https://theblondewithabackpack.com/

The Blonde with a Backpack, Dassel, MN (2025)

08/18/2025

🏔️🍷Happy hour🍷🏔️

Travel.
Climb Mountains.
Be Inspired.
Drink Good Wine.
Drink Swiss Wine.
Fall in Love.

08/17/2025

🌹☀️Inspiration☀️🌹

I’ve been looking for the perfect picture of Indian Paintbrush for YEARS. It’s my favorite flower and often when I hike in the mountains I’m much slower because I’m constantly taking pictures of this stunning wildflower. I quite literally have hundreds of pictures of it.

Yesterday I was walking around an art fair in Jackson when I spotted this wall hanging where Indian Paintbrush is the highlight of the picture. I immediately loved it and decided it’s the picture I’ve been looking for.

I asked the photographer where this picture was taken, thinking it was somewhere here in the Tetons. But it was taken on a hike on Catherine Pass in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. I’ve never been to Catherine Pass. The photographer told me exactly where it was taken so I can hike there and see this same view in real life. I can’t wait - I’ve added it to my hiking list.

This picture will now hang on my wall and remind me of all the amazing hikes I’ve done in the mountains, carpeted with Indian Paintbrush. And it most certainly will inspire me to lace up my hiking shoes and hit the trails. 🥾❤️🏔️

08/16/2025

💃Swing Dancing at the Silver Dollar💃

I’m usually willing to try anything once, so when the girls told me that they wanted me to go out with them and try swing dancing I was ready to give it a shot.

They made it look easy and effortless as they twirled around the dance floor.

Then it was my turn. Let’s just say that I definitely have two left feet! It felt clunky and awkward, to say the least. 😂

Jackson, Wyoming has a vibrant entertainment scene. Lots of live music, dancing, and concerts. I’m used to quiet evenings in Teton Valley, the quiet side of the Tetons. But for people who want more of a nightlife, Jackson has plenty to offer.

As for swing dancing, I don’t think it’s for me. I better stick to hiking. 🥾 ❤️

08/15/2025

❤️🏔️Life is Short 🏔️❤️

There was a hint of fall in the air last weekend. It was brisk when I woke up Saturday, but the sun rising over the Tetons was glowing and gorgeous. With cooler temps, it seemed like the perfect day to tackle Table Mountain again.

Table Mountain never gets any easier. You gain about 2,000 feet in elevation over the first mile and a half. It’s four miles nearly straight up to reach the top. Every year I tell myself I’ll be in better shape for the next time I hike it. And every year I find myself questioning my judgment. If my lungs could take it, I probably would have complained about my legs and lungs burning all the way to the top. But, as you hike above 11,000 feet, simply breathing is a challenge. No one talks on the way up. It’s all huffing and puffing…and questioning one’s life choices. 😂

This time an 83 year old man was making the strenuous trek to the top of Table Mountain. I was beyond impressed. It turns out he was a doctor and has hiked Table Mountain before. How many times? According to him, he’s hiked it well over a dozen times. And last Saturday, he was doing it again. One foot in front of the other, steady as can be. I found myself hoping that I’ll be able to still do the hard hikes when I’m 83 years old.

On Sunday I learned that a college classmate of mine had died after a short battle with an aggressive cancer. Yesterday I learned that a high school classmate died on Tuesday morning at his home, suddenly and unexpectedly. I’m reminded that life is short. Travel. Climb mountains. Never stop exploring. And hike the hike. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, so make the most of today.

🥾Table Mountain | 10.1 miles | 4,143 feet elevation gain

08/08/2025

🏔️🎶Music on Main🎶🏔️

When I first discovered Music on Main a couple years ago, I fell in love with summer Thursdays in Victor. Fresh mountain air, cool sunsets, food trucks, and amazing music. It’s bliss.

Tonight’s Music on Main lineup included some really great blue grass bands.

08/04/2025

🏔️❤️Idaho❤️🏔️

“Hello, sun in my face…
…good morning, good morning, good morning.”

— Mary Oliver

07/30/2025

🌊❤️Minnesota Lake Life❤️🌊

Last summer, just before we were about to head west to spend most of the summer in the mountains, Condé Nast Traveler’s summer magazine cover promoted Minnesota with “dive in!” It touted all the wonderful things about spending lazy days on the water during the glorious days of summer in Minnesota.

Well, shoot. Suddenly I felt a little fear of missing out. Was I making a mistake by trading summer lake life for summer in the mountains?

I loved my summer in the mountains and never thought twice about missing lake life in Minnesota. Zero regrets. In fact, I decided that *every* summer should be spent in the mountains.

But then, in an unexpected twist over the winter, a lake property that I adore came on the market. On a lake near and dear to my heart. Opportunities like this one come along once in a lifetime, so we jumped at it.

It’s been a fun couple of weeks enjoying lake life at the new cabin in Minnesota. I’m reminded why people enjoy getting away to the lake to relax and unwind. Campfires, boat rides, sounds of loon calls, sitting in the sauna then jumping in the lake to cool off, waterskiing….I’ve loved it.

That’s a wrap on Minnesota lake life for Summer 2025. The mountains are calling…and I must go. 🏔️❤️

07/24/2025

❤️🏔️Paradise Inn 🏔️❤️

During my first trip to Mount Rainier National Park 19 years ago, Paradise Inn, with its glorious views of not only Mount Rainier, but also the Tatoosh Range, was closed for renovation. So when we traveled to Mount Rainer this year, I knew I wanted to stay in the historic inn.

