In Pictures, a PNW Summer

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Growing up in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, I don’t really remember wildfires being much of a factor. Of course, that could’ve just been the naivety of youth - after all, summers back then were solely devoted to playing wiffle ball with the neighborhood kids. Even still, wildfires didn’t impress upon my emerging PNW identity.

But these days, the notoriously beautiful PNW summers make me anxious. Statewide burn bans start taking effect in June or July and last until at least September. Smoke from nearby fires wafts into the city and the sun glows menacingly red.

These days the threat of wildfire looms all summer long.

So when the occasional summer rain descends, it allows for a much-needed foggy, misty respite.

The mid-hike thimbleberry snack is a personal favorite of mine.

We’ve been trying to hit the trail quite a bit this summer, making sure the legs are conditioned enough for an upcoming 90-mile hike in England. Overnight backpacking in Washington can be tricky though. Most of the popular spots require permits booked well in advance, and some have a lottery system to even get a permit.

For folks like myself who tend to procrastinate, that poses quite the problem. But if you know where you’re going, you can find some pretty epic backcountry spots that don’t require any permitting or advanced planning.

Of course, the backcountry gets all the love up here in the summer, but Seattle itself is full of beauty as well.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers,

Skylar