Dottie and I were supposed to do a different hike this day, but the trail was closed, and we had to make a choice quickly. I basically fast-talked her into Warren Lake, while pulling off the I-84 at the Starvation falls exit. Well, once you get all the way up to Warren Lake, you might as well make a loop of it and come down the Mount Defiance trail. And if you’re going to go that far, you might as well go all the way to the top while you’re at it.

The view was like being in an airplane.

I felt a little extra bad-ass because I was 12 weeks pregnant at the time. I was in the best shape of my life and felt like I was racing against the clock to get as much hiking in as a could before I turned into a huge, grouchy pregnant mess.