BLOG

The wild fires have kept me away from the trails for 2 weeks. This week I tried something new by setting up an Agent in Chatgpt that takes into account recent reports, any fires in the area, and my history of hikes this summer to recommend a new hike. So this weekend I tried Surprise and Glacier Lakes based on this recommendation. I was a bit reluctant at first because the hike was off Route 2 which felt like a bit of a drive. Up until I left this morning, I was still deba

My planned 7 mile hike turned into a 10.5 mile hike when I added extra miles heading in the wrong direction. To be fair, the turn off was easy to miss. See if you can see which way to go in the following photo. Do you see the 131 in the lower left? I didn't and plowed ahead pleased with myself at the pace I was hiking. The trail on the right eventually was choked off completely by vegetation. You think that would stop me, but no. I had read a trail report from the previ

"This trail sucks," is what I told a couple just starting their ascent as I was eagerly ending my hike. If you haven't done a hike which climbs 3100 feet in just 1.6 miles, it is difficult to understand how challenging this trail actually is. There is no relief in either the ascent or the descent. On the way up, my heart pounded and dripped with sweat. On the way down, I stepped careful down as my knees ached trying not to fall. As I hiked up the trail, I passed three pe

Day 1 Flew from Seattle to Denver on Alaska. Picked up an Enterprise Rental Car that happened to have Washington plates. Drove to Longmont to drop Andy off to see his friend. Checked into a Comfort Inn around 6pm and looked for a bite to eat close by. Found Little Tibet within walking distance and headed out. I became a little concerned when I walked in and saw an empty restaurant. I nearly walked out but I am so glad I didn't. The chilli chicken, garlic naan and sha-bh

This morning's destination was Pratt Lake, my 22nd hike from Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide. One of the quiet satisfactions of this project is watching the number slowly grow. Twenty-two hikes down, plenty more waiting beyond the next trailhead. I arrived early enough to enjoy one of the great luxuries of hiking in the Cascades: silence. The trail was relatively quiet, with only the occasional passing hiker. For much of the morning, the soundtrack was prov

The Fourth of July ended about the way you would expect in my neighborhood — loud. The fireworks kept going until midnight. While everyone else was celebrating, my Golden Retriever had a very different opinion of the evening. Every explosion sent another reminder that dogs and fireworks rarely agree. He spent the night anxious while the neighborhood continued its annual attempt to recreate a small battlefield. So when the alarm went off early the next morning, there was defin

I think there are some hikes that are best saved for overcast days, like the trail to Melakwa Lake. The forecast called for rain throughout much of Sunday, but the weather cooperated. The showers mostly held off, leaving behind cool temperatures, low clouds, and just enough moisture to make the forest feel alive. It was one of those classic Pacific Northwest mornings where the air feels fresh rather than cold, and every shade of green seems just a little brighter. I arrived e

There are some Father's Days marked by barbecues, neckties, or crowded restaurants. Mine was marked by the sound of my boots on the trail and the solitude of an early morning in the Cascades. I arrived at the Granite Mountain trailhead at 5:45 a.m., early enough that the parking lot still felt sleepy. The sky was overcast and the clouds hung low over the Interstate 90 corridor. It looked like one of those mornings when the views might never materialize, but experience has tau

I did not think my plans for the day were overly ambitious. First, I would hike to Snow Lake, a familiar 6.8-mile round trip. Then I would add Guye Peak, which was only another 2.5 miles. Easy. The first half of the plan went exactly as expected. It had been about ten years since I last hiked to Snow Lake with friends, and it was nice to revisit a trail that had become one of the classics of the Snoqualmie Pass area. I made good time, completing the hike in about three hours

We pulled into the Twin Falls trailhead at 7:30 a.m. expecting the usual summer scene—a full parking lot and crowds streaming toward the trail. Twin Falls has long been one of the most reliable options during the winter months, and with its easy access and beautiful waterfall, it often feels like half of western Washington has the same idea. But the mountains had finally begun to open up. With the snow melting and higher elevation trails becoming accessible again, many hikers

