Brushing up on Rock climbing skills!!!!

It's been about 15+ years since my last attempt to rock climb. I wasn't sure how I would do considering I weight a lot more now than I did back in high school. So for $7 at REI downtown Seattle you can climb the large Pinnacle. (This is the one featured on the Bachelor last season.) They provide the harness, shoes and professional belayer. You can choose from a variety of different levels. I chose the straight up and not too technical route. I was surprised at how quick I took to it and easy it was. I had a lot of fun.

My little fashionista in the making!!! One of Ava's favorite things to do during the day is play "Fashion". "Fashion" usually consists of Ava hiding in my closet trying on different styles of my shoes. Once she has found a pair she wants to wear for awhile she emerges from the closet and then spends hours sometimes even the rest of the day walking around the house in my shoes or boots. She has asked me on several occasions if she can have some of my shoes when her feet get as big as mine. I tell her to be careful what she asks for. Size 9 1/2 - 10 is not sooo pretty.

Mike and I went for an overnight backpack trip up to Mt. Ellinor this past week. Rylen had spring break so Grandma watched the kids. (Thank you grandma) The weather was on our side for our trip. We took our split boards with the hopes of snowboarding off the mountain the next day. We had a long hike up the road just to get to the trail head. Because of all the snow and cold weather late in the season most of the road was still blocked with snow. It was fun despite how hard parts of the journey was. We skinned up the road to the switch backs where we then hiked for a little while until we encountered some deep snow. We then put back on our split boards and skinned as far up the chute that we could. From there it was all straight up hill. Kick step. Kick step to the top. We made it to camp after 7.5 hours of hiking, and climbing. We were sooo tired and hungry. We set up camp and ate some food then snuggled in for a good sleep. During the night the wind and snow picked up but we were warm and cozy in our 1 person tent. Which served plenty of room for the two of us. The next morning we ate breakfast and began our journey down the mountain. We tried to snowboard down the chute but it was sheer hard snow and ice from the harsh winds the night before. We mostly scraped our way down the mountain until the switch backs. It was night to get up in the mountains with just Mike and I. It has been awhile for just the two of us to be alone.

Up the road to the trail head.

Cutting up through the trail. Not an easy short cut.
Gear change.

Mike hiking up the switch backs
Strike a pose!
Mike's turn to strike a pose!
One more angle from the top of the chute.

Straight up the chute!
How much further? We had been climbing for 6.5 hours already.
Kick step. Kick, kick, step.

The top of the Mountain
Snuggled in the tent, ready to go to sleep!!
This is what the wind and snow did to our tent over night!! A bit chilly!