any other hikers here?

[seacatfan]

I thought of starting a thread about this before. Recently ran into 2 GU grads up high at a lookout in the North Cascades. Don't know how recently they graduated, but one just took the bar exam. They rowed crew while they were at GU.

Anyway I'm about as passionate about hiking as I am college bball. Do it as much as I can, at least 6 months out of the year with less frequent forays during the middle of winter.

[bullzag23]

Love hiking and did loads of it when I lived in the PNW. I've done much less since I moved down here, for a few reasons. Any hike within reasonable driving distance is very crowded, the views are not nearly what they are up north(unless you like smog), and the absence of natural running water. I miss me some northwest hiking. The Sierras are very nice though, but it's. 6+ hour drive.

[TheZagPhish]

I love hiking, particularly in Washington State. I don't have the time that I wish, but as often as I can fill the water bottles and lace up, I'm out in the sticks.

Five stars!

[seacatfan]

I love my Washington Cascades, but the Sierras are great too. My brother was at Edwards AFB for several years, so while he was down there I flew down to visit a couple times and we drove north up 395 and backpacked several places. That got me hooked, so since he moved on I've road tripped down there 3 different times. Only scratched the surface though, there's a lot of ground to cover in the Sierras. A 6 hour drive would be fairly prohibitive for regular forays. Have you checked out the Trinity Alps at all? I've backpacked up two trails there, that's nice too. Kinda like a mini-Sierras. Actually reminds me a lot of some of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington.

[SWZag]

Love hiking. Went up around Rainier on Saturday. Several weeks ago was hiking around Bavaria in the Alps, talk about amazing. The old culture and the spirit of hiking is a bit different than here in the northwest. Both have their advantages. There's nothing like hiking through some high mountain pasture with the sound of cowbells in the distance, or right beside you. Pretty awesome.

[bartruff1]

It is yellow jacket season on the trails..

[willandi]

My cousin has summited all the Cascades major peaks, most (all?) did not involve technical climbing so could be considered hikes. I walk my dogs 1-1 1/2 miles everyday, but it's not enough. There are still people that tell me to "take a hike"! How do they know?

[DZ]

Around Spokane, Mt. Spokane state park never disappoints if one just wants a quick "Let's get out of here."

Favorite place ever is Sawtooth National Rec Area, between lake Alturus and Redfish lake in Idaho. Part wilderness area, so check before about rules, but big parts are just recreation area and rules about people on trails are not a worry.

[TheZagPhish]

Happy times picking huckleberries at the top of Schweitzer yesterday in pristine sunshine.

[bartruff1]

It is not a good idea to tell people about the Sun Valley, Stanley, Challis, Salmon, Sawtooth National Recreation Area......better they should go to the Owyhee,,,

[DZ]

It is not a good idea to tell people about the Sun Valley, Stanley, Challis, Salmon, Sawtooth National Recreation Area......better they should go to the Owyhee,,,

The Owhyee mountains and the northern Nevada mountains around Jarbidge are very much under appreciated, far more room to roam up there than most would guess and it's definitely off the beaten path. Still, the SNRA has plenty of open space if one is willing to pack in for a bit and stay off the well-known day hikes like Independence Day Creek. Beautiful area, was going to be the "third" original national park with Yellowstone and Yosemite but Idaho's delegation blocked it - smart, I think, except it had as much to do with keeping ranching there than keeping it hidden.

[gu03alum]

I love hiking and try to get out as often as possible. I hiked to the top of Mount Ellinor in the Olympics last Saturday. I took my daughter and my wife. They were not happy with me as it is a very steep hike. I ended up carrying my daughter a lot. We got to the false summit and I left them to rest while I finished the hike. I enjoyed a summit beer at the top.



I had planned on doing the skyline trail on Mount Rainier on Monday with my wife and daughter, but they were done with hiking for a little while.

My cousin and I are planning on hiking to the top of Mount Stuart in October. Have any of you been?

[gu03alum]

Back in July my cousin and I hiked up to the Kendall Katwalk, but on the way we did a short scramble to the top of Kendall Peak. This is me at the top.



After that we came back and finished the hike to the Kendall Katwalk. That was really cool too.

[SWZag]

I love hiking and try to get out as often as possible. I hiked to the top of Mount Ellinor in the Olympics last Saturday. I took my daughter and my wife. They were not happy with me as it is a very steep hike. I ended up carrying my daughter a lot. We got to the false summit and I left them to rest while I finished the hike. I enjoyed a summit beer at the top.


I had planned on doing the skyline trail on Mount Rainier on Monday with my wife and daughter, but they were done with hiking for a little while.

My cousin and I are planning on hiking to the top of Mount Stuart in October. Have any of you been?

We did the Skyline Trail on Saturday (NPS birthday, so free entry - added bonus). Tons of people, but thinned out the farther you got from Paradise. Got their early and the mountain was clear, when we left it was completely covered. Beautiful day though for hiking.

[gu03alum]

We did the Skyline Trail on Saturday (NPS birthday, so free entry - added bonus). Tons of people, but thinned out the farther you got from Paradise. Got their early and the mountain was clear, when we left it was completely covered. Beautiful day though for hiking.

Were you able to go across the snow field or did you go up and around it?