WASHINGTON TRAILS. Winter s Wonders. Try Snowshoes, p.26 Give Experiences, p.35 Navigate Whiteouts, p.36

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1 Try Snowshoes, p.26 Give Experiences, p.35 Navigate Whiteouts, p.36 WASHINGTON TRAILS November + December 2010» A Publication of Washington Trails Association $4.50 Winter s Wonders Explore Washington s backcountry from ocean beaches to mountain slopes Camp on the Beach, p.19 Escape to Patagonia, p.22 Make Mocha Pudding, p.28 Study Our Gear Gift Guide, p.31

2 » Table of Contents Nov+Dec 2010 News + Views The Front Desk» Brian Windrope Trails need your help even when it s raining.» p.4 The Signpost» Lace Thornberg Alluring public lands demand our vigilance.» p.5 This Month s Cover» Leaving Sulphide Glacier; Mount Shuksan under a blanket of winter snow. Photo by Andy Iles. Volume 46, Issue 6 8 Lace Brett Walton 31 Thornberg 22 Trail Talk» Letters from our readers.» p.6 Hiking News» Fixing up the PCT, National Parks seek comments, an update from the Yacolt Burn State Forest and more.» p.7 WTA at Work Trail Work» Diane Bedell How the West Fork Foss Trail is like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.» p.12 Action for Trails» Jonathan Guzzo Get to know the Department of Natural Resources.» p.16 Membership News» Rebecca Lavigne Pop quiz: how can you give back to the trails you love?» p.18 On Trail Northwest Explorer» John D Onofrio Shi-Shi Beach in winter: all the scenery, none of the crowds.» p.19 Feature» Pam Roy A few hikes in Patagonia to add to your life list.» p.22 Feature» Reisha Holton, Ryan Schreiner and Sarah Kirkconnell Never been snowshoeing before? Read this piece for places to go, practical advice and chocolate recipes.» p.26 Backcountry The Gear Closet» WTA s Gear Team Shopping for hikers? We share our gift suggestions.» p.31 Nature on Trail» Sylvia Feder Salmon and eagles converge on the Skagit.» p.34 How to Do It» Todd Miller Find your way, with or without visibility.» p.36 Take a Hike» Select trip reports from across the state.» p.38 A Walk on the Wild Side» Susan Sampson Searching for some special brass outside Wenatchee.» p.44

3 November + December 2010» Washington Trails About Us «3 Board of Directors President ROB SHURTLEFF, Seattle WASHINGTON TRAILS VP, Advocacy STEPHEN TAN, Seattle VP, Board Development CRAIG MCKIBBEN, Seattle VP, Fundraising & Membership CAROLE BIANQUIS, Seattle Treasurer DOUG BRECKEL, Seattle Secretary KATE ROGERS, Seattle At-Large Directors PETER BARRETT, Bellevue LISA BLACK, Everett JEFF CHAPMAN, Port Townsend LANGDON COOK, Seattle KAREN DAUBERT, Seattle TODD DUNFIELD, Spokane TIM GOULD, Seattle WENDY WHEELER JACOBS, Sammamish RICHARD JOHNSON, Sammamish JERRY KEPPLER, Seattle KATHLEEN LEARNED, Seattle DAMIEN MURPHY, Redmond MELISSA STRAUCH, Seattle STEPHEN TAN, Seattle Advisory Board Susan Ball, Mark Boyar, Joan Burton, Bill Chapman, Karl Forsgaard, Kevin Hall, Ken Konigsmark, Ken Mondal, Tom Lucas, Margaret Macleod, Susan Saul, John Spring Washington Trails Owner & Publisher WASHINGTON TRAILS ASSOCIATION Washington Trails (ISSN ) is published bimonthly by the Washington Trails Association, 2019 Third Ave., Suite 100, Seattle, WA Annual membership dues, which include a subscription to Washington Trails magazine, are $40. Single copy price is $4.50. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Washington Trails Magazine, 2019 Third Ave., Suite 100, Seattle, WA Washington Trails Association Staff Executive Director BRIAN WINDROPE Advocacy Director JONATHAN GUZZO Bookkeeper DEB HEMINGWAY Chief Crew Leader MIKE OWENS Communications & Outreach Director LAUREN BRADEN Development Director REBECCA LAVIGNE Editor LACE THORNBERG Field Director ALAN CARTER MORTIMER Membership Manager KARA CHIN Northwest Washington Crew Leader ARLEN BOGAARDS Office Manager HOLLY CHAMBERS Outreach Coordinator KINDRA RAMOS Project Coordinator TIM VAN BEEK Program Development Manager DIANE BEDELL Southwest Washington Regional Coordinator RYAN OJERIO Trail Program Director MIKE STENGER Volunteer Coordinator ALYSSA KREIDER Web Editor SUSAN ELDERKIN Youth Programs