Mount Rainier, Washington

This hike gets crowded fairly quickly so get there early. The parking lot is very large so parking is not really a problem.  There are bathrooms at the very beginning of the trail so I highly suggest using them. However at the top there is also a designated restroom area. Starting at 2600 ft, thi...

Skiers or snowshoers looking to explore this route should park in the uppermost parking area at the Alpental ski area. This lot is past the main parking lot for the ski area. After getting your gear on, you can proceed down the groomed access run heading northwest out of the parking area. This ru...

It’s no surprise to outdoor enthusiasts in the PNW just how popular the Alpine Lakes Wilderness can be.  With numerous access points, this terrain is unlike any around; offering those who enter a combination of alpine views, crystal blue lakes, lush forest canopies and untouched natural terrain. ...

Begin your hike from the large trailhead parking area, on a half-mile access trail which switchbacks up from the lot and through the forest. At the junction, turn left on the old logging road. Climb gently through young forest for 1.5 miles passing a side trail to the popular Teneriffe Falls. Jus...

The lesser known Mt Si Rd trail starts off as a relatively flat road. This continues for two miles until you reach the Teneriffe Falls sign. Upon turning right at this junction, the terrain takes a shift and the incline steepens. This is where most of the elevation is gained. The rest of the way...

Mount Si is probably one of the most well trekked hikes around the Seattle area, but one that any hiker-new to the game or an old pro-should experience as least once. I usually use it as a starter hike to kick start the season and highly recommend you get an early start on this one as the further...

Little Si, neighbor to the bigger Mount Si is a decent hike for beginners and families with younger children. It is 4.7 miles round trip (including Boulder Garden Loop - 1.5 miles) gaining 1300ft in elevation - Discover Pass required. This trail is very popular, so if you want seclusion avoid thi...

This area is a very secluded camp area, so unless it's a holiday weekend, be prepared to be alone :) It is a very quiet lake and along the roadside there are plenty of spots to hike, camp, and fish by the lake or the Cle Elum river.So bring your day hiking gear and pole as well and head out in th...

This is a S5 T4 scramble that involves some routefinding past the alpine lakes. We did this as a day trip and we were out and back in about 12 hours. There are multiple routes to get to Chikamin, one from the PCT, which is 24 miles RT and the other is from the Mineral Creek Trailhead (47.4176, -...

The Rattlesnake Mountain Trail is often associated with Rattlesnake Ledge, one of the busiest hiking destinations around. But most people don't know that you can continue on from Rattlesnake Ledge another 10 miles to Snoqualmie Point Park. Using the Snoqualmie Point Trailhead, this hike is a wo...

To Snoqualmie Point Park, from Seattle take I-90 east to Exit 27. At the end of the off-ramp, go right and follow the road to the end. Go through the gate on the right to enter the trail head To Rattlesnake Lake: From take I-90 to Exit 32. Go south on 436th Ave. SE, turning into Cedar Falls Rd...

While thousands of visitors come to witness the raw power and devastation left behind from Mount St Helens' famous 1980 eruption, few wander past the groomed paths surrounding the Johnston Ridge Observatory. It is beyond these paths where you come across the more commonly designed backcountry tra...

The Boundary trail is amazing. It's 54 miles long and runs for the most part along a ridge in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. You can climb various peaks and viewpoints right off the trail, but this trip report is for climbing Coldwater Peak and hiking up to Harry's Ridge Viewpoint on the way. H...

From roughly May to September, both star gazers and photographers alike travel to the darkest locations in order to capture something truly magnificent- the galactic core of the milky way. The Loowit Viewpoint is unlike any around due to the perfect combination of it's remote location, higher ele...

The Owhi Campground on Cooper Lake is tucked away in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Salmon La Sac.  It sits at 2,788 feet and has views of Chikamin Peak (6960') and Lemah Mountain (7480'). The lake is quiet, very photogenic, and easily accessible.   The campground is on the north si...

The hike is relatively easy. I'd say intermediate due to the incline at the beginning. Also intermediate due to it being an backpacking camp adventure. A friend of mine and I backpacked in to shoot the sunset and sunrise. We went a little early in the season so it was also to scout for future ad...