#melakwalake

11.30.2019 || #MelakwaLake #Washington #USA (at Melakwa Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ywhxsJyGb/?igshid=wjz2yspcqf0b

Drenching wet. Freezing cold. Tired. Hungry. And loving it. #BlackPeopleHike #GirlTrek #iDoThisForTheCulture #FreeBlackGirl #MelaninPoppin #SleeplessInSeattle #MelakwaLake #WashingtonTrailsAssociation (at Melakwa Lake)

Having failed to accomplish the hardest scramble in the book, and happily breezing through the easiest - we set ourselves to attempt something in the middle: Hemlock peak. We started with the hike to Melakwa lake, where we stopped for lunch. We then set off looking for the trail to Hemlock and Bryant peaks, which we had missed on our way up. The trail book mentioned some route finding might be necessary, and indeed it was. We followed our map and compass along a ridge line towards the gully meant to take us to the saddle between the peaks in our sights, and then scrambled up the gully for some time before seeing an old trail marker. We made it to the ridge of the saddle and determined to go for Hemlock peak, as the alternate route looked to be a pretty steep scree shoot. Turns out we chose what was a pretty steep lose dirt route quite closer to the cliff face than Justin preferred. After the (now patterned) freak out on loose dirt in a precarious position on a mountainside, we reached the top and had a rest, a snack, and read a psalm or two before our return. During our descent in the rock gully, we chose to continue downward noticing that the creekbed was to meet up with the trail rather than bushwacking our way back. And while the rocks did lead us back to the trail, it wasn't without adventurous turns where a waterfall and a few steep drop-offs led Jen to kissing the trail when we finally connected.

Winter is upon us! It's been amazing trekking through the seasons here in the Pacific Northwest for the first time. I've hiked through the lush greens of summer, the spectacular colour show of fall and now the beginnings of a winter wonderland are knocking at the door. (So stoked for a ski soon!) #pnw #pnwonderland #melakwalake #dennycreek #alpinelakes #alpinelakeswilderness #winteriscoming #hiking #hikingadventures #getoutside

Cloud ribbons stream over the high peaks above the trail to Melakwa Lake.

Keekwulee Falls cascades down the rocks near the Denny Creek Trail that leads to Melakwa Lake.