Hike/Climb

The Wind River Range of Wyoming is a destination nearly every backcountry enthusiast dreams of visiting. This spectacular section of the northern Rockies boasts 40 granitic peaks over 13,000 feet high, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. While not as well-known as other destinations such as Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks, the ‘Winds’ …

We drove up the Baker Lake Road, each in our own car, past the gated campgrounds and shuttered ranger station. Above us the Mountain Gods —Kulshan and Shuksan—gleamed in the luminous winter sun, fresh snow dazzling against a cobalt-blue sky. I was sorely in need of a few days off the grid, and the weather window—a few consecutive days of …

When autumn weaves it’s magical tapestry of yellow, crimson and orange, certain places become holy sites. Shrines to the whimsical palette of Mother Nature. The hardwood forests of New England are, of course, famous. The aspen-covered mountains of Colorado. The brilliant magenta tundra slopes of the arctic. Closer to home, larch forests adorn the eastern slopes of the Cascades, offering …

I recently watched the movie Dirtbag, about the northwest climber Fred Beckey. It tells the story of our famed local adventurer whose guidebooks to the Cascades have greatly aided all Northwest climbers. About midway through the film, there is a beautiful panorama of Forbidden Peak near Cascade Pass, and with dramatic music soaring in the background, the narrator extols the …

To be at work and at play at the same time is to know inspiration. To labor with passionate commitment on something you believe in is to know fulfillment. But to simply awaken at 6521 feet to a dazzling sunrise is to experience the exalted treasure of one of Washington’s remaining fire lookouts. I became lookout chairman 14 years ago, …

It was August 2020, mid-pandemic in peak backcountry camping season. As many outdoor enthusiasts remember, all mountain trailheads were jammed with eager hikers. Ironically, as we were all trying to avoid crowds and get some fresh air, we created crowding on popular trails (at least in the first few miles). My response was to get more creative with my route …

The Olympic Coast is a sublime strip of wilderness beach that stretches for 60 miles, from the mouth of the Hoh River in the south to the legendary Shi-Shi Beach in the north. It is widely acknowledged to offer some of the best ocean-front hiking on Planet Earth, including three glorious point-to-point traverses that are, each in their own way, …

After a delightful evening spent camped on the Pacific Crest Trail beside Porcupine Creek, Jesse and I crest Cutthroat Pass in mid-morning, and instead of the mountain goats that one often encounters at the pass, we encounter Kevin Murphy, the beloved poet from Bellingham, camping among the rocks by his lonesome. Unlike the goats, he doesn’t inquire about salt. Could …

There are many lists of the “Best Places in the USA” to see fall colors. A typical list consists of 20 ultimate destinations with no mention of the Cascade Range. This is truly wonderful as it means more blueberries for the bears and us without busloads of tourists. Despite capturing many beautiful images of colorful deciduous forests in the Northeast …

Having survived the tangled vegetation of Washington State’s Picket Range, my climbing partner Rick and I decided to set an entirely different goal by choosing a trip that started at or near treeline so we could avoid bashing our shins and having our glasses knocked off our heads while enjoying the outback. Rick did a deep dive into the mountaineering …