Gwyn and Ami, Basket Butte Rd., Idleyld Park, OR 97447, Idleyld Park, OR (2026)

08/10/2026

The millennial curse is real… 😂🏡 (AD)

When we bought our house, we were thrilled… but like a lot of first-time homeowners, we had to compromise. No garage. No basement. And after three years of storing bikes, camping gear, paddleboards, and everything else in our tiny laundry room, we were officially out of space.

This summer we finally fixed the problem by adding a backyard shed, and honestly I wish we’d done it sooner. It’s completely transformed our laundry room and finally gave all of our outdoor gear a proper home.

Shed details ⤵️
✨ ShelterLogic Direct Arrow Elite
✨ Our size: 14’ x 10’
✨ Powder-coated steel construction
✨ DIY kit that arrived as a flat pack
✨ Took us about 20 hours to build over a few evenings
✨ No special tools required (although a drill definitely sped things up!)
✨ We installed it on a gravel base

Now we just need to figure out the rest of our backyard! 😅 Next on the list is tracking the never-ending dandelions, landscaping, building a deck, and maybe a fire pit.

💬 If you have backyard design ideas, leave them in the comments! We’d love the inspiration.

🧡 COMMENT “DIY SHED” and I’ll send you the link to the exact shed we built!

| backyard makeover | home makeover

08/09/2026

The millennial curse is real… 😂🏡 (gifted)

When we bought our house, we were thrilled… but like a lot of first-time homeowners, we had to compromise. No garage. No basement. And after three years of storing bikes, camping gear, paddleboards, and everything else in our tiny laundry room, we were officially out of space.

This summer we finally fixed the problem by adding a backyard shed, and honestly I wish we’d done it sooner. It’s completely transformed our laundry room and finally gave all of our outdoor gear a proper home.

Shed details ⤵️
✨ ShelterLogic Arrow Elite
✨ Our size: 14’ x 10’
✨ Powder-coated steel construction
✨ DIY kit that arrived as a flat pack
✨ Took us about 20 hours to build over a few evenings
✨ No special tools required (although a drill definitely sped things up!)
✨ We installed it on a gravel base

Now we just need to figure out the rest of our backyard! 😅 Next on the list is tracking the never-ending dandelions, landscaping, building a deck, and maybe a fire pit.

💬 If you have backyard design ideas, leave them in the comments! We’d love the inspiration.

🧡 COMMENT “DIY SHED” and I’ll send you the link to the exact shed we built!

ShelterLogic Direct
| backyard makeover | home makeover

08/05/2026

The BEST sunset spot in Mount Rainier National Park! 🌅

If you’re looking for an EPIC place to watch the sunset this summer, I recommend planning a trip to Mount Fremont Fire Lookout in Mount Rainier National Park! 🏔️

This iconic fire lookout was built in 1934, and is one of four fire lookouts in the national park. At 7,181 feet in elevation it’s also Mount Rainier’s highest lookout, making it the perfect spot for watching summer sunsets! You’ll also get STUNNING views of Mount Rainier (Tahoma), its glaciers, and the surrounding Cascade mountain range. 🌲☀️

See below for hiking trail details. ⬇️

🧡 SEND this post to someone that would love this Pacific Northwest national park adventure, and FOLLOW Gwyn and Ami Manser | PNW + USA adventure travel for PNW hiking + travel inspiration!

✨ Trail: Mount Fremont Lookout Trail
📍 Location: Mount Rainier National Park
🥾 Mileage: 5.6 miles
⛰️ Elevation gain: 900 feet
⚠️ You cannot camp at or around this lookout.
🔥 Don’t forget a headlamp and warm layers if you’re going for sunset— temps drop quickly in the mountains!
⏰ Arrive early to get a good viewing spot!

Have you been to Mount Fremont Lookout? 👀

bucket list National Park hike | Mount rainier National park hikes | Washington state hikers | Mount Rainier National park Washington best hikes

08/04/2026

Literally what is wrong with people… 😡

Two weekends ago we were backpacking in north Idaho and came across this mess at a camp site. ⛺️

First, somebody had cut live branches from a tree to use for firewood… this is incredibly harmful to trees and should ONLY be done in an absolute emergency. Responsible firewood gathering should be for downed trees / dead wood only, never live wood! 🌲

Second, they then left a massive pile of trash inside the pit… water bottles, plastics wrappers, dinner packets. They didn’t bother to pack it out. 🗑️

Like, your mom isn’t here to pick up after you?! Don’t be such an irresponsible slob!!