It was a stereotypical day in the Pacific Northwest: gray and wet. You might think that would mean Washingtonians would stay home with a hot Starbucks coffee and a book, but that was not the case. Despite the low clouds and the promise of limited views, plenty of hikers were out enjoying the challenge of the trail. They were probably like me, conditioning for the long summer hikes to come, when the clouds take a leave of absence for a couple of months in July and August. Toda

This morning I needed a favor from my youngest son. His older brother Andy was moving out of his dorm in Bellingham, and I needed help. Someone would have to stay with the car while the other hauled boxes, bedding, and the accumulation of a year's worth of college life down from the dorm room. It wasn't a job I could do alone. When I asked if he wanted to come along, he said "No". The reluctance wasn't because he didn't want to help his brother. It wasn't because he had other

Despite running 7 miles most days, I am still finding my hiking legs. The treadmill is no substitute for trail miles. That became clear on the trail to Bandera Mountain this weekend. A few weeks ago, I hiked to Mason Lake, so I knew exactly what to expect on the well-traveled section of trail. The familiar forest, the steady climb, and the gradual gain all felt comfortable. But when I reached the junction where the Bandera Mountain trail forks to the right, everything change

Memorial Day weekend seemed to draw everyone outdoors. By the time my friend Mayank and I arrived at the Talapus Lake trailhead around 8am, it felt as if half of western Washington had the same idea. Cars lined the road far beyond the parking lot, spilling downhill in every available space. The sunshine, clear skies, and promise of alpine lakes were simply too much temptation to resist. This was Mayank's first hike of the year, and our outing became something of a compromise.

By 8:00 a.m., the parking lot was already full. It seemed everyone in Washington had the same idea for Memorial Day weekend. Every campsite around Lake Cle Elum appeared occupied. Vans, trailers, tents, and pickup trucks lined the roads near the rivers feeding the lake. Beyond them, a steady stream of backpackers headed up the trail toward Pete Lake and the wilderness beyond. For me, it was a trail-running day. The trail to Pete Lake is nearly ideal for running. Unlike many A

I arrived at the trailhead early enough that the forest still belonged mostly to the birds. The parking lot had plenty of space then, only a few scattered vehicles sitting quietly under the trees. The cool morning air carried the flute-like song of a Varied Thrush and the high buzzy notes of Townsend’s Warblers moving through the evergreens above me. For long stretches of trail, those sounds were the only company I had. The hike to Mason Lake is one of the classics of the Alp

I had an idea that made me laugh. What if On the Road was about two retirement aged people instead of a coming of age story? The first book I read of Kearoac was Dharma Bums. I remember a late teen borrowing it from the Bridgewater Public Library. I always felt different and these outsiders exploring nature and enlightenment spoke to me. Of course On the Road is the most memorable book. The title evoked the movement I imagined as a boy tracing the lines of the highways o

The Long Way Back to Snoqualmie Lake It had been about 20 years since I last ran the trail to Snoqualmie Lake. Back then, I was in my mid-30s and thought nothing of doing things like running Mount Si as a two-hour “fun run.” The trail to Snoqualmie Lake was just another outing—something to move through quickly, another checkmark in a week of miles. This time, it took me six hours round trip. Probably twice as long as it did 20 years ago. And that’s okay. The Fitness You Keep

A Reminder to Look Up The hike to Granite Lakes was a delight. The path was easy to follow, there wasn’t much snow, and the steady climb warmed me up after starting at 6 a.m. in 37-degree air. It was the kind of early morning hike that makes the alarm clock feel like a good decision. The hike toward Thompson Lake was a different story. Snow slowed everything down. I kept my head lowered, carefully following the footsteps pressed into the snow ahead of me. The problem was that

Is this the trail? I asked myself that several times on the hike to Marten Lake. Despite reading recent trail reports, I still underestimated the challenge this hike would present. After my experience at Loch Katrine last Thursday, I almost chose not to do this one at all. Even though it is spring break, it still does not feel like spring. Over the past week, I have had multiple random people tell me how sick they are of the weather and how badly they want to get out of here