National Park lodging isn’t always glamorous. And it can be expensive. On this visit we had a shared bathroom down the hall. But it was worth it. The views from Paradise Inn are better than anything you’ll find outside the park. And having the Skyline Trail right outside your door is a convenience that’s worth every penny.

After the Grand Canyon North Rim lodge burned down last week, I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to stay in so many of these historic lodges in the National Park system. Paradise Inn is one of those special places, where after hiking all day, each evening you can watch the sunset from the porch and meet people from all over the place.

Watch the sunset. Stay at the historic inn. Hike the hike. And meet the cool people who cherish these incredible places much as you do.

07/14/2025

🔥Life Can Change in an Instant🔥

My elation over my good fortune in being able to book lodging at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim was short lived. Overnight the lodge burned to the ground in a devastating wildfire.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was perched on the edge of the Canyon with some of the best views on earth. It was a beautiful lodge made of stone and ponderosa pines with huge windows so that one could sit in awe at the grandeur of the surroundings.

All of my experiences on the North Rim have been quite an adventure, from eight inches of snow, to mice in the cabin, to seeing my first scorpion. I always imagined I’d make it back for more. And perhaps I will make it back someday, if it’s rebuilt. But it will never be the same.

It’s a reminder not to postpone life. Don’t put off seeing the world. Take the trip. Hike the hike. Life can change in an instant. Carpe diem.

07/12/2025

🍀A Stroke of Luck🍀

I’ve been daydreaming about another rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike the past couple of weeks. This time, I want to hike from the South Rim to the North Rim.

Securing lodging on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon can be challenging unless you book about a year in advance. So when I decided to look to see if any lodging was available on the North Rim this coming October, I knew I was late to the game. I was expecting to find the lodging booked solid and having to work hard over the next couple months to book a cabin. But, with a stroke of luck, there was one cabin available for just one day in October. And the date worked perfectly with my schedule! I immediately booked it.

Then I decided to check airfare. More luck! Round trip airfare was only $130. I immediately booked airfare, too. I couldn’t believe my luck.

It’s meant to be.

See you in three months, Grand Canyon. Let the training begin! That 6,100 foot elevation gain climbing out of the Canyon to the North Rim will be a challenge. 😊

Tip: Booking lodging in popular national parks can be tough. Even when lodging is sold out, there are always last minute cancellations. It often takes persistence, checking back repeatedly. It can be time consuming, but it’s worth it. Last year I was able to book last minute (when I say last minute, I mean it - I literally booked it the week before) lodging for a week in Glacier National Park. Remember, persistence pays off!

07/11/2025

❤️🗻 The Majestic Mount Rainier 🗻❤️

“Of all the fire mountains which, like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific Coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest.” — John Muir, 1901

At 14,410 ft, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range. It is also the mountain with the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states.

Mount Rainier, also known also known as Tahoma, is a large, active stratovolcano. Just this week, Mount Rainier has experienced a swarm of small earthquakes. A reminder that it is an active volcano. Due to the high probability of an eruption in the near future and Mount Rainier’s close proximity to Seattle, it is considered to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

But, on this day, a clear, blue sky day, looking up at its many glaciers covered in snow and ice, one would have no idea that, on the summit, steam escapes from deep within the mountain’s core. For today it is a magical place for adventure and to explore.

07/08/2025

🗻🥾Chutes and Ladders: Mount Rainier Edition🥾🗻

The calendar might say July, but last week winter and spring were hanging on for dear life on Mount Rainier. The trails in the area around Paradise were still snow covered in many places. The downside to this is that we were too early in the season to see wild flowers at the higher elevations. But the upside is that all the snow provided a bit of extra adventure.

We hiked the Skyline Trail to Panorama Point. It was a stunning day. Mostly clear skies, temperature in the mid 80°s, and a trail that was at least sixty percent snow packed.

Behind the Tatoosh Range, we could see Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens in the distance. And as we hiked ahead, The Queen of the Cascades, Mount Rainier, with her many glaciers and in all her 14,410 ft glory beckoned us.

The elevation gain on this hike was only about 1,800 ft, so it wasn’t terribly strenuous. Even in the snow. There weren’t any ladders, however we did climb in elevation, and as we climbed higher and higher on the mountain, we could get a closer look at Mount Rainier’s rugged glaciers. Some even had a blue hue.

Once we reached Panorama Point, we began our descent. And there were options for getting down the mountain! You could hike, glissade down the snow, or try one of the many chutes that hikers before us had made in the snow. I was tempted by those chutes. What if I never had the opportunity to try it again? I had to try one.

So I did. I decided to hop into one of the longest chutes on the mountain and slide down. It was basically like a human luge run. And it was FAST!

Hindsight, going down the chute in short sleeves and shorts is a dumb idea. If I were to do it again, I’d want to have pants and a jacket. When I reached the bottom of the chute, I had snow in places I didn’t know one could have snow! Up my shorts. In my underwear. In my shirt. In every pocket of my backpack. In my hair. In my shoes. In my socks. My sunglasses were wet with melted snow.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. However, it was a bonus that it was an 85° day, so although I was caked with snow, I never got cold, even though I had another three miles to hike down the mountain.

The Skyline Trail on Mount Rainier was, hands down, my favorite version of Chutes and Ladders of all time.

🥾Hike: Skyline Trail to Panorama Point | 6 miles | 1,800 ft elevation gain

❄️ When there is snow on the trails, hiking poles make a world of difference! I had micro spikes along as well, but never used them (although I saw several people wearing them).

This trail is rated hard on AllTrails. Even with the snow pack, with proper gear I think this hike more moderate than hard.

The Blonde with a Backpack

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