine always come out dull, grey and flat, even if I overexpose the shot.)

Mount Daniel was looking particularly handsome and dramatic:

As we rounded the lake, I spotted a familiar white and black dog in the forest. It was Jasper and his dad, Tom, on the way back from a peakbagging adventure on the other side of the ridge. They joined us for the rest of our trip (even though it meant they had to go back up to the rock garden), which was good for me so I could have some company on the way down while JK skied.

JK made it all the way back to the car without falling (or so he claims), and then we headed home to get started on the nut loaf and risengrynsgrøt…and the donning of gay apparel.

Since I am stuck at home with some sort of ill-timed plague while JK and the pups are out hiking, I figured I might as well mention some of the trips we’ve been doing lately. My hope is that I will at some point in the not-to-distant be less lazy and actually blog about stuff when it happens. Sure..

Mount Catherine:

Ok, this one was fun. After some trip planning confusion, JK and I headed to Snoqualmie Pass to test our cross-country skis, but on the way we were invited along to Mt Catherine with Tom and Carol (scary people from The Internet). While proficient skiers might make it up there on skinny little cross-country planks, we were glad to have brought our snowshoes as backup. Unfortunately we only had our ski boots, so I got some interesting blisters that day.

After hiking through a magical forest (and a less magical, downright boring forest), we gained the summit of Catherine. It is not a high mountain by any means, but the summit ridge is narrow enough to make you feel cool. For more details (and cute photos of Jasper dog), you can read Tom’s trip report.

Cross-country skiing:

Eventually we did get out to try our skis – first for a quick, flat, boring five miles by Snoqualmie Pass…

…and then for a midweek not-boring-at-all trip up to High Hut for an amazing view of Mount Rainier:

There’s a whole little hut-to-hut system (almost like in Norway!) down there, and I hope we’ll get a chance to visit all of them.

We hung around by the hut for a couple hours and went inside to warm our cold cheeks, but we were both bummed that we couldn’t spend the night. Imagine seeing the sunset and sunrise from up there…

I wrote a trip report here if you want more info on the hut. The 2,400 feet of elevation we gained on the way up to the hut proved interesting on the way back down again. I really have no business on cross-country skis at all…

Training hikes:

Aah, yes, training hikes. A necessary evil to get in shape for the alpine climbing class we’re taking this spring. We’ve been tromping aroung on local trails like Mount Si, Rattlesnake Ledge and Tiger Mountain with 35-45 lb packs. Fun fun.

Last week we joined the Thursday Night Afterburners for their first hike of the season, to Poo Poo Point. I didn’t add any extra weight to my pack for that one since they are certifiably insane and pretty much just run up the trail. JK is at the second hike as we speak, while I am stuck here all congested and feverish. Whine whine whine.

Less whining, more cute hiking photos of puppy Wellington:

I really hope I get better before Saturday as it will be our first field trip with the class. I’ll keep eating Sudafed like it’s candy and hope for the best.