Coordinator KRISTA DOOLEY Youth Programs Specialist CHRIS WALL Washington Trails Volunteers Copy Editors: MARK CANIZARO, JIM CAVIN, REBECCA KETTWIG, ANITA WAHLER Gear Team: CHERIE BEVERS, ELI BOSCHETTO, CHERI HIGMAN, PATRICK LEAHY, MATT THYER Photo Editor: WADE TRENBEATH Printed on Grays Harbor Paper s Harbor 100, 100 percent recycled paper made with 100 percent renewable energy. Learn more at Third Avenue, Suite 100 Seattle, WA Washington Trails Association is a volunteerdriven nonprofit membership organization working to preserve, enhance and promote hiking opportunities in Washington state through collaboration, education, advocacy and trail maintenance. Washington Trails Association was founded by Louise B. Marshall ( ). Ira Spring ( ) was its primary supporter. Greg Ball ( ) founded the volunteer trail maintenance program. Their spirit continues today through contributions from thousands of WTA members and volunteers. WTA has earned Charity Navigator s highest rating four years in a row. WTA is a member organization of EarthShare Washington.

4 4 News+Views The Front Desk» Help trails this winter Brian Windrope Executive Director On a recent Sunday, I joined sixteen other volunteers to help build a new trail on Guemes Island in Skagit County. All sorts of people took part that day, from teenagers to retired lawyers to working moms, and we made a remarkable amount of progress toward the summit. One great day helping trails with WTA, and we are that much closer to reaching a viewpoint that will dazzle people for years to come There are many, many ways for you to help trails this winter. Did you know that WTA holds trail work parties all year long? Yes, this includes rainy winter days. Our winter trail parties are just as important as those in other seasons because winter is when most of our trail damage happens. By getting out in winter you not only have a great time in beautiful places, but you can address erosion and drainage issues before these problems become too severe. Find a work party and sign up on our website. Take a friend, and discover why so many people come back again and again. Getting out on trail work parties is not the only way you can help trails this winter. Another way is to help with our advocacy efforts. Federal and state budget reductions pose dramatic threats to trails through the loss of maintenance funding, road closures, trailhead closures, and a further drop in law enforcement. Washington State is projecting a $4.5 billion deficit for the budget. Times are not good for trails. Not good at all. However, the way volunteers like you speak up for trails is a beacon of light. Strengthen our voice for trails by joining our Trail Action Network through our website. We make it easy for you to make a difference. Another critical way to help the trails you love is by making a financial donation to WTA. We invest in the things we believe are important to our health and happiness, and I have no doubt that you believe trails of all sorts are an essential part of your life here in the Northwest. Supporting WTA is a simple way to ensure that the trails you value are protected, maintained and enhanced. Join my family and thousands of other proud Northwesterners and make a donation today. Every dollar you give is leveraged many times over through the sweat equity of WTA volunteers. Many of my fondest hiking memories come from hikes I ve done among the stillness or storms of winter. I ll never forget a winter day on Stuart Island up near the Canadian border when my family hiked, alone, to a dramatic lighthouse, and found a window into deep time spread out before us. What compares to the Olympic coast in winter and waves that stagger our comprehension? What beats a crisp December walk at Nisqually to see surf scoters? Whether your interest is waterfalls or winter birds, raging rivers or quiet trails, you can find many special treats on a winter hike. Don t hibernate this winter! Get out for a refreshing hike in a breathtaking place, remember that you are lucky to live in this incredible part of the world, and help trails any way you can.