As a reminder… When you recreate, ALWAYS follow Leave No Trace principles. It’s really not that hard… be a good person to the environment.

08/04/2026

Washington’s ANCIENT fossil forest 🌳

📍 Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park

Millions of years ago, central Washington looked completely different than it does today. Instead of the dry landscape we know now, this area was covered by a lush forest filled with trees like ginkgo, elm, and walnut. Then volcanic eruptions and massive lava flows buried the forest, preserving it beneath layers of rock. 🌋

Today, you can actually hike through one of the most fascinating fossil sites in Washington and see these ancient petrified trees for yourself. It’s one of the most unique state parks in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s an easy stop off of I-90. 🌲

See below for visitor information, and SEND this to someone who would love exploring Washington’s ancient history. ⬇️

✨ Trail: Trees of Stone Interpretive Trail
📍 Location: Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, near Vantage, Washington
📏 Distance: about 1 mile round trip
🏛️ Don’t miss the Trailside Museum to learn how this incredible fossil forest formed.
🌿 Please leave all petrified wood where you find it so future generations can enjoy this incredible place too.

🧡 FOLLOW Gwyn and Ami Manser | PNW + USA adventure travel for more hikes, and adventure inspiration around Washington!

| best state park in Washington | best hikes in Washington | Washington hike

08/03/2026

My FAVORITE hiking and backpacking trail near Spokane, Washington. (AD) 🏕️

Located just two hours from Spokane, this spectacular alpine lake is one of my favorite hikes of all time! At 12 miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain it’s not an easy journey, but the views are worth it. 🏔️

This alpine lake hike culminates at Fault Lake, which sits like a blue-green gem in a glacially-carved bowl. Along the way you’ll also get fantastic views of the Selkirk mountain range, which spans Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia (Canada). If you’re feeling adventurous, there are also three more alpine lakes nearby that you can bushwhack or scramble to. 💦

We’ve done this hike many times, but this was our first time backpacking here. We spent the night on a beautiful rocky bluff overlooking the lake, and watched the moon rise over the mountains. We had dehydrated miso soup and pasta for dinner, and ‘banana cream pie’ for dessert. It was truly a perfect evening, minus the lingering wildfire smoke… though, it did make for a pretty sunset. 🌙

See below for trail details, and SEND this to someone that would love this stunning backpacking and hiking trail near Spokane, Washington. ⬇️

✨ Trail: Fault Lake
📍 Location: Kaniksu National Forest, Northern Idaho (2 hours from Spokane, Washington)
📏 Distance: 11.9 miles
🏔️ Elevation gain: 2,800 feet
🐻 Don’t forget your bear spray! This is grizzly territory.
🌿 Help us keep our region beautiful. Pack out all trash, respect fire bans, and leave no trace.

I shot these photos with the OM SYSTEM OM-5 Mark II, paired with the M.Zuiko 12-45mm F4.0 PRO and M.Zuiko 25mm F1.8 II lens. Collectively the ENTIRE setup weighs just shy of two pounds, making it perfect for challenging backpacking trips like this. 📸

Something I love about this camera is the film-like quality of the colors. They’re vibrant and true to life, but I think they also have a nostalgic, dream-like quality to them. What do you think? 👀

Best hikes near Spokane, Washington | female landscape photographer | OM SYSTEM OM-5 Mark II review OM SYSTEM omsystem.americas

08/02/2026

One of the BEST summer hikes in Colorado… 🌻🏔️ (AD)

If you’re looking for spectacular Colorado hike with an alpine lake, wildflowers, AND a cascading waterfall, then you’re going to want to add this trail to your summer bucket list! 💦

Located just 30 minutes from Aspen, Cathedral Lake Trail is a moderate to difficult hike that’s absolutely worth the effort. This trail starts in a peaceful aspen grove before you begin a steep ascent following Pine Creek, which cascades through a canyon right next to the trail. 🌸

Along the way you’ll pass by tons of wildflowers, and you’ll get sweeping views of a valley and meadows. The lake itself sits close to 12,000 feet, and is a vivid blue that almost looks unreal! If you’re up for challenge, you can also continue the hike to Electric Pass. ☀️

See below for trail details, and SEND this to someone you want to visit Aspen, Colorado with! ⬇️

✨ Trail: Cathedral Lake Trail
📍 Location: White River National Forest near Aspen, Colorado
📏 Distance: 5.5 miles (roundtrip)
⛰️ Elevation: 2,066 foot gain
🥾 The hike includes a brief class 3 scramble
🛻 4 wheel drive or moderate clearance is helpful for getting to the trailhead
⚠️ Pack PLENTY of water and sunscreen, as this hike has a lot of sun exposure!
🌿 ALWAYS ! Stay on trail, and pack out EVERYTHING, including orange peels, apple cores, and nut shells. Do not pick the wildflowers.

