Mountainkat

July 24, 2015 27.91 miles 4,750 feet gained

We've been to the Wallowas a few times, but never made it up to the popular Lakes Basin area. We knew we were going to have good weather on Friday, but the rest of the weekend looked doubtful. So, to get some bang for our buck, we did what may be unthinkable sacrilege to many - we day hiked the Lakes Basin area. We sure were hoping that our maps and Sullivan...

July 19, 2015 18.39 miles 2,750 feet gained

I wanted to visit Golden Lake, but, I was not close to the trailhead where the hike would be the shortest. I would rather hike than drive, so I decided I would take the popular Green Lakes TH to Green Lakes and over the ridge to Golden Lake. The parking lot was full at 9:00 am and I prepared for lots of people, but, it was surprisingly quiet. I didn't see ma...

July 18, 2015 14.49 miles 1,500 feet gained

This is a long forested hike with access to many forested lakes. Blow Lake is only a mile from the TH, and Doris Lake is only 2.5 miles from the TH. Most people seemed to visit these lakes. I made it to Cliff Lake and I wanted to go to Porky and Mink Lakes, but, the hike was pretty boring through the woods. I was making good time and there is not a lot of el...

July 17, 2015 11.99 miles 1,250 feet gained

I hiked a loop from Sisters Mirror Lake TH out to the lake, then along Wickiup Plain, and back down.

July 16, 2015 11.74 miles 5,000 feet gained

I hiked to the top of South Sister from Devil's Lake TH. It was a first time for me. I got a very late start and had a quiet walk up to the lake below Lewis glacier, where I found a number of other hikers. Clear skies, great views at the summit. It was great to finally do this one, but I was disappointed to not have my husband there to enjoy it with me!

July 12, 2015 10.12 miles 2,750 feet gained

A friend was joining us on this hike and we were hoping to find a quiet, moderate trail with few people. We thought Trapper Creek wilderness would be a good area on a Sunday. I did see Karl's post on this hike, but did not have the time to read it. So, we were a little surprised by the steepness of parts of the trail! It was ok, though, since we only saw one...

July 11, 2015 8.41 miles 3,000 feet gained

With the clouds and weather, we waited around trying to decide what to hike. We had already nixed our intended hike. Finally, at 3:00 pm, we decided to just hike from Tilly Jane trailhead to Cooper Spur shelter. It was a good choice, and we had sunshine and views of Mount Hood the whole time. When the Tilly Jane trail first breaks out of the woods into the b...

July 10, 2015 14.62 miles 3,500 feet gained

The Timberline Lodge cameras showed mostly blue skies, so we decided to hike from there to Paradise Park. We saw many people on the trail, including some large groups. Once in Paradise Park, we headed up the trail that goes up near Mississippi Head first, had a moment to enjoy the view, and then continued on back down to do the loop. The flowers are moving o...

July 5, 2015 9 miles 1,500 feet gained

It was going to be another hot day, around 96, so we decided to hike a trail near one of the lakes. We parked at Ross Dam TH, hiked down to the dam, crossed it, hiked to Ross Lake Resort to check on canoe prices, hiked the Big Beaver trail, hoping to get to a point to see up Ross Lake. We realized that we weren't going to make it to any such point, and turne...

July 4, 2015 20.42 miles 3,750 feet gained

We had other hikes in mind, but, they had some large elevation gains, and we didn't want to do them in above 90 degree weather. So, we decided to day hike the PCT and on up the spur to Snowy Lakes. We had been to Cutthroat Pass once before when there was snow on the trail. It was great to see it without snow and with wildflowers blooming, especially heather....

July 3, 2015 12.24 miles 4,250 feet gained

We hiked this trail on Friday, hoping crowds would be thinner than the last time I hiked the trail, but they weren't, really. This is a great hike, though, and worth giving up the solitude. A good portion of the crowds do drop off after Cascade Pass, and as you continue up Sahale Arm. No snow on the trail that I can remember. Views from Sahale Glacier Camp a...

June 28, 2015 5.34 miles 1,250 feet gained

Clouds had rolled in over the Olympic Mountains, and we didn't want to risk getting into a lightning storm in the high country, so we decided to check out the Salt Creek Recreation Area. We spent some time on Tongue Point checking out the tide pools, where we saw a couple of otters near the rocks, who were curious about us and were peeking up from the rocks ...

