Here, my friend and I (the one I went to Lake 22 with) also encountered some snow but it was by far less problematic and thankfully there was none in the parking lot. We left around 8:30 a.m. and arrived around quarter after 9 a.m. This was perfect because there were only a couple people parked there at the start, but by the time we had finished the hike it was already full. I would definitely recommend going earlier in the day so you can avoid the large crowd on the way up, but quickly pass them on the way down. This also is nice as it allows you to have more space on the ledge and less interference if you try to take pictures of the landscape. The hike up is really pretty, and there are a couple spots where you can step off to look at a waterfall. The path has a lot of roots, rocks, and bumps so I would recommend taking good shoes so you don’t twist your ankle. There is a spot that consistently has water trickling across it, so again hiking boots is a good choice for this hike. Also, it’s a good idea to bring some snacks or even lunch up with you to munch on while you’re on the ledge because there are lots of flat parts where there’s space for a group of people to sit together. The view of the lake below is breathtaking, especially if you go later into the summer because it will look bright blue. When I went this year it was a little more gray, but nonetheless very pretty. The mountains are equally as beautiful along with the dense evergreen forests. This trip was especially exciting because my friend found out that she was accepted into her dream college summer program on the top of the ledge! You can also take a further hike after the ledge that I believe is about 13 miles. I’m sure that this is also an awesome trip, but I have never hiked it as I am nowhere near that in shape. Overall, I completely recommend going here, and if you just go to the ledge it only takes a couple hours, depending on how long you spend on the ledge.
My trip to Lake 22 with one of my friends was definitely an sort of adventure. We decided to go hiking her around the beginning of March when I had the false hopes of spring weather coming. The drive up to the trail head was fine, but as we approached the parking lot we noticed that there was more and more snow build-up along the side of the road. It seemed weird, but didn’t bother us too much at the time. As we kept driving, we noticed that even though we had arrived at the mountain we still had about 40 minutes of driving left on Google Maps. Soon I realized that it was leading us to drive up to the actual lake instead of the trail head parking lot.
We ended up having to turn around a drive a while back down, only to realize that the parking lot was completely full. There seemed to be an unofficial over spill lot across the street, but as soon as we turned into it we knew we were going to have a problem. Not only was the entire ground covered in a thick layer of snow and ice, and it wasn’t an actual parking lot but some narrow road leading to camp grounds. We might have been able to pull into a small space but my friend’s car tires started spinning as soon as we started pulling into the spot with snow that hadn’t been packed down. While we were trying to figure this out, a line of other cars formed behind us also trying to find a parking spot, but not only was there no room for anyone to pass us, there was also not enough space to turn around. We ended up having to explain what happened to each driver and ask them if they could back out onto the highway so that we could get out of the lot since parking here wasn’t really an option anymore. Thankfully they were all compliant (I guess there wasn’t much of a choice really) and we were able to slowly back out after having a couple scares of the tires spinning and some very nice guidance from the car that had pulled in directly behind us. We decided to follow the original route that Google Maps had given us to the road that leads up the mountain, but we had to do so by memory because by this time we were long out of the range of service. Just our luck, this road was also covered in snow and of course, there was no parking. In the end, we parked on one of the pull-out spots off of the highway along with another hiker. We were too far from the trailhead to walk all the way back down (and I brought my dog Sky, so it was risky walking with her by so many cars anyway), so we decided to just head for the road that went up the mountain. When we got there we saw a shovel that someone had left to help future people out that had gotten stuck in the snow like they had (first picture). We thought this was pretty ironic and wished someone had left a shovel back at the trailhead parking lot too. Anyway, we ended up walking up the road to about halfway up the mountain and then turned around because the road was a lot longer than the trail would have been and we didn’t have enough time to finish the hike. The road was horrible and covered in huge potholes, and the whole thing was covered in snow and slush, which made the hike a lot for entertaining than it would have been. Each of us slipped probably about 20 times, and I had only worn tennis shoes so my feet were soaked a half hour into it. We only saw three cars on during the hike, and they looked like they were having as much trouble as we had getting up there. Also (not surprisingly since this was a road and not an actual hike) we only saw two other people walking the entire time. Basically, the moral of the story is a) make sure there is no snow when you go hiking or take a car that has snow tires, b) bring a Discovery Pass because we forgot one, and c) do not wear tennis shoes to go hiking. Otherwise, even though we didn’t get to see any of the views it seems like a nice place to go hiking and I definitely will try to make a second trip sometime in the summer. This is a great place to go whether the weather is clear or not. The view of the water from the bridge is absolutely amazing. Every time that I’ve visited Deception Pass there hasn’t been a crowd, which is nice considering the fact that the walkway on the sides of the road are super narrow. I would definitely recommend bringing a windbreaker or something warm-ish to wear because it gets pretty windy being so high up. Also, it is really cool after you get off the bridge to walk down underneath it. I’ve noticed this is a very popular spot for Instagram photos, but if that doesn’t float your boat it is still a neat view of the bridge to check out. Across from the parking lot, there is a little ways you can walk up for a wider landscape, and there are a couple trails going off of it that are fun to explore. My favorite thing to do is to go by the water. If you’d like to take a small hike, there is a trail (all of it is very clearly marked!) that you can take to go down to a beach. Since the bridge is the largest attraction, there are even less people to encounter down there and you get another angle of the bridge! This would be a great place to bring your dog too as it is a ways off from cars and the majority of tourists. On the beach, there are a couple picnic tables, so I would also recommend doing a little planning ahead of time to pack a lunch and enjoy some food as well as the awesome view! This past spring break, I went on a trip to Disneyland with my family. I’ve been before, and it’s always loads of fun! If you can, definitely try to visit someday. Here’s a few tips and some of my favorite things to do.
