It’s a huge first for us over here! We went snowshoeing for the first time on New Year’s Day.

It felt like we punched another hole in our PNW Native punch card. You know, the one that includes camping, five-panel hats, a REI membership, owning a Subaru, wearing hiking boots to the store, and a Nalgene covered in enough stickers to support a local print shop (not to brag, but I would be screaming bingo right now).

As the warmer weather drew to a close and the cold set in, we started to feel down. In the past, that meant staring at our cool camping gear and dreaming of late spring, when we could finally dust it all off and adventure again.

This winter, though, we decided not to be fair-weather explorers. It all started with Britney’s obsession with snow pants…

Hey, it’s Britney here! I’m jumping in to share about my obsession with my North Face snow bibs and the amazing resale site that I found them on. Honestly, I’m not sure where this obsession to find snow bibs came from. Maybe they remind me of my years as a kid tromping around in overalls (my mom reminds me often that they tried to get me to wear something else, but I flat out refused). We haven’t really engaged in snow activities before now, but for whatever reason I couldn’t stop trying to find a pair. I think somewhere I knew that it would unlock a whole new world of adventures that we had yet to experience (more on that in a moment).

Here is where I’m going to really geek out. Not only did I find the exact pair of North Face snow bibs that I had been searching for, but I managed to score them for just $30 – brand new with the tags still on! All thanks to our new favorite resale site – GearTrade.com! Gear Trade specializes in reselling gently used (or new) outdoor gear, which makes adventuring more approachable for everyone and aids in sustainabilty. Both which are incredibly important things to Ed and I! If you haven’t heard of them, we cannot recommend their site enough.
And now, back to our snowshoeing adventure!

The deeper we dive into spending time outside, the more we find ourselves drawn to the unique vibe of local shops. Enumclaw Ski and Mountain was a perfect example with its free-spirited energy. Instead of some ski shops’ polished, lodge-like atmosphere, this place felt like an adventurer’s playground. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating racks of brightly colored outerwear and rows of skis and snowboards. The air buzzed with the excited chatter of fellow outdoor enthusiasts, their passion palpable. Our friends, Alex and Hannah, needed to rent snowshoes, and the staff, equally stoked about life and mountain adventures, were more than happy to help. Their laid-back enthusiasm and genuine love for the outdoors were contagious. As we piled back into the truck, we all agreed that the shop’s vibrant atmosphere and the shared passion of the people we encountered had perfectly ignited our excitement for the day ahead.

Strapping those large plastic snowshoes to our feet felt surprisingly awkward at first, like learning to walk all over again. Getting my telescoping poles to the correct length was an unexpected challenge – who knew adjusting those cinch points could require such advanced engineering skills? After fumbling with them for a good five minutes, I finally gave up and headed out, lopsided and slightly frustrated. Thankfully, a quick trailside pit stop a few minutes later solved the problem, and I was back in business.

With our gear finally sorted, we fell into a rhythm, the shuffle and crunch of our crampons biting into the packed snow becoming a steady soundtrack to our hike. Sunlight, filtering through the towering evergreens, transformed the snowdrifts into a sea of shimmering diamonds. Laughter echoed through the trees as children gleefully plowed down hills on makeshift sleds. Dogs, their tails wagging furiously, greeted each other with joyful barks, their playful energy adding to the cheerful atmosphere. Halfway down the trail, a rocky peninsula jutting into Gold Creek Pond was an obvious pit stop. Protein bars, chomp sticks, and a quick drone tutorial later, we were recharged and ready to continue our snowy exploration.

It is difficult to explain the beautiful contrast of colors in a snow hike. The obvious white of the snow mixed with the dense, velvety green of the moss-covered trees. Contrasted with the spiky needles of the towering pines and the dark patches of open water, a deep, sapphire blue so intense it bordered on black. Encountering nature continues to inspire profound moments of awe in us.

As we climbed back into the truck, it became apparent that we would soon be heading back into the snow. As John Muir said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

“In every walk with nature, one recieves far more than he seeks.”

John Muir