This is my favorite hike of the area. It starts out after a very bumpy pothole ridden  13 mile gut jarring drive to the trail head.  Once there its a two mile hike of switchbacks through a typical Pacific Northwest forest. We loaded up our packs, making sure to take lots of water for Isaac and headed up the trail. The clouds had rolled in making for a moody morning in the trees. We followed the switchbacks coming out into high alpine meadows and then back into the trees again. And then we top the ridge and the whole valley on a clear day comes into view with Mount Baker looming larger than life. This day we made our way up to the knoll instead of around the edge of it. Once on top, we decided to have our lunch and Isaac being 21 pulled out a beer.  Of course we needed to bring our favorite hiking treat - Anytime Toffee.  For the three hours we all got along as a family. There was plenty of teasing and roasting but they all got along. Sometimes three young adults within a family don't always get along, but when they do I hold it close to my heart and try to savor that time.  The fact that it happened on my favorite hike was a bonus.

I  love this image with these boys together.