Tales of surviving a remote hike in near triple digit temps and finally checking off a summit that has evaded me for four years!
Bicycling Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road in spring while it's still closed to vehicle traffic is one of the most personal and incredible ways to see the beauty of this extraordinary Park! Enjoy this mile-by-mile guide with lots of photos and trip planning tips!
Recently I was able to visit the Yakama Indian Reservation as part of a fire lookout work party. I met some incredible people and saw a gorgeous land that few are privileged to see.
Disappointment over my failed JMT attempt was replaced by excitement when I somehow lucked into Whitney day hike permits AND clearing smoke conditions. Standing on top of the Whitney summit at 14,505' with my dad and stepmom right next to me was proof that life rarely unfolds exactly as planned.
This year, the beautifully restored D-6 cupola fire lookout at the summit of North Twentymile is celebrating a centennial and a dedicated group of volunteers is committed to maintaining trail access.
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.
Sometimes the most memorable adventures are the biggest disasters, aren't they? The story of kayak camping in a Mad Max-like apocalypse of wildfire smoke...
And just like that, one of my biggest dreams was over. Hiking the John Muir Trail in 2015 just wasn't meant to be. All I can do now is remember the amazing 8 days I had on the trail. I met incredible people, saw gorgeous country, and had one of the best experiences of my life.
A week spent with volunteers painting Lookout Mountain in Twisp, swapping stories, and remembering the beautiful history of fire lookouts.
A 5-day Altai Hok ski trip to historic guard stations in the gorgeous Blue Mountains of southeast Washington provided solitude, wildlife, and the perfect kind of quiet year-end reflection.
In 2017 the Hidden Lakes area of the central Pasayten was badly burned by fire. 3 days backpacking here made me realize there is immense beauty in devastation and that nature is extraordinarily resilient.
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.