chain lakes trip report

After two lovely years in Seattle, I’m moving to San Francisco – genuinely a super hard move to make, but I want to be open to change in my twenties while I still can be! I loved living in Seattle, especially with its unparallelled access to the most beautiful nature, and a big personal goal of mine was to get more comfortable in the outdoors. What better way to cap off one of my last weekends in the PNW than a girls trip to Chain Lakes? You can find out more about the Chain Lakes Loop at the corresponding WTA entry.

The Chain Lakes Loop is around a three to four hour drive from Seattle, and it doesn’t require an overnight permit! Huge news for how competitive it is in the PNW. We went as a group of seven for a relatively easy loop, and we choose to get most of the tough workout in the beginning by going counter-clockwise.

One of the most stunning features of this loop is that you’re sandwiched between two incredible views, of Mount Shukshan and Mount Baker. My neck got a little tired trying to take it all in!

The best part of the trip was the huge expansive alpine lake we camped near, so you bet we fit in a little frigid swim (including floaties!). After our swim, we made all of our dinners – one of the best parts of a larger trip is the opportunity to sample all sorts of backpacking foods (so you can take mental note of what’s good for next time!). It was on this trip that I discovered the magic of Peak Refuel’s Chicken Pesto Pasta.

I never quite understood backpacking as a hobby; it always seemed like an expensive bag of chores, from scoping out the right spot to driving far distances to needing to set up your basic survival necessities. My first backpacking trip was actually a bit of a disaster, as it rained the entire time and I was soaked for much longer than one would like.

Weirdly enough though, there’s a few facets of backpacking that have really charmed me, even with trips that don’t always turn out perfect. For one, it’s simply beautiful out there, and with all the screentime I probably log, nothing beats being able to experience life myself instead of through the manufactured experience of another. Backpacking reminds me that hard things are worth doing, that nothing is guaranteed, that nature doesn’t owe you anything – and you’re still able to experience an adventure of a lifetime. I’ve learned that I like getting away and that my biggest responsibilities are really quite simple – to survive and to enjoy my time. Life is stripped down to its simplest form, which I suspect is why people love and hate it.

And, with all the fun I’ve had outside, it makes me so much more appreciative of my car, clean clothes, a warm shower, and my bed! Always grateful for another weekend spent outdoors.