June 27, 2015 16.62 miles 3,750 feet gained

This is a fabulous hike and I would definitely like to spend a night or two in Royal Basin someday! It is in the national park, so there is limited, permit only camping. The first 3 miles of the hike walk first near the Dungeness River and then Royal Creek, which are beautiful. Then, it goes into and out of brushy avalanche slopes and forest, finally reachin...

June 26, 2015 7.13 miles 3,500 feet gained

We hiked the Putvin Trail up to the Lake of the Angels. The hike does get pretty steep going over the head wall and it was challenging in the heat. There was no snow anywhere. Despite seeing recent photos with goats near the lake, hoof marks in mud and goat fur on vegetation, we didn't see any goats. The lake is quite lovely and the water was fairly warm. We...

June 23, 2015 3.03 miles 1,000 feet gained

This was a short, easy hike on my way out to see 360 views. Good stuff, but this area at the end of hwy 542 obviously gets a lot of use. But, the trail was quiet, with few people on a Monday.

June 22, 2015 7.64 miles 2,000 feet gained

I met a friend and we hiked the Chain Lakes loop. Quite beautiful hike with great views of Shuksan and Baker. Beside a couple very small patches on the trail, there was no snow.

June 21, 2015 13.37 miles 2,500 feet gained

I hiked the PCT from Stevens Pass to Lake Valhalla. The trail travels an open forest ridge and then climbs through meadows and forest to the lake. I saw just a couple other hikers coming out from backpacking. A lot of people were at the lake, having apparently hiked from the Smithbrook Trailhead. I decided to hike to the top of Mt. McCausland, since it was j...

June 20, 2015 7.8 miles 4,000 feet gained

This is was a fairly hot, sun-exposed, brushy hike with some decent elevation gain per mile. Views from the top are great!

June 18, 2015 8.06 miles 2,500 feet gained

It has been a few years since I hiked to Colchuck Lake. I have been considering a hike to Little Annapurna or day thru hike of the Enchantments, so I have been waiting on that. But, I was in the area on a weekday, so I decided to go for it, to enjoy the lake for itself without going on to another destination. The large trailhead parking lot was basically ful...

June 14, 2015 16.44 miles 4,000 feet gained

This one has been on my list for a while. After seeing Rhonda's trip report (thank you), we decided to check this one off the list. This was a really great, quiet hike, with no one on the Wonderland trail past the Rampart Ridge junction. The avalanche lilies were all over the place in the last mile and up in Indian Henry's Hunting ground. We went past the ra...

June 13, 2015 16.96 miles 4,000 feet gained

We hiked the loop from Snowgrass TH. A lot of avalanche lilies out along the entire loop. Some pasqueflowers and pasqueflower seed heads, and a few paintbrush and lupine are out up in the flats and thereafter, but not much else yet. We missed the second PCT junction, went a while down Lilly Basin trail before realizing there was no later PCT junction, and ha...

June 8, 2015 6.73 miles 1,500 feet gained

This hike does not have a great amount of elevation gain, but, it was tough for me on a day with nearly a 100 degree temperature. Almost the entire way is sun exposed, due to a prior fire in the area. You do get a glimpse of Dragontail and Colchuck peaks from the trail at the beginning of the hike. The lake is quite beautiful, with Eightmile Mountain as a ba...

June 7, 2015 8.78 miles 2,500 feet gained

I chose this hike with multiple destinations, so I could turn around when I felt like it. The hike to Trout Lake was easy. The open, brushy switchback climb up to Copper Lake really got to me in the heat. Once at Copper Lake, I continued on the trail along lake shore for a bit, but, I decided to hang out at the lake for a while, instead of pushing on to Litt...

June 6, 2015 9.92 miles 3,250 feet gained

A spectacular hike. The last part is pretty tough, in the heat especially, but also, pretty fun. After reaching the basin, I continued on to Foggy Lake, being careful to step only on rock, to avoid destroying the delicate plant life in the basin. Foggy Lake was frozen, but had some melting around the edges. What a scene, with Del Campo and Gothic Peaks frami...

June 5, 2015 8.94 miles 2,750 feet gained

A nice hike, in a wilderness that starts a short distance from I-90 spanning overhead - very cool. Denny Creek is beautiful. I started around three, so I did not have a lot of time to explore the lake area, which was very pretty, and surprisingly, had only 2 sets of campers when I arrived.

