Hikes 28-32 - Washington Hikes

Enjoy some photos from a few of my hikes in 2020. Washington is my favorite place, and I was lucky to get five hikes in while there in September.

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Hike 28 - Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA (link)

September 24, 2020

I had heard of this park because some people I know in the PNW run here on occasion. My friend and I took a causal, rainy hike of about three miles through the trees in this wonderful city park. Can you imagine having a city park with tall trees, miles of trails, and lush greenery? Living in Texas has me fantasizing about places like this and I’m so thankful we found this park and had a good time. People kept their distance, masks were worn when necessary, and it was a lovely hike overall.

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Hike 29 - Quinault Loop National Recreation Trail #854 (link)

September 25, 2020

Technically, I did part of this trail earlier in the year, but only part of it so I feel comfortable using it as a “unique” trail because I did the latter 80% of it. Along this trail we saw a baby snake, lots of greenery, and some big trees. It was a lovely hike that was a bit muddy, and confusing at one of the intersections. We ended up taking a turn that took us to the road in a place we did not expect. All was fine, and we just hiked back along the roadway.

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Hike 30 - Hurricane Hill at Hurricane Ridge (link)

September 25, 2020

Paved trails are not my normal trails, but this one was the exception. I have a “no paved trail” policy, so I did take the offshoot at the end with no pavement to ensure I touched a little dirt on this glorious and windy hike. The trail is paved from the parking lot to the top, and it’s uphill the whole way. Fluffy spruce trees line the initial ascent and act as a windbreak and air freshener. Seriously, the freshest pine scent hits you and it’s so good. Take it easy, take breaks to enjoy the views, and don’t forget that the whole way back is downhill and can be hell on your knees!

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Hike 31 - Cascade Pass (link)

September 26, 2020

This hike is one of my favorites of all time, and I got to do it again with the friend who recommended it to me last year. I was hoping we’d hike up to have a view, but there was only sleet and clouds. I saw more this time, through the clouds, but still not the views you see on the internet. The trail itself is steadily uphill, with endless switchbacks. On this particular day, the trial was muddy which made each step a little more calculated.

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Hike 32 - Ranger Hole Trailhead (link)

September 27, 2020

If you’re looking for a quick little hike, down to the river, this is a great one. It starts in a gorgeous forest, where the sunlight can stream through, and ends along the Duckabush River. It’s a steady downhill trail to the river, but once there it is quite relaxing. Giant rocks offer places to sit along the bank, to listen to water rush by. I had the pleasure of watching broadleaf maple leaves fall gently down to the ground while there, in such a magical way.

#hike24 - North Cascades National Park

HIKE 24 - My Favorite Hike of 2019

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2019

Location: North Cascades National Park

Distance: 7.45 miles

Trails: Cascade Pass

Miles from Home: 2,158

Weather: Cloudy, foggy, cool

The Motivation

My favorite band was playing in Seattle, a mere six weeks after I was in the area for my first trail race, so I looked for cheap flights and made another trip to the Northwest happen. Because I was going to be in town all weekend, I needed to figure out some stuff to do. My concert was in the Ballard Neighborhood, on the north side of Seattle, so I figured why not drive another two to three hours to visit a piece of public lands I’ve had on my list forever.

I researched trails and viewpoints and all of the normal trip stuff, but my friend suggested I go hike to Cascade Pass. The trail was seemingly popular and didn't require an all-day climb, so I was definitely on board. Through further research, I read that people loved it for the views. Actually, most trails in the area promised great views when the weather cooperated.

I got in on a late, and delayed, flight to SeaTac and made my way up to where I was staying in Ballard. It was nearly 1 am when I finally settled in and laid in bed. I set my alarm for 4:45 am and quickly passed out. I woke up, slowly dragged my but out the door, walked the couple blocks to my rental, and promptly hit the road. With my snacks in hand and a quick stop for coffee, I made my way up I-5 ready for adventure. The light started to creep in as I was heading east on State Route 530. Google Maps routed me this way, and I’m glad for it because I found a brewery to stop by on my way home.

Getting to the Trailhead

The sun was coming up of the distant mountains, the fog was thick, but there was a bit of morning glory every now and then. I made it to the North Cascades Highway, and followed it to Marblemount before veering off to Cascade River Road. My friend didn’t mention much about the drive to the trailhead, so I didn’t know what to expect. It was a long and winding road through the forest and around the mountains. It was about an hour trek down this road that just got bumpier and more curvy, but it was gorgeous. Nothing, for me anyway, beats driving through a forest and along a river with foggy mountains in the background.

Eventually, I made it to the trailhead parking area. It was a big area, and was nearly full with visitors. The fog was so thick, I could only see through the parking lot and nothing much beyond any car. I could make out some trees, but it was a wall of white. I checked out the map and posted information, and debated going back and finding a different trail. A little bummed, I hiked anyway. I started the trail, and without any grand views, fell in love with the trail. The fog consumed me, and it was beautiful. The whole 1,700 feet up was foggy. Giant, lush trees in the fog. It was magical, mysterious, eerie, and had me positively high on life. I quickly got over the fact that I wasn’t going to have any “traditional” views of the mountains, and soaked in the foggy trees and what slivers I did see when clouds parted. As I climbed, and it was quite a climb for this flat-lander, some of the fog thinned out. I started to see rock faces and snow.

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

At the pass, it was windy and foggy. I didn’t see much of anything beyond the white clouds. I turned around, after a quick snack, and headed back. As I made my way down, the clouds started to thin out and the mountains became more prominent. I was getting completely different views at every turn, from glaciers to mountains to finally seeing just how far up and on the edge I was.  There were significantly more people going up now, and I enjoyed smiling and chatting with them on my way down. At one point I was between two sets of people going up when we all heard a loud crack. We stopped, looked out through the thinning clouds but didn’t see anything. The one couple said it was a glacier cracking, but it must have been on the opposite side of the hill, because we saw nothing. It was such a neat sound and experience, regardless if it lacked a visual representation.

Going down was obviously faster than going up, and I even ran on some of the straight paths to keep it flowing. I’d say 95% of the people I encountered were super friendly and wanted to talk about the conditions ahead for them. I love being able to share what I saw and experienced and connect with people on the trail. By the time I made it to the car, the parking lot was a completely different place. It was surrounded by mountains instead of clouds and it felt so much smaller. My drive back to the main road was different too. I caught views through the valley and saw some fall color popping against the rock faces.

This trail is probably my favorite of any trail I’ve hiked. It had everything I wanted and it left me wanting more.  These are the combination of emotions I'm looking for in a hike and the reason I keep going out for more.  Leave me a comment with somewhere like this for you!