What's that saying..."nature, cheaper than therapy." I'm not a hardcore hiker. I don't do overnight backcountry trips or have enough gear to set out on the Pacific Crest Trail like Reese Witherspoon's character in the movie "Wild," but I love hiking and camping. Always have, always will. I'm happiest when I'm out and about, exploring the Pacific Northwest.

This summer, we went to Mt. Rainier National Park. Now we know why they call it paradise. When hiking the Alta Vista trail on a warm, August morning, it's hard not to bust out in song "the hills are alive with the sound of music." Those snowcapped craggy peaks and alpine meadows dotted with a rainbow of wildflowers reminded me a lot of Switzerland and Austria.