If you visit this area, I also recommend making a stop Aspen Historical Society Ashcroft Ghost Town to learn about Aspen’s mining history. It’s just down the road from the trailhead! And don’t miss out on all the good food, art, and summer events in downtown Aspen. I stayed at Frias Properties of Aspen Snowmass, which was a perfect basecamp for car-free adventures in town. 😴

This reel was made in partnership with the Aspen Chamber Resort Association.

Aspen, CO things to do in Aspen, Colorado | Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness | visiting Aspen Colorado in summer | the best hikes to do in Colorado this summer | summer alpine lake hikes in Colorado

07/30/2026

The most SCENIC bike ride in the U.S. 🚲🚂 (AD)

The Route of the Hiawatha is a 15-mile downhill bike ride along an abandoned railroad that was transformed into one of the most unique rail trails in the country. Straddling the Idaho-Montana border, you’ll pedal through 10 pitch-black train tunnels, cross 7 towering trestles, and take in incredible views of the surrounding national forest.

✅ SEND it to someone who would love this ride!

Here are our top tips before you go ⤵️

🔦 Bring bright bike lights. The tunnels are completely dark, cold, and muddy, so you’ll also want a warm jacket.

⏰ Go in the summer. The trail is typically open through mid-September, and weekday rides sometimes have discounted tickets.

🙌🏼 Don’t worry if you’re not an experienced cyclist. The trail gradually descends the entire way on smooth gravel, making it a fun, family-friendly ride with no technical biking required.

🚲 Our bike recommendation: Lectric eBikes XP4 e-bike

We loved riding the XP4 because:
✨ The battery offers up to 85 miles of range, so we finished the ride with power to spare.
✨ It folds into a compact size, making it easy to transport (we transported ours in the back of our car)
✨ It felt stable and comfortable on both gravel and pavement.

Matthew Sawyer | what is the best e-bike | e-bike review

07/29/2026

“Does it even count as a backpacking trip if it’s just one night?!” 👀🏕️

When I first started backpacking in 2013, I thought trips always had to be high-mileage, multi-day sagas. That’s a lot of what I see on social media — people doing the PCT, or the 93 mile Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. But trails like that aren’t realistic for everyone. 🏔️

I have the utmost respect for the physical and logistical challenges of multi-day trips. But between a painful herniated thoracic disk and Amiana working a traditional 9-5 as a civil engineer, most of our trips these days are just 1-2 nights. 🥾 
And honestly? I kind of like it that way.

This weekend we did two back-to-back one-night backpacking trips, including this one to Beehive Lake (pictured). Because the trips were short, they were easy to plan and pack for. And since there’s a lot of wildfire smoke in the Spokane region right now, this also gave us more flexibility to bail if conditions got bad. 🌻

Whether you day hike/walk, go on short one-night trips, or plan epic multi-day adventures, please know your way of getting outside is still valid, and worth celebrating. 🧡

On a lighter note, over the past two years, we’ve really dialed in our backpacking setup. Below is some backpacking gear we love— some old, some new:

REI FLASH 50 ultralight backpacking pack
EXPED Ultra 6.5 Mummy sleeping pad
NEMO Equipment Hornet Elite OSMO tent (very narrow, but also LIGHT!)
ZENBIVY 10-degree quilt
Jetboil stash + Ge**er Gear fire starter
BearVault Bear Canisters BV ONE bear canister
PACT Outdoors wag bags (great for rocky campsites)
Gossamer Gear carbon trekking poles

Comment CHECKLIST and I’ll send you our full backpacking trip packing checklist, PLUS links to all of our gear! 🔗

Because of my herniated disk, my goal is to keep cutting pack weight while I do my best to avoid surgery. I’m intrigued by the Durston X-Dome tents and Bonfus® | Ultralight Gear packs, but haven’t tried either brand yet. If you have ultralight gear recs, drop them below! 🤷🏻‍♀️

backpacking and camping checklist | the best ultralight backpacking gear | backpacking tips

Gwyn and Ami

08/10/2026

08/09/2026

08/05/2026

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

08/03/2026

08/02/2026

07/30/2026

07/29/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request