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take time for what you want to do.

5/16/2018

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The "I have to" things have a way of filling our time if we let them. We need to take time for our "I want to" things, too. :)

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mountain pics on way to sweathouse hike. april 2018.

5/14/2018

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The views on the drive to Sweathouse Trailhead are gorgeous any time of year, but they are especially beautiful when the mountains have snow on them.

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When we hiked up Sweathouse in the latter part of April this year, it was nice to finally be hiking on some bare ground again, as the trail was mostly clear of snow until shortly below the lower falls. We eventually ran into about 2-1/2 feet of snow hiding the trail above the upper falls on our way to our favorite rock area away from the trail.

We enjoyed a campfire lunch as planned, but we did shorten our stay a bit as we discovered too many ticks in that area. After all was said and done, we had encountered 17 ticks on that hike. We definitely had a good time, but 17 ticks is a few too many for my liking! We'll be back again after tick season is over for this year. :)

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snowshoe fun on ward mountain. march 2018.

3/16/2018

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Middle of March and the weather forecast was predicting a sunny day on one of my days off from work. Getting out in the mountains to enjoy it was on the top of my list of things to do. But this time of year still means snow on most of our trails, and from early spring hikes in years past, I have discovered that some trails remain quite shadier and colder than others. We know that Ward Mountain gets sunshine, so that's where we decided to go. Since we were likely to need snowshoes at some point along the way, we strapped them to our packs and headed out for some afternoon fun on the mountain.

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We started out with a little bit of snow at the trailhead, but not enough to wear our snowshoes yet. As we hiked up the switchbacks on the south facing hillside, we had some bare ground to hike on for a bit. This is where I discovered my first buttercup of the year. :) When we got up to the ridge, we were back to snow once again.

The snow continued to get deeper the farther and higher we went, so we finally put on our snowshoes. We forsook the winding trail and followed straight up some old skin tracks left by backcountry skiers. Eventually we decided to leave the tracks and do some exploring on our own.
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We checked the snow level at our break spot and found it to be about 3 feet deep at that point. It's funny how it doesn't seem like it when you are staying on top of it with skis or snowshoes. After a short break, we enjoyed zig-zagging our way back down the mountain on fresh snow without any tracks but the ones we were leaving behind us. The wind was a little chilly, but the sun balanced it out, and the views were beautiful. Oh, how I love being on the mountain! :)

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As we neared the trailhead on our way back out, the girls found a rock to sit on while I took in the views around me and snapped a few more photos. (They've learned that when I get my camera out, they might as well take a seat for a bit.)

It was getting late in the day, and the sun was lowering through the scorched trees that are still standing from the Roaring Lion Fire of 2016. I found the sun, burned trees, and cast of shadows to be an interesting combination.



The two photos below of the Sapphire Mountains on the other side of the valley were taken from back at the trailhead.

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I hope you enjoyed coming along on my mountain adventure. I'd love it if you would leave me a comment and hit the "like" button. See you in the next post. :)

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blog changes.

3/15/2018

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Changes to my blog are in the works. I'm currently in a transition and am moving my fitness related posts to a whole new website dedicated to my fitness coaching. This blog will become focused on my mountain adventures and photography. The complete transition won't happen overnight, but will be a work in progress for a bit. I've got a lot more to come for both, so be sure to follow along. I'll post a link to my new fitness website soon. :)

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winter beauty up bass creek. january 2018.

1/22/2018

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Mid-winter, 4-mile hike up Bass Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains.
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Due to a cold circulating around our household for the past few weeks, it had been quite a bit since the girls and I had gotten a chance to get out in the mountains. I was really missing going for our regular hikes, so I'd been really looking forward to this one as everyone was finally getting well enough at the same time.

​We got started in the later afternoon and only had a couple of hours available, so we decided to hit Bass Creek which is close to home. Because this trail is very familiar territory, I knew we would be up to the dam in about 40 minutes or so (if I didn't stop to take too many pictures along the way), giving us time for a nice little break to take in the views before heading back down.


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Winter is a beautiful time to be in the mountains. 
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I love the crystal clear reflections in the water, only to be disrupted from some ice floating on top in areas.
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​Beautiful views to behold all around.
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​The hard part is leaving, as I always want to stay longer to take it all in. So I capture as much of it as I can in photos.
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The temp was a bit brisk, but overall not too bad. It felt great to be out hiking again, and as always, amazing to be in the mountains I so love. What a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours on a weekend afternoon. :)
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This truck was parked near the trailhead. Someone is definitely geared up for being able to go anywhere they want to in the middle of winter here in western Montana!
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want to improve? do the hard things.

12/30/2017

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Wish things were different? Want to improve and grow?
Do you want to see some kind of change in your life?

Stop being comfortable and do the hard things.
Stop doing the minimum and go the extra mile.

There's no easy way around it; you've got to go through it.
But you can do it, if you want to. And yes, it's worth it. :)
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slow and steady.

12/17/2017

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Today's blog post by Seth Godin is spot on...

Slow and steady
The hard part is "steady."

Anyone can go slow. It takes a special kind of commitment to do it steadily, drip after drip, until you get to where you're going.

You can do it. You just have to keep your eye on your goal, with a firm commitment to reach it no matter what it takes, and then keep plugging along step by step, celebrating those little milestones along the way. Don't give up. Just keep going; you'll get there. :)


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bitterroot valley + sapphire mountains in montana.

12/10/2017

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A view of a small portion of the Bitterroot Valley and Sapphire Mountains to the east. I took this photo from the Bitterroot Mountains on the west side of the valley in February of 2016. I love living where I do and never tire of the endless amazing views. Enjoy! :)
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make a habit of working on small goals regularly.

12/9/2017

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The key to making your dreams happen is to break them down into very small goals and create a habit of working on them regularly.
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a good life.

12/1/2017

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"A good life is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are."

​I'm not sure who wrote this, but it sure fits with my life philosophy.
Enjoy your day. And don't forget the dream big part. 
:)

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    Nikki Weiss
    mountain adventurer + photographer, artisan + designer, fitness + motivational coach, dream maker + achiever


    Welcome to my world ... where I combine my love of Montana, mountains, handmade, fitness, and living dreams.

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    explore. dream. discover.

    "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain
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    All of my fitness related posts will soon be moved to my new website that will be dedicated to my fitness + weight loss coaching.

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    "In the gym or out on the trail, Nikki adjusts her personal training to fit you as an individual. She always goes at your pace and does not insist that you conform to her way of doing things. So if you’re looking for a personal trainer who truly works with you as an individual and who provides gentle support and a great sense of humor along the way to achieving your fitness goals, you could not find a better guide in your journey than Nikki Weiss."
    -- Dana H., Florence, MT

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