April 3, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 8.18 miles 2,500 feet gained
3 out of 4 of the Exploration NW team, along with intrepid hiking dog Ruby, were able to arrange their schedules to get in a conditioning hike on Tiger Mtn. None of had ever started a hike from the Preston TH and found it to be a nice uncrowded area in which to hike. We did a loop hike which took us up to summit 1 and the over to the Hikers Hut for lunch, wh...
March 31, 2021 Woodswalker 7 miles 2,750 feet gained
My friend Susan took a day off from work and suggested Dog Mountain. Completely beautiful views of course and a wonderful day. No snow. But the trail through the top meadows is pretty muddy and a bit slippery. Wonderful day!
March 30, 2021 Jen 12.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
Took Hug Point Road to Onion Peak Road to Dave's Spur. Didn't quite make it to summit via bushwack. Got chilled with wet shrubs and rain. Want to return with my bike to get to Onion Peak proper.
March 29, 2021 Jen 13 miles 750 feet gained
On Monday, I hiked the Kwis Kwis/Fort to Sea figure 8 loop. It goes through the coastal forest of the park and you pass some lovely wetlands. Lots of skunk cabbage. Very pleasant hike, saw only 2 pairs of hikers. Wednesday, I returned and started at Sunset Beach, heading east on the Fort to Sea trail. After you leave the forested state park, you are led arou...
March 28, 2021 Sarah Johnson 7 miles 2,000 feet gained
It was Katrin's turn to pick our weekly comfort optional hike, so Green Canyon Way #793 was chosen. We made a plan to go up until we hit sketchy snow or blowdown. This trail rises up, and I mean UP, rapidly. One slightly sketchy section of trail that involves a scramble with a dropoff. Trail is narrow, but felt fine event with snow. We brought spikes, but I ...
March 27 to March 28, 2021 runandsew 5 miles 1,250 feet gained 1 night
Night hike to a favorite spot.
March 27, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 6.43 miles 2,500 feet gained
Started hike at the Highpoint TH and from there navigated various trails up to the Hikers Hut which was fogged in, so no views. Then hiked to summits 2 and 3 before descending via the Cable Line trail.
March 23 to March 24, 2021 Jen 9 miles 1,000 feet gained 1 night
I visited two different spots on the west side of the Deschutes River. First I parked at the Heritage Boat Ramp and walked upriver on the Rockpile Trail. I went up about 2 miles and stopped to sketch and relax in my chair. I had gone well past the trail end line on my map, not sure how long it continues. I then had to do some driving to get to my next spot-F...
March 21, 2021 Sarah Johnson 9.5 miles 2,000 feet gained
Fun day with team comfort optional exploring game trails, old farm tracks, and bushwhacking up steep slopes overlooking the Klickitat. No official trails so it was a choose your own adventure day. A bit grey, windy and cold, but it was a good adventure anyway. Mt. Adams tried to make an appearance. Founds lots of animal bones, and spotted a ton of deer. (Sad...
March 21, 2021 Woodswalker 10.5 miles 0 feet gained
I just wanted to get some miles in and still have time later in the day. So I went to Frenchmans Bar in N Vancouver and got a lot of views of cranes, egrets, eagles, herons, tundra swans, geese and ducks. I was especially pleased by a description on a sign of what the birds needed the area for. Along with feeding, staging and migrating they included loafing ...
March 20, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 7.9 miles 2,000 feet gained
Trail was covered mostly in slushy snow so I was glad I wore my gtx footwear. Hiked as far as where the trail intersects with the Mt Ellinor lower TH.
March 16, 2021 Jen 9 miles 2,000 feet gained
Went up towards St Cloud, but veered off to visit Gable Falls. Fun bushwacking up to Cruzatt Rim. The long flat walk westerly on the plateau was very pleasant. Lots of old roads and trails to explore out here.
March 16, 2021 Woodswalker 11.4 miles 1,500 feet gained
It's so great to have the daylength to go slow and have a leisurely lunch
March 14 to March 15, 2021 runandsew 5 miles 1,250 feet gained 1 night
Surprisingly star filled night after expecting clouds.
March 14, 2021 Jen 9 miles 1,500 feet gained
Was inspired by Sarah's recent trip to the area. Bushwacking through poison oak involved.