May 31, 2015 9.08 miles 2,250 feet gained

My plans fell through this weekend. Not wanting to drive too far, I hiked Hamilton Mountain. I got to the TH in the afternoon, and by the time I reached the Hardy Creek trail, I had cleared most of the people. I hiked all the way out on the Upper Hardy Creek trail, then to the Saddle, summit, and back down. Berries are ripening along the Hardy Creek trail.

May 30, 2015 12.4 miles 3,000 feet gained

I hiked up to Gnarl Ridge from Elk Meadows / Sahalie Falls TH on Saturday. I passed through a number of downed trees on the switchback climb up the ridge to Elk Meadows, but they were not too hard to get around. There seems to be a good amount of beargrass flowers budding, but not yet blooming, along this portion of the trail. Once up on the ridge, I visited...

May 25, 2015 11.3 miles 5,000 feet gained

For some reason, I had not hiked this one before. I found some friends who were willing to hike it with me. I enjoyed the variation of the Starvation Ridge Trail on the way up. We stopped for lunch at Warren Lake, which was quiet, except for some fish jumping in the lake. We didn't see a whole lot of people on the trail - we saw most of the people closer to ...

May 24, 2015 11.86 miles 2,000 feet gained

I made a spur of the moment decision to go day hike Jefferson Park on Sunday - glad I did! I hiked from the Whitewater TH and it had a decent amount of cars parked there. The hike was very foggy the whole way. There's not really much snow until Jeff Park, where it is mostly snow covered, but varies from a couple feet to a smattering of patches of bare ground...

May 18, 2015 6.89 miles 3,000 feet gained

The parking lot was full on a Monday. I resisted the urge to leave, and hopped in line up the Dog Mountain trail. I actually didn't see as many people as seemed to be parked at the trailhead. The balsamroot seems to be finishing up, but, there is nice phlox near the top. To my surprise, I had complete solitude on the Augspurger trail back to the trailhead.

May 17, 2015 10.42 miles 500 feet gained

My intent was to hike Shi Shi Beach, but high tide was not at a favorable time. Instead, I hiked Rialto Beach, Second Beach, and Ruby Beach.

May 16, 2015 10.72 miles 250 feet gained

I had hoped for some hiking in the Olympic mountains but, every area seemed socked in with dense clouds. So, I opted to hike the Dungeness Spit. It was a nice and quite long, beach hike. I made it to the lighthouse and walked to the top of it. I saw a few shorebirds, including a pair of black oystercatchers.

May 15, 2015 4.07 miles 1,500 feet gained

I had hoped to go further to Van Trump Park, but the fog was out and it was dense. I couldn't see much of the upper tier of Comet Falls practically standing next to it.

May 10, 2015 13.08 miles 3,000 feet gained

I had a great time hiking from JRO to Coldwater Peak on Sunday. I appreciated the high clouds that kept it cool and breezy. I saw just a few people, and most of them were not past Harry's Saddle. I saw no one past Rock Arch Saddle and I had the peak to myself. I was surprised to see western pasqueflowers blooming along the trail up Coldwater Peak. Those are ...

May 8, 2015 7.31 miles 1,000 feet gained

The only other time I hiked this trail a few years ago, someone had just broken into some cars right before we arrived at the trailhead. Thankfully, nothing like that occurred this time. The waterfall is still so wonderful and the forest is lovely, but, to be honest, the hike is a little boring. Next time I visit, I'll go on to Yocum Ridge.

May 3, 2015 6 miles 2,500 feet gained

This was an incomplete hike. I started late, and I had planned to at least make it Warren Lake. My husband has an injury that will keep him from hiking for a while, so I was out by myself. Sometimes the long forest hikes are challenging for me solo. That was the case on this day and I lost my motivation about 2.5 miles up the trail. It was not my day, but, I...

April 30, 2015 7.49 miles 2,000 feet gained

A weekday trip to get outside and see some waterfalls I haven't seen in a while - Elowah, Upper McCord Creek Falls, Horsetail Falls to Triple Falls. The waterfalls are still beautiful!