Definitely, and by all means I recommend taking a trip to Orcas Island. From the scenery to the food, it is simply the perfect weekend vacation. I started off my trip with a ferry ride from Anacortes to the island, and with gorgeous weather out with a bright blue sky and summer-like clouds it was a beautiful hour-long cruise. My brother and I like to go out on the deck for a 180 view of the water, but if there are lots of people out and the wind gets too chilly, we head to the back of the ferry where there is usually no one else to be found. Even if you don’t plan to spend the night on one of the islands or if you are looking for a ferry ride that’s a little more exciting than the Edmonds-Kingston or Mukilteo-Whidbey ferries, this trip is definitely worth it. Make sure you make a reservation if you are travelling by car at least 24 hours beforehand, or you may have to delay your trip a day or so.
The first night we arrived, we decided to take the windy forest drive up Mt. Constitution where there is a watchtower to see the sunset. It was absolutely fantastic. The clouds were beautifully reflected in the water and the sky turned many shades of pink and orange over what felt like hours that we spent at the top just looking out over the water. Not only was this a picturesque spot where it was impossible to take a bad picture, the view was so clear that you could easily pick out familiar towns across the water. Equally as stunning as the water was how clearly you could see the Olympic mountains. Usually you can only see a snippet of the range here and there, but from the mountaintop you could see the entire expanse of them. Climbing up the stone watchtower in the dark was thrilling in itself. Although it was built in 1936, you feel like you’re in a castle from centuries ago as you step on the cold stones and pass by the open windows. There are also tons of hikes that to go on and explore even more of the beauty of the island. My personal favorite was the Mountain Lake Loop in Moran State Park. An easy 4 miles, it is a walk on which you can spot huge fur trees and wildlife like herons sitting on the edge of the still lake. If camping is your go-to, there are also hundreds of spots that would be absolutely perfect to go to here, including some located in Moran State Park. You can also take a leisurely drive across the island through forests and farms. I quickly didn’t feel like I was on an island anymore, but instead somewhere in England or in the middle of a James Herriot novel in Scotland. Along the way, my favorite part was seeing all the baby cows and sheep. I would recommend going to Orcas Island Pottery, a hard to find shop full of every single piece of pottery imaginable and in every color. They also have the most awesome treehouse that you can go up and wish you were five years old all over again. For food, I would 100% recommend going to the Madrona Bar & Grill in Eastsound. The fish and chips there was by far the best any of us have ever tasted before and the portion sizes were huge. We went for dinner after dark, but judging by the proximity to the water and the windows all around the cafe, it would also be a beautiful place to watch the sunset and eat. This was my first time visiting the San Juan Islands, and it is safe to say that it is one of the most breathtaking places I’ve been. The entire weekend we spent there, the weather was amazingly pleasant for most of the days, with some light rain here and there. On our third day, I woke up from a nap to look outside and found that it was snowing! The snow was bigger than a quarter in size and watching the flakes fall down among the evergreens from the inside of our warm cabin with huge windows was magical - I felt like I was in the middle of a book or movie scene. All around, I would certainly recommend visiting Orcas Island for a day trip or even a week long trip where you can make your own schedule and have an amazingly relaxing time while enjoying the beautiful scenery. This summer, I went on a 2 week trip to the island of Hawaii with my family. The island is beautiful and offers lots to do for visitors! We stayed on the Western side in Kailua-Kona. It’s not as lush as it is further inland--in fact, much of the land is covered in black lava rock and scrubby bushes and trees, but it is just as lovely! I definitely recommend visiting the island of Hawaii if you can. Here I’ll share a few tips and some of my own experiences on the island. Things to do:
Dear Friends,
While your health should always be a top priority throughout your life, we here in the 2017-2018 Driftwood mag. team have been looking for a way to promote activity and broaden our interests over the summer and during the upcoming school year. As a result: Introducing the new "Travel" column of Driftwood Magazine! We want to encourage our readers to be curious about the world around them, and to always be on the lookout for new adventures. You don't have to travel to Europe. or be an all-natural Rick Steves to describe the places you've been and loved (although that would be nice, wouldn't it?). All you have to do is write up a paragraph or two describing your favorite parts, a few photos, and any recommendations you'd give to those following your footsteps. Feature anything from your month-long trip in Portugal to some neat places you found down in Kingston, and show us what you've got like any other piece by following the directions in the "Submit" page. Happy Travels! Molly, On behalf of the Driftwood team. These are a few pictures from our previous walks. We had a lot of fun with these!
This hike was so unique and beautiful - it started as a quick forestry walk with some gorgeous mossy stairs, to a huge open field with old houses and buildings, and finally down some sand-cliffs to a scenic little beach spot. We had a lot of fun and hope you can join us on our next photo walk!
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