Tammy over at Tamdoll's Work Space nominated me for the Creative Blogger Award over a month ago!
And now, just as I am finally ready to accept, I suddenly realize I was nominated last year by Chris at Prism Trail! However, since I have already selected my nominees and prepared the text and digitized the images before realizing this, I am going to accept again!
I really, really want to share my nominees - all new or almost new bloggers that are doing a great job and deserve the award!
And I am very excited about sharing a part of me few people know about with the hope that some of you will be inspired to follow in my footsteps!
I am - or was when I was a bit younger - an avid backpacker! I have had a non-stop love affair with mother earth and her secret wild places since I was 9 years old and took my first hike on a mountain trail while attending Girl Scout camp.
Instead of telling you 7 other things you don't know about me, I thought it might be fun to take you to my most favorite places - places you probably have never been to visit! Some can only be reached by backpacking miles into the back country; and others, while easily reached by car, are a long, long way from where most of us live. Despite the relative remoteness of most of my secret wild places, I sincerely hope that at least some of you will be inspired to seek out and experience the magic, peace and renewal waiting patiently for you!
I am including links to every spot I mention; however, please feel free to write me with any questions you might have. I welcome your inquires with open arms!
Photo disclaimer! Some of these images have been digitized from very old slides taken in route using grainy film and without the aid of a tripod! Just so you are prepared for inconsistencies in quality!
So, without any further chatter from me, let's go hiking!
You may already know about this one if you have been following my blog for a while. The Hoh Rain forest in Olympic National Park, Washington State.
There are two lovely day hike trails that are very easy - one is even wheel chair accessible. However the entire park is crisscrossed with a multitude of back country trails, and well maintained roads take you to every major attraction! I promise, you will feel as if you have just landed in Jurassic Park!
Mt. Baker from Artists Ridge Trail, Mt. Baker-Snoqualomie National Forest, Washington State. Take your car right to the top and day hike along a ridge with fabulous views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. A great jumping off place for backpacking into Cascades National Park.
William O. Douglas Wilderness near Chinook Pass, Mt Rainier, Washington State. Great jumping off spot for backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail or for fairly easy day hikes through alpine country. We have seen lots of children on this trail.
Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah. It is easy to find spots that are so quiet your ears will hurt from the lack of stimulation! Bike trails and hiking trails abound, but the park service also maintains excellent roads throughout the parks.
Desert regions of the Southwest. Favorites - Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona; Jushua Tree National Park, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. Spring is the best time to visit. Don't even think about summer!!
I have hiked Grand Canyon trails to the Colorado River, at the very bottom of the canyon, many, many times. Descending into the canyon is like traveling back in time millions, and millions of years. Climbing out of the canyon feels like it is taking millions and millions of years!
My favorite trail to the bottom of the Grand Canyon however, is through Havasu Canyon to the Colorado River. Breathtaking water falls reward your efforts and your tired feet and your sore legs! If the bottom of the canyon doesn't beckon you, there is a fabulous campground just two miles from Havasupai Village. Lots of water falls there too!
Pertified Forest National Park and Painted Desert, both found in Northern Arizona. Another favorite spot to get completely away from it all and listen to silence. Well maintained roads take you to several trail heads for hiking trails. You don't have to go far from the trail head to find the silence.
Green River Lake in the Wind River Range, Wyoming - one of the headwaters of the Colorado River. This gorgeous lake is accessable by car - if you don't mind gravel roads! And it is the trail head for wonderous journeys into the mountain country.
During a backpack trip with Diane, we found an entire hillside completely covered with ripe, wild strawberries! Millions of them!
Spectacular views of dramatic mountain ranges and alpine lakes await hikers entering the Wind River Range at Big Sandy near Pinedale, Wyoming. This area is a backpacker's paradise! And the sheer granite pinnacles appeal to rock climbers.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Not so crowded if you go in June or September. For someone like me who is in love with mother earth, this is the ultimate place to experience her power and wonder. For a quick trip to see Old Faithful link to the Old Faithful web cam!
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. I backpacked the back country trails every summer for 10 years. Week long, 40 mile trips through alpine meadows filled with wild flowers and tiny alpine lakes and stunning views of surrounding cliffs and peaks. This image was taken in the Alaskan Basin, part of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and adjacent to the National Park.
My sweet patient daughter, Diane, at Hurricane Pass - 10,300 feet - with the east side of the Grand, Middle and South Tetons peaks behind her!
It never for one minute occurred to me that she would not share my enthusiasm for wild places so I took her on many of my trips. She never complained. But about ten minutes before we reached the top of this pass, she turned around, looked me squarely in the eye and said " Mother, this had better be awesome."
And it was! She sat on an outcrop overlooking Cascade Canyon and the Teton peaks beyond for most of the rest of the afternoon.
There she is! Can't you see her sitting right at the edge of that snow field at Hurricane Pass in the top center of the image?
Actually this image looking south into Cascade Canyon was taken from the north end - 8 miles away from the pass.
Are you exhausted yet? Need a break? Grab a cup of tea and a couple cookies and let's visit my nominees!
I am supposed to choose seven. Very difficult thing to do - to narrow it down to seven! So I decided to stick to fairly new blogs.
This and That - Avital uses her photographic passion to share her life in Israel and her adventures in the world of craft. Here is a sample of her amazing and spectacular photography.
At Home In Mexico - Angie shares a lively and intimate look into every day life in Mexico and often shares the craft projects completed by her students.
Eurolush - Eurolush takes us on a photographic journey through her life in Germany and her travels to other lands. Don't miss Lucerne, Switzerland!
When Pigs Fly - Anne writes a charming blog filled with excellent tutorials including the most well written tutorial for making a chile ristra on the internet!
Make and Meaning - a collaborative effort by some of our superstar craft bloggers. I am including it because I want to be sure everyone who reads my blog signs on to read Make and Meaning. The content is well written, thought provoking and pertinent. Don't miss this one.
And since it is a collaborative effort, I am exempting them from passing along the award.
Three Pumpking Little - Sandra's blogging style is best described as eclectic! Something new and fresh every post! Like this must try Black Bean Soup!
Wool's Happenin' - Jill's blog is brand new! Check it out! And don't miss this amazing tutorial for making a heart shape basket for the door.
Ok - so I guess we have to deal with the "rules" so the nominees know what to do next:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award and link to their blog.
2. Copy the award to your blog.
3. List 7 things people don't know about you.
4. Nominate 7 bloggers, link to their site and leave a comment on their blog advising them of the nomination.
I hope you will enjoy visiting my nominees as much as I do!
And thank you Tammy for thinking of me and nominating my blog! I had a lot of fun sharing my adventures and my nominees!
