One of these days I'm convinced I'll go on a hike with easy trails and warming huts with coffee. This was not one of those days.
My friend Annette and I have a track record of adventurous outings that never end up ordinary. With our crazy 3 dogs in tow we set out for Mt. Clifty, deep in the Cle Elum Ranger District to bag a peak for Sahaptin Outfitter's "Summit the District" contest. We had no idea it would turn into a 20-mile, all day outing!
Rich with history, The Pasayten Wilderness in Washington State spans 531,000 acres, skirts more than 50 miles of the Canadian border, and is one of the largest wilderness areas in the contiguous US. Horseshoe Basin in its northeastern corner is a high alpine tundra-like environment unlike anything else in the state. It's been on my list to explore for far too long. Last weekend I finally ventured there and left in awe of its landscape, solitude, and wildness.
This post was originally published on the Rad Girls Life blog and was written about my very first mountaineering outing: climbing Mount St. Helens in 2015 on New Year's Day.
A winter trip report from the always amazing Mount Dickerman on the Mountain Loop Highway.
Back in July I headed to Southern California to climb its 3 tallest peaks in 3 days as part of Adventure 16's 3 Peak Challenge. Who was crazy enough to join me? My folks of course! It turned out to be an amazing weekend and a reminder that staying active is the best medicine of all!
Middle Tiffany (7,967') and Rock Mountain (7,971') in North Central Washington are on the State's top 200 most prominent peak list AND offer a spectacular summer wildflower show.
Not to be deterred by one of the worst September storms Seattle has ever seen, I packed my rain gear and met up with my crazy friend Annette to bag a peak on Sunday. Sounds like a perfect outdoor hiking weekend, right?
The Enchantments Death March, a one day thru-hike gaining over 6k in 18 tough, rocky, granite-filled miles is simply stunning and a mountain goat paradise.
A spectacularly beautiful hike through Beehive Basin in Big Sky, Montana, named one of the top 10 hikes in the country. As a solo hiker I had bears on my mind and got a surprise I didn't count on...
While I might not recommend the awful gauntlet of a deadfall route required to get to Ramsey's summit, exploring the Methow Wildlife Area is always a quiet, beautiful experience.
After 12 years I finally checked the mail again, successfully scrambled to Dirtybox AND narrowly avoided a lightning storm on the summit, I'd say that's a win!