Life of a Gal Named Liv

Catching up on (2) of this year’s adventures- both in the magical Wallowas!

The Wallowa Mountains are one of our very favorite places to go (year round!) & this last summer I got to go twice! It’s such a magical place, with the alpine lakes, wildflowers, ice capped mountains, cool rocks, & enchanted flora.

The first trip, in June, was on the edge of being way too cold but we ended up staying the full 3 nights. It was a true test of our athletic capabilities & an excellent test of our marriage! 😉

We arrived late in the day at Hurricane Creek trailhead, got the last spot in the lot, and headed the steep 5 or so miles (straight) up to the lake. It hadn’t been cleared in years, but the 4 of us (phin, me, piñon, and goose) made it up by dusk with… a lot of scratches, sore muscles, & wide eyes enchanted by the beauty!

The last half mile was a sludge through the snow, unsure which way to angle to find the lake. It took a long time, but it was gorgeous!

The next morning, we headed back down Billy Jones trail to Hurricane trail, and up towards Mirror lake!

It was quite the jaunt after the day prior’s adventure, but we made it (once again) by dusk and plopped down at our magnificent campsite.

We spent a night there (slightly less chilly/less snow than the prior) , had a cozy morning drinking cups & cups of coffee, then ventured off to moccasin lake the next day for a quick day trip.

We had a great day wrapped in blankets while fishing & reading! Piñon was quite exhausted. Goose had a grand ole time hunting!

The rest of trip was rather seamless, and we hiked back down the next AM in record time. The next trip was just a month later with much more sunshine, no pups, & Callie!

Ice lake, one of my favorites, is just on the other side of the range as the past hike. It’s a little more populated, more consistent in moderate incline, but has the same level of unmatched beauty as Mirror/Billy Jones.

It’s a great 1st backpacking trip- with just enough suffering for people to get the “feel” of it & of course it has a wonderful “prize” at the end!

It was smokey & hot, so the way up was a trek and a half. Callie was a trooper & even though we both felt like garbage at points we made it.

We had loads of fun, deep talks, & many giggles. A grand time with one of my favorite humans!

It’s always special sharing your favorite places with your loved ones. They get to see a place that has made you “you”…

Cheers to a fun girls trip in the Wallowas!

Can’t wait to be back. Backcountry skiing nearby is in the books for Jan/Feb 2025 & as soon as the snow melts I’ll be back to exploring these alpine lakes!