5 November + December 2010» Washington Trails News+Views «5 The Signpost» Land of Enticements By this time of the year, I am pretty much exhausted. Washington s wildlands have been luring me away from home and out on mileslong forays for months now. They just have this way of offering new charms each week. Trillium pushing through the crust of spring snow. Midsummer s distinctive slant of light. Birds migrating southward signaling fall. In late September, I went on a backpacking trip where each step felt more autumnal. As we hiked into the Wolf Creek Valley, the landscape took on more yellow and orange hues. From the summit of North Gardner Mountain, we could look down into at least a dozen different valleys and we could follow the larches changing, from blazing gold near the summits to still green at the valley bottoms. But it s not just the seasonal changes that draw me out again and again. Our wild lands also offer a tremendous amount of aesthetic variety. The Wolf Creek Valley held a tumult of organic forms: burned stumps, slender silver snags, tufts of grass, strewn boulders. This place was naturally chaotic, a bit riotous, filled with both life and decay. In contrast, I would describe the Grand Valley in the Olympics as idyllic, manicured, sublime. Its lakes and lakelets are shapely pools neatly edged with marsh grass. Adorable fawns and robust bucks prance here. Now, Ross Lake, that is a different sort of perfect. The lake is mysterious, watery, quiet perfection, and the immense peaks that hem it in are pure grandeur. What is the point of seeing and experiencing all this wildness? As we head into a snowier season of outdoor enticement and as I reflect on another spring, summer and fall in Washington s wilderness, I am certain of one thing. We don t need a little wilderness. We need a lot. We need each of its shapes its chutes, shoulders, valleys, basins, slopes and ridges. We need it in all seasons to stand in the springtime spray of a waterfall and to cross quickly through autumn s dry creekbeds. We need snow-covered hillsides to explore. That s not want, but need. As our party of four hiked out of the Wolf Creek Valley, we stopped for lunch at a bend in the trail where two fallen trees provided seating. As we refueled, we gushed. What a great hike! Can you believe the scenery? And it is all protected wilderness, isn t that great? For now, I sighed. What? my companions asked, People would protest if anyone tried to change wilderness laws! Maybe, I thought, but I wasn t feeling so sure. As they looked at me quizzically, I told my hike mates that the wilderness movement in America is actually quite tiny. In Washington, your fingers will suffice for counting the number of staunch advocates who have managed to ensure that our most significant wild places became national parks and wilderness areas. Knowing that, I am inclined to think that our wilderness areas are precarious. If a handful of people can work together to save them, couldn t a handful of people also open them up for destruction? But then I corrected myself. After all, don t I work for an organization whose membership is 9,000 households strong? A handful of advocates before us, and many still among us, have dedicated their lives to protecting our wild landscapes. But they didn t succeed alone. They relied on thousands of people to show that they supported the protection of these landscapes. To contact lawmakers, to become members of organizations and, just as importantly, to get outside and get to know these wild places. Today, when our national parks and state forests seek public comments, they really do mean from you. If you think State Parks should be a state priority, speak up. If you think the wilderness character found on Silver Star Mountain would be compromised by strings of power lines, say so. In Washington s wilderness, you ll find myriad wonders to entice you out. When a landscape charms you, help protect it. t Lace Thornberg Editor editor@wta.org

