As the weather is improving, I am hiking a lot more. This is far and away my favorite way to get exercise, clear my head, and enjoy what our area has to offer. As of the last the few weeks, I have been hiking Pilot Butte two or three times a week and getting up to Smith Rock about once a week. The other areas I like to explore are Paulina Lake, Tumalo Falls Loop, and Benham – Dillon Falls. I usually get out to these last few areas once access opens in May or June.
This Summer I plan on venturing out farther with some multi-day backpacking trips, more strenuous climbs with considerable elevation gain, as well as get out to Crater Lake and the Oregon Coast.
Growing up, getting out into the outdoors was something we would always enjoy. I had the opportunity to live in Boulder, CO for most of elementary school. This where I first fell in love with the outdoors. We would regularly take weekend trips up to the Rockies, as well as hike around and up to Boulder’s famous Flatirons. By the time I got to high school, we lived in Ohio and regular trips to Hocking Hills, Red River Gorge in Kentucky, and backpacking trips to Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee were how we spent most of our Summers.