“And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge upon earth’s shore. These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man’s weak praise should be given God’s attention.” – Donald Miller

Let me just preface all of this with the fact that I am a terrible hiker. Kat has the photos to prove it (not that those photos will ever see the light of day, right Kat!). I am slow, I complain, and I really have a terrible lack of endurance. Every single hike I go on, I don’t understand why I put myself through that uphill climb, again. But then I reach the top and that breathtaking view makes me forget the climb. Every single time. And by the time we are heading down, I am always thinking of the next hike I want to do. It really is a vicious cycle.

Yesterday we had the day off from work/ school so my good friends Erin, Emily, and Kat, and I crossed the border and went exploring in Washington state. The Pacific Northwest at its finest. We were initially going to check out the Big Four Ice Caves but at the last minute changed our minds and headed towards Rattlesnake Ridge. It was the best decision. A bit of a drive, taking us past Seattle but totally worth the time it took to get there. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot we were greeted by a stunning lake with these incredible tree stumps near the edge. We waded out and climbed up on them. After exploring the lake for a little while, we started the hike up to the Rattlesnake Ledge. The climb is only about two miles and the path is well established but it wasn’t too busy. About halfway up I was feeling pretty done but the girls were very encouraging, quite literally dragging me along at some points. But we all made it to the top and the view that greeted us was unreal.

I absolutely love the mountains. Hiking is hard but it is so so worth it. Being outside is the best feeling and that fresh mountain air can’t be beat. So grateful that I have friends that enjoy all of this too. #thosepnwgirls. The best. Make sure you go check out Kat’s take on the day on her blog!