6 6» News+Views November + December 2010» Washington Trails Trail Talk» Letters There were three or four mountain goats fighting for licking rights. Ted Wolfrum Write to Us» Send a letter to 2019 Third Ave. Suite 100, Seattle WA or editor@wta.org Another Safety Tip Doug McCall has some good ideas for encounters with questionable hikers [July+Aug issue, p.11]. However, he forgot to mention the obvious trick solo hikers have used for years, especially solo women hikers, of referring to oneself in the plural. It was thirty years ago that I first met a solo female on the trail who kept saying, We are hiking to, We can t wait to and then realizing a half hour later, with an admiring grin, that I hadn t passed anyone else. I ve heard that used many times since. Surely it gives pause to a questionable hiker who thinks others are coming right around the bend or up the trail in a minute. As to weapons, to each her/his own, but I admit to carrying the medium, 5-inch size, pepper spray (Counter Assault) in my shirt pocket for quick access for dogs, cougars, or, yup, questionable hikers. Happily, I ve never had to use it. One of McCall s best lines was, Always listen to your senses. Bob Ellinwood AT, PCT and CDT thru-hiker Bedford, Virginia Thompson Deserves the Kudos It was fantastic to see Rusty Thompson being honored nationally [Sept+Oct issue, pg. 9]. Having worked with Rusty the last few years, I can say it s a well-deserved honor. Floyd Stredwick Pasco, Washington Reliving a Goat Moment Hello there, trailers! Enjoyed your September+October 2010 Trails issue! When I got to page 23 with the picture of a mountain goat and a sitting hiker, I wondered if the hiker got his licking after taking that picture? That s what happened to me when I took a picture while in my sleeping bag. There were three or four mountain goats fighting for licking rights. It s quite a scary thing having that ugly black tongue in one s face, with the feel of sandpaper the rough kind at that, too. I let out a loud scream in panic! What a rude awakening! I have been sniffed by a bear, but these goats went crazy licking me! After that, I always carried a tent for a good night s sleep! Now, I don t get out any more due to a muscle disease well, actually a nerve disease, don t have any feeling in my legs or feet but I had a great life, hiking most of my life, can t complain! Looking forward to your next Trails magazine. Ted Wolfrum 76-year-old member Seattle, Washington Leave the Berries for the Bears I saw the latest Washington Trails, which I generally find a very good read indeed. However the September+October 2010 issue contained a special feature about how people can literally eat the food out of the mouths of wildlife. Many animals rely on eating these very same foods to survive. What would people do if the animals came down and into their gardens and ate their plants. Yes, I know deer do this, but bears do not. Huckleberries are a staple that bears rely upon to get them through the winter. By the way, a huckleberry is just another name for a blueberry. So, go to a local blueberry farm or the store and buy them. This reminds me of a story. After grocery shopping, a man stopped beside the road to pick some blueberries in a field. Carrying the berries back to his car, he sees a man sitting in his car eating the watermelon he just bought. When he asked the man what he was doing, the man said "Well, you're eating my huckleberries, I thought I'd return the favor by eating your watermelon. Think about it people. Mark Brillum

7 Hiking News» November + December 2010» Washington Trails News+Views «7 PCT to Reopen near Glacier Peak Closed since 2003, a 45-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail will be available to hikers again next fall Longing for a sojourn on the Pacfic Crest Trail west of Glacier Peak? You will be able to take that long-closed hike next fall. In 2003, flood damage made the Pacific Crest Trail nearly impassible along 45 miles on the south end of Glacier Peak Wilderness, about 25 miles southeast of Darrington. Thanks to $424,000 in recovery money, the Mount Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest was able to beef up their trail crews and tackle the backlog of maintenance head on this past summer. With this work and another project involving a new bridge and 3.5 miles of new trail done by contract crews, the PCT should be largely repaired by the end of next summer. It was nice to finally get in there and hit these areas hard, said Dawn Erickson, trails specialist for the Darrington Ranger District, who was able to hire 16 workers, about double the number of people that she usually hires to work on trails in a season. Making repairs in this remote wild area wasn t easy. Washed-out roads and several major river crossings made reaching the work a battle. Downfall logs had piled up over the seven years since the Suiattle River Trail and Road washed out. Finally, the strict restrictions against using motorized and mechanical equipment for work or transportation in congressionally designated wilderness added to the creative challenge of reaching the work sites and removing trees. Crewmembers would scrape the bark off of fallen trees with axes or Pulaskis, attempt to saw through the log in two cuts with a crosscut saw, and