https://venkatraman.blog/Recent content on venkatraman.blogHugoen-usThu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-06/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-06/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-20/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-20/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-11/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-11/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-04/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-04/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-21/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-21/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-02/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-02/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-09/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-09/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-23/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-23/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-07/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-07/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-08/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-08/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-22/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-22/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-17/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-17/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-12/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-12/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-02/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-02/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-05/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-05/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-01/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-01/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-04/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-04/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-10/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-10/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-03/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-03/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-01/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-01/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-05/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-05/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-12/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-12/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-07/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-07/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-03/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-03/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-01/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-01/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-04/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-04/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-08/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-08/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-11/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-11/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-06/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-06/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-13/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-13/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-12/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-12/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-10/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/seattle/seattle-10/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-02/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-02/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-13/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-13/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-15/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/alpe-dhuez/alpe-dhuez-15/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-05/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-05/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-15/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-15/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-09/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-09/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-18/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-18/https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-08/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/albums/easy-pass/easy-pass-08/https://venkatraman.blog/posts/easy-pass/Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://venkatraman.blog/posts/easy-pass/<p>This is the story of my wife&rsquo;s and my first-ever backpacking trip. We&rsquo;d been wanting to backpack for a long time, so when the opportunity finally presented itself, we had to take it. We got lucky and snagged some North Cascades backcountry permits in the early-access lottery, and the plan was a two-night, three-day journey through bear country. Quite a lot for a first trip! To make matters worse, two more experienced friends who were supposed to join us (and show us the ropes) later backed out, which only fueled our anxiety.</p>