Ok, so maybe you can’t do Ptarmigan Ridge. You’d love to see those views, but you just can’t make such a long hike, especially over permanent snow fields. Well, don’t despair. There are two trails that give you similar (if…
How to Visit the Deception Pass Bridge for Free
Ever since I saw my first picture of the Deception Pass Bridge in northwestern Washington, I wanted to see it in person. There was something so uniquely interesting about the graceful spans, and knowing some of my group members pretty…
11 Amazing Trails of the West that are 1 Mile (or Less) in Length
Short trails don’t have to be boring. Nor do you have to forgo the best scenery because you can’t – or don’t want to – hike all day long, miles and miles on end. So I thought I’d put together…
Hidden Lake Lookout: A Most Fabulous View!
Hidden Lake Lookout! What a trail that promised much and delivered more! The name evokes pictures in my mind of a half-frozen lake, rocky crags still studded with snow, and wildflowers galore along the trail. Its 9.3 mile length also…
Skyline Divide: Best Views around Mt. Baker
Skyline Divide! What can I say for the jaw-dropping views, the endless vistas, and the snowcapped peaks nearby and far away? Every time I thought we’d gotten to the best of the best views, we crossed another high point on…
Hiking Third Beach to Strawberry Point: Rain Forests and Sea Stacks
I wanted a beach walk. And I wanted sea stacks. And it had to be long – at least, longer than a mile or two each way. And since I was at Mt. Baker, Olympic National Park wasn’t too far…
(Accidentally) Visiting Nooksack Falls
We wanted a place to eat lunch. Really, that’s all we were looking for. A convenient dirt side road appeared as we drove along the Mt. Baker Highway, so we took it, figuring we could, at the very least, pull…
12 Places Worth Visiting at Least 10 miles Down a Dirt Road
I can’t say I travel to get to the dirt roads. But when that’s all that is between me and a lovely I hike I want to take, let’s just say I’m very willing to tackle the road. Some are…
Lovely Mt. Rainier Views from Spray Park
Often, the reason the lesser-known parts of national parks are lesser-known is because they aren’t worth seeing. Or at least, they’re not as nice as the better-known parts. But that simply isn’t true of the northwest section of Mt. Rainier…
Canyon Ridge Trail – “Peak” into Canada
There are two really good things I can say about the Canyon Ridge Trail: 1) it wasn’t too terribly difficult, and 2) it gave a very different view than the other hikes around Mt. Baker (into the Canadian Cascades). Add…