Backpacking the Northwest

Chinook and Cayuse passes have closed for the season after the state Department of Transportation reviewed a snowy forecast and assessed the avalanche risk. Due to heavy snow accumulation on the roadway, DOT crews temporarily closed Chinook Pass just after 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Crews assessed the stability of the hillside on Sunday morning, and [...]

Stay tuned for the trip report (I know it’s somewhere around here…) I hiked this in Sept. 2004 with two friends. It was a blast something different than either Mt. Hood or Mt. Rainier. Here is a link to some photos of the trip  Mt. Adams Gallery on Eyehike Also here are some maps and [...]

Latourell Falls is a wonderful introduction to the many waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge. It is a plunge falls with a height of 249 feet. You can access the main or lower falls from the parking lot in the Guy W. Talbot State Park; this falls on Latourell Creek is named after Joseph Latourell, [...]

Directions: From Portland, take I-205 north past the airport and cross the Columbia River. Get into the right hand lane and take the exit for Camas. Drive about 20 miles and park at the intersection of Salmon Falls road and Highway 14.    There is also parking at an alternate trailhead on Mt. Pleasant Road [...]

We arrived at Timberline Lodge about 8:30, which gave us until 9:00 to meet the rest of the group. Tori, Drew, and I walked up to the lodge and admired the displays about Timberline Lodge and its construction. I guess Heidi the St. Bernard is on vacation during the summer. We met up with Mike [...]

Originally uploaded by hikingdrew Switchback Steve took this awesome shot the week after we made a summit in the freezing rain. While we could not even see the dome when I went, he returned to find the weather and the winds were cooperating. Thanks Steve! Directions: From Seattle take I-5 south and exit I-5 to [...]

Directions: From Portland, take I-5 north for about 70 miles. Take exit 68 from I-5 to Hwy 12. Drive about 59 miles from I-5 to Packwood. Drive about 13 more miles to the junction with Hwy 123. Turn left onto Hwy 123 and travel about 5 1/2 miles. Turn left onto Stevens Canyon Road and [...]

Loowit Trail Mt. St. Helens Elevation: Trail maintains an elevation of about 3400 to 4800 feet Days: Visitor Center open. Cold Water open year-round. Trail access is dependent on snow. Difficulty: moderate to difficult Distance: 27 miles Contact: Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, 360-274-2100; Climbing Hotline, 360-247-3961 Maps: Green Trails Map #364SThe Loowit Trail [...]

Overview The John Muir Trail passes through what many backpackers say is the finest mountain scenery in the United States. This is a land of 13,000-foot and 14,000-foot peaks, of lakes in the thousands, and of canyons and granite cliffs. It’s also a land blessed with the mildest, sunniest climate of any major mountain range [...]