That photo in the header? That's of Tenaya Lake in Yosemite National Park. Stolen from Karly Wade's Facebook page.

​Listen to Episode 25 now.

Angie Sowell: Experienced Map Reader (Now)

Angie is a very experienced backcountry backpacker who can frequently be found taking solo adventures in the Washington mountains. She does not let her fear of sleeping alone outside stop her from exploring. She just uses ear plugs. Now she uses her GPS and maps too.

Valhalla Lake Attempts 1-6: Photo Gallery

Top left: Angie's first attempt to Valhalla Lake in the North Cascades, where the snow was so thick that they only made it to the trailhead. Photo is of Roxie and Lucas enjoying the road hike in the blizzard.

Top middle and top right: Angie's 2nd and 3rd trip to Valhalla Lake, where she and Lucas turned left instead of right and hiked a section of the PCT. They DID come across a very small lake and were joined by two Basset Hounds with tags on that read: "We belong at Stevens Pass. Don't worry, we know where home is" or something similar. The dogs had a wonderful time running around while Lucas and Angie came to the conclusion that they, unlike the dogs, were not on the right trail. 

Bottom row: Successful trip! First glimpse of Valhalla Lake, then a photo of Stacey gloating that she was their lucky charm, and finally a photo of Angie enjoying a celebratory beer while shivering just before bolting back to the car.

Go to Lake Valhalla

It's not the right season for a snowshoe to Lake Valhalla, but you can add it to your winter list or run or hike now. Another option is to take an foldable, portable Oru Kayak (for rent here) to explore the lake. If you are visiting the Seattle area and find yourself without a car or necessary gear, don't let that stop you. That's what Boldly Went is here for. Hop over here and book your trip with a local expert.

If you're local or prefer solo adventures, here's the WTA information for Lake Valhalla with latest trip reports.

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Karly Wade: Backpacker, trail runner

Karly loves the outdoors, the sunshine and a good adventure - whether prepared for it or not, as you'll learn from her story in this week's podcast. 

Karly's things to bring including the Steinbeck novel _Travels with Charley_ pronounced "Karly."

Yosemite: Half Dome FAQs

• You need a permit to hike to the top. Permits sell out within 1 hour. 
• There are a lot of other places to hike in Yosemite, like Cloud's Rest Trail. Go there for smaller crowds.
• Insanity Factor: 9 out of 10 according to Yosemite Hikes. 
• But if that's a 9 out of 10, what rating does free-soloing Half Dome get? Maybe Alex Honnold knows. Here is some video footage that is at least insanity level 10.

Ski Indiana: Paoli Peaks

Karly talks about her roots in the outdoors and learning to ski at Paoli Peaks. A good learner hill and possibly the best of the midwest, check out Paoli Peaks if you ever decide to go to Indiana for a ski trip. More likely, you'll be going to visit family or on a work trip, but still a good way to get outside. Check out their website including a script for how to buy ski tickets and rent gear.

Music

c4. Robot Rave.
Fields Ohio. Odyssey Into the Woods Without Maps. 
Komiku. Down the River.
Josh Woodward. Shadows in the Moonlight.