John Sunich Explorer

Formerly the site of an old fire lookout, Bearhead Mountain located in the Clearwater Wilderness, provides great unobstructed views of the north side of Mount Rainier, Little Tahoma, and many other surrounding Cascade mountain peaks. In the summer months you are likely to encounter great wildflowers such as Lupine, Paintbrush, Columbia Lily, Avalanche lily, Glacier lily, and Beargrass. Later in...

Cape Flattery, the most northwesterly point of the lower contiguous 48 states is accessed via an easy trail which includes many board walks and sets of stairs. Maintained by the Makah Tribe of Indains, the trail provides spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, Tatoosh Island, nearby rocky cliffs, kelp forests, and the opportunity to spot whales, stellar sea lions, and a multitude of sea birds....

Located just south of Mountain Rainier National Park, Tatoosh Lakes and Tatoosh Wilderness area are a great hiking destination to find scenic views, wildflowers, wildlife, and two beautiful alpine lakes.Tatoosh Trail #161 does not waste any time getting down to business as it ascends almost 3000 vertical feet in the first 2.5 miles before reaching the trail junction with Trail#161B. From there...

Remmel Mountain (8685 ft), the former site of a fire lookout, is a massive pile of granite and a wonderful destination for panoramic views of the rugged Pasayten Wilderness. The mountain itself can be accessed from several trailheads and although there are no short routes to the base of the mountain, there is a trail leading all the way to the summit. A popular route to access the mountain is...

The Green River Gorge is one of the best whitewater options within an hour of the Seattle area. This beautiful scenic rocky gorge offers 14 miles of class III-IV whitewater and lots of great play spots for rafters and kayakers. This section of river is often boated in the late fall, winter, and spring months but is typically too low in the summer. Both private boaters and commercial outfitters ...

The upper Foothills Trail from the Fairfax Bridge to Manley Moore can be hiked starting from either end as an "out and back" hike or a "point to point" by shuttling with two vehicles.  Starting from the upper end of the trail you begin by walking under the Kolisch Rd. Bridge, which has the Manley Moore Mural painted on its buttress depicting Bigfoot, Mt. Rainier, salmon, wildlife and the forest...

Located a short distance from US 395 near Mammoth/Yosemite Airport, Shepherd Hot Spring provides a great opportunity to relax while taking in spectacular views of the Eastern Sierras and surrounding area. After a hard day on the slopes or long day on the trail this hot spring provides a comfortable pool to soak with capacity up to 6 people at a time.  The water is piped over from the natural h...

The Little Lakes Valley located in the John Muir Wilderness provides easy access to spectacular views of High Sierra peaks as well as a long list of beautiful alpine lakes. The area is accessed via the Mono Pass Trail starting from Mosquito Flat/Little Lakes Trailhead.  From the trailhead at the end of Rock Creek Road the trail follows closely along Rock Creek while gaining little to moderate ...

OverviewLocated in remote southeastern Oregon the Owyhee River offers an off the grid adventure through the high desert that you will not soon forget.  The 50 mile section of river from Rome to Birch Creek is usually boated between March and June when there is adequate runoff to support larger boats.  It can also be boated on low water years or later in the year in kayaks or pack-rafts.  The tr...

Located in the Upper Geyser Basin along the banks of the Firehole River is the world famous Old Faithful geyser which is typically seen as a "must do" on any trip to Yellowstone National Park.  While at the famous geyser a small portion of visitors each year are lucky enough to happen upon the eruption of it's noisy and slightly taller neighbor Beehive Geyser.While Old Faithful averages 17 erup...

Starting from the Lodore Ranger Station in Colorado the trip begins as a mild float before the Green River abruptly cuts through the Uinta Mountains in an area named The Gates of Lodore.  From there the gradient of the river increases as the imposing vermillion canyon walls covered with lush green foliage rise up around you.  Once in the 18 mile stretch of the Lodore Canyon one of the first...

The Wild and Scenic Clackamas River above the North Fork Reservoir is a great destination for paddlers and only about an hour drive from downtown Portland. This popular 13.5 mile section of river lies within the Mt. Hood National Forest and offers continuous class II-III boating with a little class IV action sprinkled in.  There are many boater access sites located along Oregon State Route 224 ...

The Similkameen Trail is a short section of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail(PNT) as it heads west from the the town of Oroville, WA following an old railroad grade in the heart of the Okanagan.From the trailhead in town you'll head west for 1.5 miles before coming to an alternate trail head along Loomis-Oroville Highway.   Shortly after that intersection you will come to the 375 foo...

Located on the East Bank of Lake Tahoe along Highway 28, Chimney Beach is a great alternative to the more popular and heavily used beaches which can be quite a challenge to gain access due to the parking limitations during the busy summer months and on weekends.From the parking area on the east side of highway 28 the trail begins on the west side of the road.  After a 1.1 mile down hill foreste...

Following along the Greenwater River, family friendly Greenwater lakes Trail #1176 which has minimal elevation gain, winds through a lush green mossy old growth forest.  Along the trail you will cross over several log bridges and pass a couple of beautiful waterfalls.  At just under two miles into the hike you will come to Lower Greenwater Lake after crossing a well maintained wooden bridge tha...

Located in the Pasayten Wilderness and surrounded by Amphitheater Mountain and Cathedral Peak, Cathedral Lakes are a great destination for a multi-day backpacking trip. The shortest route to get Cathedral Lakes (not coming from Canada) is roughly 19 miles. This may be a bit of a "slog" but is definitely worth the extra effort. I recommend starting at the Chewuch Trailhead, which is accessed by...

Located off the beaten path at the northern end of the Long Beach Peninsula, Leadbetter Point State Park is great year around destination to explore in Southwest Washington. Within the park there is ample opportunity to watch huge Pacific Ocean waves crash on shore, beach comb, bird watch, and spot wildlife such as blacktail deer, black bear, or bobcat while on your hike. The park itself offer...

Starting from the Jone's Hole National Fish Hatchery the trail follows spring fed Jone's Hole Creek 4 miles to its confluence with the Green River. Along the trail you will be treated to scenic views of the desert canyon, wildlife such as bighorn sheep and deer, as well as spectacular fly fishing for brown trout and rainbow trout.  At 1.5  miles from the hatchery there are several places to sto...

The Selway is one of the original eight Wild and Scenic Rivers designated in 1968.  This section of water is run by both private boaters as well as commercial outfitters, and is regulated by a strict permit system that only allows one group to launch per day.  This leads to a feeling of solitude for your entire trip through some of the most beautiful pristine remote wilderness in the western st...

The section of the Salmon River between Corn Creek and Carey Creek, known as the "Main" among boaters, flows through the second deepest canyon on the continent (only Hells Canyon is deeper).  The Main is one of the best all around river trips in the west and offers a spectacular road-less wilderness setting, big whitewater, amazing campsites, swimming, wildlife, archaeological sites, as well as...