Trappings: Fall Hike To Lodge Lake in Washington's Cascades Credit: Fugue Photo

It's my birthday and the last one of my twenties, so I'm going to take the liberty to try out out a new type of post today.

During the last reader survey, you all let me know you'd like to hear more about what kind of gear I'm wearing and bringing with me during my adventures. So consider this your first taste of a new occasional series here on Gluten Free Travelette. I'll do my best to mix my "Trappings" posts in with fun things to do and places to go - giving you a little travel along with the gear.

Let me start off by telling you that I'm one of those people who endlessly agonize over what to wear or to pack for an adventure of any sort (seriously, ask my husband - he even told me to write this part about asking him). I worry about being prepared for all types of weather and circumstances - which is probably a consequence of spending the last seven years working in the field of emergency management. So, the day we decide to take a last minute hike and without thinking I put together my outfit in less than two minutes - that's the day I know what's best to wear for late fall hike in Washington's Cascades.

Trappings: Fall Hike to Lodge Lake in Washington's Cascades

All, I wanted for my birthday was to take a hike to see some snow - so on a last minute whim we headed up to hike a short portion of the Pacific Crest Trail to Lodge Lake. It's a short trail, only three miles long with just 500 feet of elevation gain. So, nothing too technical to traverse aside from snow, water, and lots of mud on the trail.

Footwear

Since footwear ended up being key while tramping through snow, small streams, and around some pretty serious mud pits, I'll cover it first.

Instead of waterproof hiking boots, not very comfortable at least in my opinion, I opted for my Sorel Tivoli Boots. They perform admirably both during an icy walk around the neighborhood and keep my feet dry walking through shallow streams (less than an inch in depth) on a hike. To keep my toes warm and since my skin goes bonkers with wool, I wore some Bridgedale Bamboo hiking socks. They're warm, comfortable, and honestly - they're the only ones I buy now.

Gloves

For my hands, my trusty Burton glove liners did the trick without adding any extra bulk and still allowing me to snap lots of photos with the DSLR. Although sadly, my pair does not work with my new iPhone 5s - so it's time for an upgrade to a newer pair.

The trail to Lodge Lake traverses the ski slopes of the Summit at Snoqualmie, going right underneath the chairlifts, before heading down into the woods past Beaver Lake. On our hike, the winds were whipping by Lodge Lake - so we only stopped to take a few photos before heading back to the slopes.

Outerwear

Luckily, my instincts for being prepared with wind resistant outerwear worked perfectly and I was toasty warm for the entire hike. Without any rain in the forecast, a down jacket and some lined pants are perfect for a hike on a chilly day. I wore my Outdoor Research Virtuoso Hoody and a pair of lined Prana pants which are now so old I can't even find a similar model.

Layers

Of course, it's always hard to tell how the weather is going to turn out and how toasty the hike is going to make you - so as with just about everything, layering is key. My go to's are a Splendid Layering Tank and a Royal Robbins 1/4 Zip Top. Again, some folks might wear wool for their under layers, but this combo keeps me warm without the itch.

Last but not certainly not least, what did Parsley wear?

Since this was a short hike, not entirely covered by snow - I felt comfortable letting her go bootless. That being said, she does get chilly - so we brought her RC Pets fleece lined jacket to keep her just a touch warmer as she plowed through the snow.

Interested in the hike?

Washington Trails Association: Lodge Lake

Interested in acquiring some of these trappings?

Disclosure: All the items featured in this post are items I've purchased for myself and over time have proved to be awesome for adventuring. If you end up purchasing one of these items through an Amazon Affiliate link (indicated with a *) I've provided above - I'll get a tiny little commission and will also be incredibly grateful to you for helping to support this site.

One last thing...

With this new occasional series, you're going to be seeing more of my husband's photography on the site, credited as Fugue Photo. With the exception of the four landscape photos, he took every other photo in this post. He and I actually took photography together in high school and I think you'll agree he's got a great eye. If you're interested in seeing more of his work, you can follow him on Instagram and eventually, I'll get his website up and running too.

Trappings: Fall Hike to Lodge Lake