Hike of the Week
Many hikers have a favorite haunt or two they revisit frequently. I never tire of the Robe Canyon Trail near Granite Falls, part of the 1,000-acre Robe Canyon Historic Park. Though close to civilization, the trail packs a visual punch -- no one has been able to subdue Robe Canyon, certainly not the railroad engineers who dreamed up this phantasmagoric route for the abandoned Everett and Monte Cristo Railroad.
December 29, 2005
Hike of the Week
When you have time for only a short hike, the Washington State Parks system offers many destinations, such as Tolmie State Park, a few miles northeast of Olympia. The park is open year-round with trails that wind through a saltwater marsh, beach and forest.
The 105-acre park includes 1,800 feet of shoreline, an underwater park for scuba diving, a beach, a saltwater marsh and a forest populated with wildlife. Displays at the upper picnic area and on the beach describe the ecology of the shoreline and the history of the park.
December 15, 2005
Hike of the Week
There's just no easy way to get to Granite Lakes. They're within the Mountains-to-Sound Greenway, well hidden by a riddle of mysterious roads and defended by walls of salmonberry.
No signs offer guidance to seekers of these seldom-visited lakes, and the spur ends short of them. Most hikers are unwilling to shoulder their way through waist-high brush with stickers to get to the lakes, but there's still enough scenery to satisfy those who try.
December 8, 2005
Hike of the Week
Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island is part of Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, a year-round favorite of hikers. In addition to scenery that drenches the senses, the reserve provides historical background with interpretive signs describing early explorations of the region and the Native Americans who lived on Ebey's Prairie before settlers arrived.
The reserve is a puzzle of interlocking pieces of federal, state, county and private property managed so the region's historical essence is not lost.
December 1, 2005
Hike of the Week
The valley of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie has been getting a lot of attention lately and its not all bad news. The valley off Interstate 90 near North Bend is just close enough to civilization to attract unsavory characters and just far enough away to lure hikers to some of the best year-round hiking trails in the region.
November 24, 2005
Hike of the Week
Islands are like small countries, each one a distinct personality with its natural history, demographics, language, ambience, geography, cultural values and environmental niche. Some feel open and friendly, others more introspective, but one characteristic that all seem to share is a slowdown in time. Those who live on islands seem to live at a more relaxed pace and are protective of their privacy.
Vashon Island is no exception.
November 10, 2005
Hike of the Week
You may feel like you're getting away with something when you hike this low-elevation trail to a series of lakes with a high-country feel to them, especially this late in the season. As the leaves drift from the trees, days of hiking in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness may be numbered, but the West Fork Foss River Trail has a secret: You can get to some of these lakes year-round (the West Fork of the Foss River permitting).
November 3, 2005
Hike of the Week
If you've never hiked at Crystal Mountain, finding this elusive trail can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. It is well worth the effort, though you'll have to hurry if you want to hike it this year. Snow already is flirting with higher elevations and soon will settle in for the season.
When snow reaches a depth of 2 feet, Crystal Mountain Resort will be thronged with skiers and snowboarders and most hikers will be seeking lower-elevation trails.
October 20, 2005
Hike of the Week
Usually by the time hikers get to Longs Pass in the Teanaway, the sky is blue and they are enjoying close-up views of Mount Stuart. You can stare at Mount Stuart a long time without getting bored, like a painting you never get tired of.
So why would anyone in their right mind want to go on a day when the snow line is hugging the ridges, the wind is blowing, the leaves are rattling like castanets, and there are only occasional shape-shifting glimpses of Mount Stuart and it's surrounding peaks and ridges?
October 13, 2005
Hike of the Week
"Is that all there is?" That was our initial reaction upon standing on the summit of Round Mountain in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. It's a nice hike, but it fell a bit short of our expectations after a spectacular summer of hiking to places like Sahale Arm and Burroughs Mountain.
October 6, 2005
