by Paty | Dec 8, 2021 | The Great Outdoors
2020 was the year that changed everything. The pandemic forced so many of us to re-think our priorities, and we began to ponder the big existential things of life. One of the questions I found myself asking was: Am I giving back enough? Sure I might donate cash to...
by Paty | Nov 26, 2021 | Oregon Coast Trail, West Coast
The sights along the 400-mile long Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) might surprise the average backpacker. Instead of towering mountain peaks or wildflowers, this unique trail showcases Oregon’s rugged coastline along with the smell of briny saltwater and roar of the...
by Paty | Oct 21, 2021 | Books, Gear, Oregon Coast Trail
Do you want to know my biggest challenge while thru-hiking the Oregon Coast Trail (or OCT)? It wasn’t the road walks along busy Highway 101. Nor was it the long stretches of solitude without a trail family. It wasn’t even trying to time the ocean’s...
by Paty | Oct 19, 2021 | HP blogs
It’s October, and my highpointing season is finally is over for this year. The weather is changing. Snow is starting to fall in the mountains. I have no more peaks or obscure places left to visit until next spring. Yet, as I look back, I’m pretty...
by Paty | Oct 1, 2021 | Oregon Coast Trail, West Coast
I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t hike the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) exactly the way I wanted. My itinerary was less than ideal! In retrospect, I should have gone much, much slower. Eighteen days wasn’t nearly enough time to appreciate everything...
by Paty | Sep 30, 2021 | Timberline Trail, West Coast
Although the Timberline Trail was just a short ~40-mile loop around Mt. Hood, this three-day backpacking trip was quite an adventure. And so, as with many of my other longer hikes, I’ve decided to put together a “by the numbers” roll-up of my recent...
by Paty | Sep 21, 2021 | Oregon Coast Trail, West Coast
Once again I’m back with a quick overview of the stats and metrics for the things I encountered on my most recent thru-hike – the Oregon Coast Trail (aka the OCT). This end-to-end trail begins at the state’s northern border with Washington and runs down the...
by Paty | Sep 19, 2021 | Gear, Timberline Trail, West Coast
My 40-mile trek around Mt. Hood was my last backpacking trip of the 2021 season. The mid-September weather was still dry and warm, so I was able to pack pretty light for this adventure. Nonetheless, I still wanted to try out a few pieces of gear that weren’t on...
by Paty | Sep 15, 2021 | Timberline Trail, Trail Journals, West Coast
Tuesday – Sept. 14, 2021 Start Point: Cloud Cap Saddle Campground End Point: Timberline Lodge Today’s Mileage: 14 miles Total Distance: 39 miles I slept much more soundly at Cloud Cap Saddle campground last night. Probably because no one was shining a headlamp...
by Paty | Sep 14, 2021 | Timberline Trail, Trail Journals, West Coast
Monday – Sept. 13, 2021 Start Point: North of Ramona FallsEnd Point: Cap Cloud SaddleToday’s Mileage: 15 milesTotal Distance on Trail: 25 miles So….I went to bed last night mentally kicking myself for forgetting my stove at home. I...