March 13, 2021 Sarah Johnson 10 miles 3,000 feet gained
Still can't park at Herman Creek Trailhead, parked on the road and walked in. I usually wait to hike on Sundays, (I work on cement and I've been having issues with my feet hurting lately) but I couldn't resist a good weather day. So instead of a day of rest, I opted to try for some conditioning. Last week I was inspired looking back across the gorge to the O...
March 13, 2021 Woodswalker 9.6 miles 2,000 feet gained
Great day but we didn't get as far as we wanted because the snow between the summit and the saddle was super soft and slidey and it really slowed us down. The roads up from the saddle and the road by the creek past the saddle were covered in soft melting snow. We ended up just adding a bit onto the usual saddle loop and enjoying the beauty.
March 9, 2021 Jen 10 miles 1,750 feet gained
Love these steep oak covered woodlands. The vegetation is waking up, a few flowers starting to pop. Spring will be here soon!
March 7, 2021 runandsew 9 miles 1,250 feet gained
Nice hike through freezing rain, snoe, clear paths and snowy paths.
March 7, 2021 Sarah Johnson 15 miles 2,500 feet gained
I've had my eye on this hike for a while, but I was waiting for more hours in the day to make sure I wouldn't be hiking out in the dark. I knew weather was going to be rain on and off on Sunday, but decided to make a go of it even though I couldn't talk any of the usuals other than my partner Zane into joining. Got up at 6 am, but couldn't quite get motivate...
March 7, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 6 miles 2,500 feet gained
My brother got a Golden Doodle puppy a while ago and she is now at the age in which she can do some hiking. The hike up Section Line was a bit of starts and stops, and some off trail, but overall she did pretty good. She liked going down much better and basically ran with us all the way. This was her first summit but we could not get her to sit still long en...
March 7, 2021 Jen 4 miles 750 feet gained
This is just a logging road hike on Stimson Lumber property to a former LO site. I parked at the gate on Military Creek road, then hiked up to 303, then 303A, then bushwacked up a ridge. Also found on some pretty good elk trails. Arrived in a snowstorm, but then the sky turned blue all around, luring me out of the car with inadequate footwear. . It was reall...
March 5, 2021 Jen 4 miles 750 feet gained
Bushwack in the rain without a care in the world! Well for a few hours anyhow. Went down to the lake to photograph the tundra swans. Someone has turned the cement building at the old Knierem home site into a shelter- might still be living there-creepy!
March 4, 2021 Woodswalker 8.3 miles 1,000 feet gained
Beautiful last day of some sun. The trail from Frog Lake up to Lower Twin was the perfect for snowshoeing. Not iced but well packed. Once we got past Lower Twin Lake even though the trail was broken it was super soft and slidy. It felt much harder than it should have. It was great to hit the well packed section on the way down again. Right now it's not spika...
March 2, 2021 Jen 7 miles 1,500 feet gained
Came up Coyote Creek to the Wizard Trail(trail closed signs on top ,but not on bottom-oops!). Grass widows are blooming. Gorgeous day. Also stopped and had a visit with Sweeney the resident mountain goat near Stevenson.
February 28, 2021 Sarah Johnson 6 miles 1,500 feet gained
Went on a long bike ride Saturday, so I slept in a bit Sunday and got a late start. Went with a plan B and decided to head out from the King's Mountain trailhead. Lucked out at the busy parking lot and nabbed a spot just as someone else left. Instead of going up to the summit of King, I set off on the Wilson River Trail towards Lester Creek, without a destin...
February 27 to February 28, 2021 runandsew 6 miles 500 feet gained 1 night
Nice loop around Trillium Lake and good night for a backpack.
February 27, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 7.62 miles 3,500 feet gained
I usually avoid hiking along the I-90 corroder during the weekend due to the crowds and the increasing difficult parking situation at most of the trailheads....so I was not to surprised to find that both of the TH parking lots were full which made it necessary to park an additional 1/2 mile from the TH. The old trail up Si is shorter, steeper and far less cr...
February 21 to February 25, 2021 Jen 37 miles 7,000 feet gained 4 nights
Had a 6 day trip to the desert. Camped 4 nights, stayed in hotel first and last night. Rented a jeep so I could access the remote spots. Had some fun desert hiking every day! 1) Clark Mountain-highpoint of Mojave National Preserve.Visited plane crash site, but then failed to summit because I got sketched out on knife edge ridge. No trails, alone in the wilde...
