hangin in our backyard

No, not our backyard with all the flowers and vegetables...I mean our backyard as in "our backyard of Washington."  Today, in an hour's drive from our house we were at a seemingly distant trailhead, donning boots and hiking to Lake Serene.  We started in the green green rainforest under super cloudy skies, but after climbing a couple thousand feet ended up in the rocky peaks at a still frozen-over lake.

Yes, its mid-June.

Our good friends Simon and Faith and Hala joined us for the first outing of the season - was a spectacular day.

 

AJ under Bridalveil Falls

 

forest color

 

dopey hikers

 

gaining altitude

 

new ferns

 

brute strength

 

fallen log

 

after the rain

 

approaching Lake Serene

 

Lake Serene

 

remember - its mid-June

 

snowfields to the lake

 

our little rosy-cheeked friend, Hala

 

wildlife!

 

AJ and JJ

 

frozen lake

 

picnicers

 

blue skies comin thru

 

river crossing, going back down 

 

verdant valley

 

Skykomish River down low

 

down the mountain we go

 

manifest destiny

 

selected greenery

 

forest light

 

fiddlehead

 

mossy maple

 

Devil's Club

 

cooling off

 

green, green, green