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Hiking
I can’t remember how many years this hike has been on my bucket list. It just always seemed so far away that it wasn’t convenient to visit. I happened to be along the Columbia River so I made a three hour detour to swing by Palouse on the way home to western Washington. The wind was a real factor on this day so it limited what I was willing to do. On a calm day, the loop trail would be great fun and not nearly as dangerous.
The last time I hiked this trail was in October of 2014. I wanted to see it in the summer to experience the wildflowers, and they did not disappoint. The only downside was the amount of biting insects and the lack of wind to keep them away. Stop for more than a few seconds and you become part of the food chain. Super annoying, but well-worth the price of admission to see this amazing country. This easily ranks as one of the best hikes in the PNW for me.
I've been coming to the San Juan Islands two hours north of Seattle for the last 30 years and each time we try to do something new. Turtleback Mountain is on Orcas Island and a ferry or small plane is the only feasible way to get there if you don't have your own boat (like me). There are several trailheads with interweaving trails over the mountain. We took the South Trail near Westsound.
It's been a desire of mine for decades to hike up Masada before dawn to view the sun rise over the Dead Sea. I recently had the opportunity to do just that so I booked a tour from Jerusalem and left at 3:30 AM to head into the West Bank and south to the desert. The decent into the valley of the Dead Sea is like coming off of a mountain pass. Jerusalem lies at 2600 ft while the Dead Sea sits at -1300 ft. This is a continuous descent for over an hour.
I very rarely repeat a hike. There are simply too many trails out there to pass up a new experience. This trail was low on my list but I thought it might be a good last minute sunset hike so I grabbed my headlamp and drove to Snoqualmie Pass. The first part of the trail is on the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), and I always enjoy that, especially when I meet through-hikers. This time it was just me and three women that were just returning to the trailhead as I was starting. The rest of the time it was a wonderful, solo hike - half at dusk and half in the dark.
Jan and I took off to Mount Rainier 1.5 hrs away on Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful, hot day and we thought a trip closer to the snow might be nice. We had the trail pretty much to ourselves and some elk the whole time. Palisades Lake Trail meanders through several meadows (soon to be covered with alpine flowers) and small lakes, the last of which is Upper Palisades Lake. A Palisade is a wall made of stakes or trees like you'd see as a defense around something in Medieval Europe. They named it Palisades Lakes because they make a "ring" around the mountain.
We had the promise of sun breaks by the time we made it to the lake, but the weather report changed soon after arriving and instead of sun we got low clouds and rain. This was disappointing because of the beautiful rock formations around the lake we were unable to see. It was beautiful in its own right, but nothing close to what we've seen in photos. I'll have to come back another day to give a full report.
I headed to Mt Rainier yesterday now that the pass is open and the trails are visible again. The Shriner Peak Fire Lookout is a tower in Mount Rainier National Park built in 1932. The lookout is on the east side of the mountain, so the view is a bit different than we are used to here in the Seattle area. The weather was a balmy 70° at the start of the hike which felt awesome. After a mile it felt hot. I've learned the art of wearing layers on my hikes, so I was prepared. This was a pretty difficult trail that starts steep and doesn't let up until you dip into a snow-filled basin before the final ascent to the fire lookout at the top.
Yesterday we (Aleigh, Mark and myself) hiked Mt Pilchuck near Granite Falls. It was a full day with the trailhead two hours away. The hike took around 5hrs. The first mile is deep slush and mud that turns to snow the rest of the way up. Aleigh stepped off-trail once and was up to her knees, so the distance felt much longer and steeper with the constant threat of slipping. We each had the proper gear though with warm clothing, waterproof boots, micro-spikes and trekking poles. It was a great time with stunning views, especially at the top where there is an old fire lookout. We stayed at the top for probably an hour before heading back just before sunset. It was hard to leave.