then push it off the trail. The bark was a foot thick on some of the old-growth Douglas-firs. By the end of the season the crew that worked between Vista Creek and Vista Ridge had cleared nearly 200 logs, all by hand using crosscuts. It is a lot more intimate using crosscuts; I could hear the wood cracking, said crew leader Bryce Boyd. From April through September, the Darrington trail crew split into groups to clear and repair three different segments of the PCT: Red Pass to White Pass, Mica Lake to Milk Creek and Vista Ridge to Vista Creek. They also worked on the Suiattle River Trail and the North Fork Sauk Trail; both are major access trails to the PCT. Through the summer, workers retreaded trail where it had slumped down hills, rerouted trail, and brushed it. They excavated, replaced rock and smoothed the surface. Boyd grew up hunting and fishing outdoors around Darrington, and thought he knew all the trails and scenic spots, but he said camping and working nine days at a time in the backcountry gave him a deeper appreciation for the area. The upper Suiattle is beautiful. I can see why it is so popular. I love the scenery, it is awe-inspiring, he said. Crew leader Catherine Austin, who got her start with WTA, spent twenty days out with Continued on p.45 Darrington Ranger District crew leader Bridget Wisniewski on the PCT above Milk Creek. Photo by U.S. Forest Service.

8 8» News+Views November + December 2010» Washington Trails Changes for Hikers in the Yacolt Burn Adoption of the Western Yacolt Burn Forest Recreation Plan paves the way for ORV trails expansion; power lines may interrupt the view from Silver Star Mountain The worst forest fire in the history of Washington state, the Yacolt Burn, swept through southwestern Washington in Today, an estimated 50,000 visitors annually use the trails and facilities in the Yacolt Burn State Forest, taking part in nonmotorized recreation activities such as hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking and motorized recreation, including off-road vehicle (ORV) riding. In August 2010, Washington s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officially adopted the Western Yacolt Burn Forest Recreation Plan. This plan will provide the conceptual layout for future trails expansion in the western portion of this forest. In October, the DNR began projectspecific State Environmental Planning Act analysis in order to implement the first phase of the plan. Phase one focuses on a new mountain-bike-only downhill trail and a network of ORV trails extending north and east out of the existing ORV area known as Jones Creek. In addition to motorcycle trails and quad trails, the plan includes four-by-four routes open to trucks and jeeps. The DNR had originally planned for one of these four-by-four routes to intersect with the Grouse Vista Trailhead, a popular hiker trailhead to access Silver Star Mountain and the Tarbell Trail, but representatives from WTA, the Gifford Pinchot Task Force and the Crag Law Center, plus local hiker advocates met with the DNR to voice concerns about this aspect of the plan. In response, DNR recreation staff worked with the ORV community to move the route away from the nonmotorized trailhead. The plan also calls for expanded camping facilities and an additional 17 miles of non-motorized trails in the Western Yacolt Burn State Forest. At the same time, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is considering options for a new high-transmission corridor that would cut through the area, crossing several trails and tarnishing the view from Silver Star Mountain. BPA is due to announce its preferred route option sometime in WTA s regional coordinator, Ryan Ojerio, is organizing a coalition of recreation and environmental groups in southwest Washington to advocate for the protection of this outstanding recreation resource for future generations. t Will power lines stretch across this landscape? Photo by Lindy Parker. Speak Up for Silver Star To add your voice to the chorus of advocates calling for the protection of Silver Star Mountain and the Western Yacolt Burn Forest, contact BPA and let them know that the construction of line segment O would permanently damage recreation opportunities for the communities of southwest Washington and generations to come. BPA I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project PO Box 9250, Portland, OR You can also fax letters to or go online to where you can watch a video about the project, download maps and comment online. Learn more about BPA s Powerline Proposal on WTA s blog, the Signpost. Look for a post from October 5, Ryan Ojerio

