On paper, the mountains of northern Washington in the dead of winter may not seem like my idea of a dream trip. They’re cold, especially in the winter; I’m a warm weather girl. We were far from civilization; I like the comfort of being in close proximity to an urban hub. Our days were relatively unplanned; I’m the definition of Type A, particularly when I travel.
And yet, our week in the North Cascade Mountains was pretty much the best trip we’ve been on in years.
That’s not to say our gracious hosts, the NVR Guys, didn’t have us taken care of, because they did. But they sent us an email a few days before our arrival that said:
We’ll have a blast—just be prepared for whatever. The conditions should be great for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. But–you know how it goes in these extreme places–shit happens. Worse case scenario, we’re stranded in the house. Come with the expectation to enjoy nature, clear your heads, read books, finish/start projects (nature is good for that), and have awesome conversations. You won’t be disappointed.
The funny thing is that many of our friends seem to think we’re the types who need constant stimulation, and yet this recipe for a week away from all the noise was exactly what I needed. They will never know how much that email set me at peace, knowing very little (if anything at all) was expected of me for seven full days.
So what did we do? Wellllll…
We went nordic skiing, and I discovered I’m not bad at it (just as they promised).
We had long, awesome conversations (just as they promised).
We took Ella on long walks until her little paws were frozen with ice balls.


I read a couple books (again, they did not lie).
Don’t mind my three layers of down; it was EIGHT degrees out, after all.
I inverted (you’re not surprised). In snowshoes, at that.
We had a couple beers (OK, a lot of beers), because this is us we’re talking about.


We snowshoed up to the top of the peak in their neighborhood. The views were epic.


We popped into the cutesy Western-themed town of Winthrop on a couple different occasions.


We laughed. A LOT.
SVV and I busted out a little AcroYoga—or Acro SNOW-ga, if you will—something that was a first for both of us.


You guys, this, this right here, is a recipe for my idea of a perfect vacation.
Somehow the time flew by, too, and on the morning of day six, it was time for us to pack up and go. We had a five-hour drive ahead of us to get back to Seattle, where we’d stay a final night before our flight back home.
And I wasn’t going to be five miles from Leavenworth and not have a pint of beer! This Bavarian-themed town had evaded me for years, and I knew I had to stop by for a peek.


We had lunch and a brewskie at Icicle Brewing Co. before hitting the road again, arriving in Seattle just as the sun was setting. And as if I needed another reason to love the Emerald City, it gave us this as a parting shot:
Thanks for more awesome memories, Washington. Same time, same place next year? You can count us in, no doubt.




That looks like a fun trip! Cold, but when the scenery is gorgeous I think the weather gods can get away with it.
I can told cold in small doses, and I’m already excited for our return trip next winter…as long as the boys invite us back, that is 😉
The best part of living in Seattle was having mountains and snow close by, but rarely a snowflake in the city. Best of both worlds!
If it weren’t so far from the rest of the country, I could totally live there! Oh yeah, and all that rain. I’ll take visiting annually, but I really do LOVE Seattle (and all of Washington, obviously).
I love this. And thanks for chronicling everything via these beautiful photos (really like that one of us three guys staring off).
I’m just trying to earn my invite back, of course!
These photos are unreal! Since living in the midwest I really like cross country skiing. I only wish Bloomington would get more consistent snow.
You’re lucky that you have access to trails, Em! We definitely don’t have the trails (or the snow) here in Tennessee. Maybe I’ll come visit you next winter 😉
Yea! Y’all would like Bloomington. We could do a beer tour + cross country skiing if we get enough snow 🙂
This place looks beautiful and worth to visit amazing capture wow.
I hope you get to visit someday, Asmita!
Wow….. 🙂 First of all these pics are superb & amazing. These pics makes me feel about winter in Washington. I have been in Washington for 4 months & that was winter time. I know how amazing was my that experience.
This post is nice that makes me feel for winter in Washington.
Thank you for sharing these valuable information with us. ts really helpful in our trip.
Thank you
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Hello! How are you? Your blog is amazing. I just read and see the photos of this publication and it is a beautiful place to go with the family on vacation and get out of the routine a bit. It is seen as a great place. I do not think the weather matters to create special moments and memories.
Successes and Blessings!