Annette Lake is accessed from the last exit west of Snoqualmie Pass south of I-90. This hike is pretty short, simple and thus heavily used for both day hikes and easy backpacking. The trail was very well maintained and dry for the most part. We passed some beautiful rolling waterfalls near the beginning and a few talus fields just before the lake. There are lots of logs to sit on in the sun to eat lunch.
I started just before 10am and could see that the tops of the mountain were covered in snow, but didn't know what I was getting into because I couldn't find any reviews about the snow level and trail conditions. I figured I would just go as far as I could and turn back if I didn't think I could make it. I didn't have any spikes for traction or waterproof boots (both on my Christmas list :) but I had my trekking poles. It was slow and slippery and crazy windy, but I made it! More than any other hike, this one taught me the value of being prepared with quality gear.
Mount Washington is one of dozens of I-90 hikes in western Washington. Lying on the south side of the freeway, the summit provides good views of several other peaks in the vicinity. The trail is well maintained and has a little bit of everything to offer. There are some difficult inclines, long stretches of flat, rocks, boulders, streams to cross, and even some snow and ice this. While not heavily populated, the hike has some value. There's nothing stunning here, but if you're up for something new and want a change of scenery, it's worth giving it a go.
Mount Teneriffe is near North Bend, WA with a summit of 4788 ft It has an amazing view on a clear day, but I saw none of that today. I went with a hiking group that makes this an annual post-Thanksgiving tradition called a "Turkey Burner". There were only a couple of guys (and me) stupid enough to do it on a day like today. It started raining in a downward motion and the higher we got the more horizontal the rain became.
You have two options for this hike: The long, painful route or the shorter, more painful route. Mailbox Peak is not your first choice for a leisurely weekend hike. It's typically on the "Someday" list because of the horror stories you'll hear about how difficult it is. The "Old" trail is a 5.2 mi out & back that runs straight up the ridge to the top 4000 ft up. Due to frequent rescues, injuries and erosion, a "New" trail was built recently that meets up with the Old trail at 3860 ft, but turns the hike into a 9.4 mi out & back with its switchbacks. Wanting to have it all, I chose to go up the New and down the Old.
This trail is more long than difficult. Being in a remote part of the Roslyn area east of the pass and a good two hours from Seattle, this trail doesn't see a lot of traffic. The remnants of an old fire lookout lured me here and made the trip very worthwhile. The switchbacks are relentless for the first 2/3 of the way up. A fire came through a portion of the hill near the top, leaving snags that have become bleached in the sun. This opened up the views and created some variation to the trek up.
I learned a new word from doing this hike: Rime /rīm/noun 1. frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in cloud or fog. At the time of our visit a rapidly moving cold front was passing by between the lookout and Mt Rainier which gave us quick glimpses of the south face of the mountain. The unique vantage point from High Rock is well worth the short 1.6 mi hike up Sawtooth Ridge up to the lookout.
This is one of those things that's just fun to experience. It's also a great way to get over (or worsen) a fear of the dark. The 2.6 mi Snoqualmie Tunnel is part of the Iron Horse State Park's 110-mile long trail system that converted a bankrupted railroad right-of-way into a state park in 1980. The tunnel cuts directly under Snoqualmie Pass and offers a great experience for anyone looking for something unique to do (May-October).
The North Cascades are stunning. They are much older, steeper and more rugged than the rest of the Cascade range to the south. This means the terrain is more varied and dramatic than any other area in Washington state. This area has received some local press coverage and that seems to be attracting a lot of people. Even late in the day there was a pretty steady stream of hikers on the trail. This isn't ideal if you are seeking solitude, but it's a fair trade-off for the privilege of visiting this amazing region.
Noble knob is the site of a former fire lookout. There appear to be a couple of ways to access Noble Knob from Hwy 410 heading towards Mt Rainier National Park. We took Corral Pass Rd just south of the Alta Crystal Resort. This becomes the 6.4 mile, very crappy forest road to the trail head. There's a sign at the beginning stating that the road is for experienced mountain drivers only. If you aren't experienced when you start, you will be by the time you finish...