February 21, 2021 Woodswalker 5 miles 0 feet gained
I wanted to have a gentle stroll with some friends I don't get to see all that often. So we went to North Vancouver Lake. It's basically a wetland with many paved paths and some not paved with options to connect up to other bike paths and trail. We saw a ton of Sandhill Cranes, Geese, an Egret and the usual birding regulars. No real views of the lake from th...
February 20, 2021 Woodswalker 9 miles 1,750 feet gained
Surprisingly quiet day out there. Some grass widows and the umbels are just starting. 4-8 inches of snow in the shade. At about 1000'. I heard there was a foot of snow up higher. We stopped at about 1700 feel.
February 19, 2021 Jen 5 miles 750 feet gained
Sad week. I've been caring for my mom on hospice for the past two months,and she died on Wednesday. Feeling really numb. The woods were just the balm I needed. Forest Park was eerily quiet. Germantown and Cornell Road are both closed-due to storm damage I assume. Newton TH was accessible. Only saw one trail runner in the 2 1/2 hours I was out there. Combined...
February 14, 2021 Sarah Johnson 5 miles 250 feet gained
A few trips over the weekend checking out the neighborhood, before and after the ice.
February 10, 2021 Woodswalker 14.6 miles 500 feet gained
Quiet day getting some nice flat mileage in.
February 7, 2021 Sarah Johnson 8.5 miles 1,250 feet gained
A day filled with tree stumps with hair.
February 7, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 8.09 miles 2,750 feet gained
Began hike at the 1st TH in which first few miles are quite steep gaining a bit more then 1600'. At that point you are at the hikes high point which is at an elevation of 2500', There was a bit of snow present but nothing requiring traction devices. From there its a bit up and down, mostly down, until you reach the Lower Big Quilcene River.
February 6, 2021 Woodswalker 10.5 miles 1,000 feet gained
I hadn't planned to hike but there were some sunbreaks so I dashed out to Forest Park and got some fun miles in. Not too crowded.
February 5, 2021 Jen 6.5 miles 1,250 feet gained
Misty day. Started at the Markham Shelter on a standard loop, but ended up wandering around the Hillsdale neighborhood with all kinds of nifty little paths between the streets and some cool old houses, fancy houses, houses on stilts. Got a little confused with my directions but eventually made my way back to the east side and trails.
February 2, 2021 Jen 3.5 miles 750 feet gained
January 31, 2021 Sarah Johnson 4.5 miles 750 feet gained
Slept in, felt guilty about not getting up and getting out. Decided to try for a late start, breaking my rule of hiking popular trails on a weekend. Luckily the late start gave me some solitude as most hikers were on their way out as I was heading in. Managed to get one waterfall in before dark, and the rain didn't really start coming down until I was back t...
January 29, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 7.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
Up Section Line Trail to Summit 3, then took the TMT to the 15 Mile Gap. Back to the car via the Poo Poo Point and HS Trail.
January 29, 2021 Woodswalker 9.8 miles 750 feet gained
We wanted to go somewhere quiet, so we parked at the closed Sandy River Bridge and wandered all over, eventually ending up just beyond the Burnt Lake TH. Almost no snow lower down, 3-4 inches at the top near the TH. Wonderful day.
January 27, 2021 Jen 5 miles 1,000 feet gained
January 24, 2021 Jen 5.5 miles 750 feet gained
Was not expecting snow! Luckily my microspikes were in the car. Surprised to have fresh tracks on the weekend. Just lovely.
January 24, 2021 Sarah Johnson 7 miles 1,500 feet gained
Wygant trail sadly in need of some clearing again. We stopped shy of the summit due to to some nasty blowdown.
January 23 to January 24, 2021 runandsew 3.5 miles 750 feet gained 1 night
Adult children joined us again.
January 23, 2021 Father Guido Sarducci 7.2 miles 1,250 feet gained
Began hike at the Narada Falls TH. Hiked to Reflection Lake. From the lake we hiked up the closed, snow covered road to Paradise.... which was packed. From there we headed cross country for a bit and connected with a trail which took us back to the TH.
January 19, 2021 Woodswalker 12.2 miles 2,250 feet gained
The parking lot at Herman Creek is closed but you can park at the entrance to the road up to the trailhead and walk in. The creeks were pretty full so I only made it as far as Whiskey Creek. Between Slide Creek and Whiskey Creek. There's a lot of downfall that really slowed my down. Great sunny day!