9 November + December 2010» Washington Trails State Parks Plans for Deficit State Parks and Recreation Commission votes to mothball six parks in the biennium News+Views «9 Having your boss tell you to cut your budget by 10 percent is something that more than a few managers may be able to relate to these days. On August 17, 2010, Gov. Gregoire asked all state agencies to submit a 10 percent state general fund reduction option for the Biennium. As Gregoire told agencies to prepare for a smaller and more efficient state budget that demands performance from every program she further urged agencies to think in terms of where your agency will end up, not just how you meet each new target. In essence, do the best you can with less. That probably sounds familiar, too. Washington State Parks dutifully went back to their budget and prepared two budget reduction options, one that would minimize park mothballing and one that would minimize service reduction levels in open parks. On September 9, 2010, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission chose option one, the preferred option of parks department staff, including Director Rex Derr. We believe we have to do our part to help the state get through this difficult time, said Derr, and the changes we are proposing are reasonable, doable and responsible. Of all the ways in which they could have trimmed their budget, Derr characterized the parks department s proposal as the least disruptive for both park visitors and parks department staff and the least likely to affect public donations, on which the parks have grown increasingly dependent. The six parks slated for mothballing in 2011 are Fort Ward, Federation Forest, Squak Mountain, Peshastin Pinnacles, Flaming Geyser and Tolmie. According to Ilene Frisch, Director of Administration, Finance and Technology for Washington State Parks, the decision about which parks to mothball was purely based on expenditure versus revenue. Using that criterion, it is easy to see how a park like Fort Ward found its way to the closure list. In Fiscal Year 2009, it cost the parks $69,616 to maintain, and brought in zero dollars in revenue. While objective and practical, using only this ratio means that the parks department didn t consider a host of other factors such as the volume of use, the availability of other facilities nearby and the proximity to population centers. Three of these parks lie within an easy drive of the bulk of the state s population, Puget Sound metro residents. Last July, more than 9,000 Squak Mountain State Park is among six state parks slated for mothballing in people visited Squak Mountain State Park, a park that features a full 13 miles of hiking trails, including the popular route that passes by the Bullitt Fireplace. Opting to mothball Flaming Geyser was an exception based on the practical consideration that the park was already going to be closed for repairs through the end of Mothballing is just a $1.5 million chapter in the story, however. The commission opted to go with the lesser of the mothball options after all. To reduce their current budget allocation by a total of $7.9 million, the parks department would also cut 6 administrative program employees, eliminate 4.5 Parks Operation Shops positions and decrease their field staff permanently by eliminating approximately 15 full-time employees. Visitors may not immediately miss the industrial hygienist who will be laid off, but they may miss $1.5 million worth of field staff. What s not happening in this proposal? Enforcement is not being cut, and there won t be new fees. Parks will remain free for day-use, but overnight visitors will pay $1 more to camp. Concerned citizens may be wondering what they can do now. Frisch had many ideas. First and foremost, you can share concerns directly with the parks department and with elected officials. She added, If they love their parks, donate on their license tab renewal and help spread the word about this opportunity. Look to assist in parks. Raise funds for endowments. Volunteer for groups who partner with parks and join Friends of groups. We are going to lean more and more on our agency partners, says Derr, We are grateful for the work WTA has done and we re going to be asking for more help next year. t Lace Thornberg Read Up >> You can find a link to the State Parks and Recreation Commission s full report in WTA s blog, the Signpost. Look for a post from October 7, It is worthwhile to note that this proposal from Washington State Parks still has to make its way through the budget process. The actual outcome in 2011 could be more or less dire, depending on budget realities.