April 26, 2015 11.12 miles 3,250 feet gained

We hiked from the fish hatchery to the Tanner Butte trail, and most of the way to Wauna Point. I had been wanting to see a particular small waterfall on Munra Creek. I knew that there were a bunch of little waterfalls below the old road and a few above. Having never been on the Tanner Butte trail, I was hoping the waterfall I wanted to see was above the road...

April 20, 2015 5.44 miles 1,000 feet gained

I hiked out to Rosario Head, Lighthouse Point, and Lottie Point. Quite beautiful!!!

April 19, 2015 3.25 miles 500 feet gained

After finishing up my hike of Mt. Dickerman, it was only 3:45 pm, so I decided to go see the Big Four Ice Cave area, since it is right next door to Mt. Dickerman. I knew that this was a popular attraction, but, wowee, the people!!! There were so many people - and I arrived there fairly late in the day. After looking at the ice cave without going inside, I hi...

April 19, 2015 7.75 miles 4,000 feet gained

I really enjoyed this hike! I saw the first person on the trail at about 2 miles in - very different from my hike at Mailbox Peak on the previous day! I expected to see more people, but, I only saw about 12 groups of people all day. I reached snow at about 4,000 feet. The snow was melting and soft pretty much the whole way to the top. I put the microspikes o...

April 18, 2015 10.39 miles 4,250 feet gained

A nice hike by myself ... and probably 150 or more trail friends. I hiked the new trail out and back. There was a bit of slushy snow and some very muddy trail within the last mile of the summit. The summit was snow free.

April 12, 2015 5.68 miles 1,750 feet gained

This place is beautiful right now. It is so green, and has quite a bit of flowers blooming on the slopes. The river views are super. I would like to find a way to extend the hike here, but, we were unsure where the Friends of the Gorge land ended, so we stayed on the trail we knew about. We enjoyed seeing the couple remaining cherry trees in the orchard. It ...

April 10, 2015 14.9 miles 1,750 feet gained

I had a great day hiking the Eagle Creek trail to 7.5 mile camp. It was a Friday, and the crowds were surprisingly thin. I often overlook this trail (except during cold winter days) because of its popularity. But, wow, it is such a great trail. There were a ton of flowers out everywhere! And, since the leaves and brush have not yet grown out, I enjoyed seein...

April 9, 2015 6.05 miles 1,500 feet gained

I spent the day hiking the lower and upper trails at Tom McCall Preserve. There is a lot of balsamroot out on the lower trail and quite a bit on the upper trail, with more still to bloom. There are many other wildflowers blooming as well - very beautiful! I was surprised to learn that a fire had occurred there last year. There's quite a bit of trail re-routi...

April 4, 2015 11.51 miles 3,500 feet gained

We were looking for some snow and we found it on this hike. We started at the Cast Creek TH. There were two other cars there, but we didn't see anyone the whole day. Snow was melting and falling from the treetops by about 3500 feet elevation. Snow on the ground shortly after that, and by Cast Ridge, a foot or more. There were footprints the whole way until t...

April 2, 2015 10.92 miles 2,250 feet gained

After seeing trip reports from Woodswalker, Mileage Mike, and Karl, I just had to visit Columbia Hills SP. Thanks, everyone! I have been up to Stacker Butte a few times, but I had not hiked through the lower hills. What a great hike. I had the whole loop to myself, except for a couple coming out at the trailhead and one lonesome mountain biker. Once I reache...

March 15, 2015 6.88 miles 1,000 feet gained

We had not previously hiked this trail. The information we read about the hike mentioned that it was in an area with OHV use. We figured that it wouldn't be that busy since it was a rainy day. We didn't see any hikers until the very end of our hike. However, there were quite a few people riding OHVs. Actually, we really didn't hear much noise from it on this...

March 14, 2015 6.4 miles 1,250 feet gained

After seeing a few trip reports on the area, we decided to visit in the rain on Saturday to check on the flowers. We saw less people than are usually here on sunny days. We meant to make this a longer loop by going out to Catherine Creek, but, we missed the turn. So, we hiked at an easy pace, stopping to enjoy the clouds and flowers. Just a few flowers were ...

March 8, 2015 12.17 miles 1,750 feet gained

We hiked Coldwater Lake Loop, starting from Hummocks Trailhead, walking the road to the South Coldwater Trail. It was a great day of hiking.