Winter Hiking (Mount Spokane)

The crunch of packed snow that hasn’t fallen recently and the tight pinch of the cold air on my face. I don’t know what it is about winter hiking, but I’ve been a fan since I was 16. Back then, I would take a cheap point-and-click digital camera with me and take blurry, underexposed pictures of me and my friend exploring off trail on a local mountain just 10 minutes from my house. Now, my gear and skill set are much better and my body much, much worse, but it's still just as fun to explore the mountains covered in thick white snow now as it was then.

I really enjoy going to Mount Spokane because while it's not too long of a drive from Spokane, it climbs high enough to feel like you’re actually in the mountains. It’s so heavily timbered, though, that taking any epic landscape photos is basically impossible. I know I need to slow down and focus more on the micro opportunities instead of looking for beautiful vistas to capture, but I don’t seem to find the patience to do that each time I’m up there. 

Getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things isn’t something I would describe as a strength of mine, but it is within my capacity. Next time I make my way into the clouds of Mount Spokane, I’ll get those close-ups of nature that I’m sure are just waiting for me. Until then, enjoy these mediocre shots that won’t ever be printed but were still fun to take.