10 10» News+Views November + December 2010» Washington Trails Less Guns in the Middle Fork Target Shooting in I-90 Corridor gets Permanent Ban Trail Book» The Burn that Built the Forest Service Timothy Egan s The Big Burn is a vivid and compelling book, well worth the attention of WTA members for the stories it tells. And the writing is superb, I guarantee. Dawne Adam Perhaps it has happened to you. You arrive at the trailhead parking lot for your hike, get out of your car, and there before you are people shooting rifles at an old television. Target shooting at a developed trailhead is unsafe and illegal. Federal rules prohibit target shooting within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area. Still, unsafe shooting has been on the rise, especially in high traffic-areas like the I-90 corridor. While target shooting safely into an appropriate backstop and away from roads, trails and developed sites is not a danger to hikers and other trail users, the proliferation of unmanaged target shooting poses serious risks. Problems with unsafe shooting reached a fever pitch last year, with numerous close calls reported by hikers, campers, contract workers and rangers. That s when Snoqualmie District Ranger Jim Franzel made the decision to initiate an emergency closure of 7,000 acres north and south of the interstate to shooting. After a year-long trial period and public process, including an Environmental Assessment, the Snoqualmie Ranger District is set to make the target shooting closure around Interstate 90 permanent. Included in the permanent ban is a swath of forest land surrounding the Middle Fork Road from just before the Pratt River trailhead to Dingford Creek. Violators of the shooting ban will be fined. The ban will be enforced by the North Bend Ranger District's sole law enforcement officer and through a cooperative agreement with the King County Sheriff's office. We asked Franzel what hikers should do if they encounter unsafe target shooting in the ban area or anywhere on forest lands. Call if you have cell phone coverage, or report it to the forest service, said Franzel. Lauren Braden Here is the story of the origin of the U.S. Forest Service, as conceived by Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot. The agency is considered a joke by railroad and timber barons, and underfunded by Congress to the extent that Pinchot pays some expenses and salaries out of his own pocket. The Big Burn by Timothy Egan Here are parts of personal biographies of Roosevelt, John Muir and Pinchot, who was widely admired but widely misunderstood. The birth of the concept of conservation is told. Here is the story of the courage and dedication of Ed Pulaski, a hero WTA members should know better, and of how he invented the tool that bears his name, one still used by trail crew volunteers today. What a life he lived! His unrewarded loyalty to the Forest Service is just part of his story. But the major story, the one that takes your breath away, is of the big burn of It has been called the Katrina of its day, and for good reason. There had been a long drought and persistent dry winds, but no one was prepared for the Palouser wind that blew east to feed the conflagration on August 20, Enormous stands of forests in three states burned to the ground. Entire towns disappeared, and trains carrying escaping citizens burned on the tracks. Amid this devastation, one positive emerged. Suddenly Western citizens looked for help from the U.S. Forest Service. Who else could save them? This is the story of a fire that determined the future of the Forest Service and saved the nation s forests for the nation. Joan Burton

11 November + December 2010» Washington Trails News+Views «11 National Park Service Seeks Comments Hikers can help shape and inform public policy for the better by sharing their opinions during comment periods. Here s the latest information on two roads-related proposals taking place in Washington national parks. WTA encourages you to read any and all proposals of interest to you and to take these opportunities to weigh in seriously. Chart the Course of the Carbon River Road The Carbon River Road, which was destroyed by severe storms in 2006, will not be rebuilt. How exactly Mount Rainier National Park will deal with this washed out road remains to be seen. In September, the park service released its Environmental Assessment for managing access to the Carbon River area. Their Preferred Alternative would convert the Carbon River Road into a 4.8-mile hiking and biking trail to the Ipsut Creek Campground. WTA supports a different alternative, one which would make temporary use of the road as a hiking and biking trail during the construction of an upslope wilderness trail. We believe this alternative (#5) is the best way to ensure long-term access to this corner of the Park, as it would place the new trail above the river s flood zone. One of the significant peculiarities in this case is that the Carbon River Road sits at a lower elevation than the river. It wasn t always this way, but steady accretion of material from the high mountains and the glacier has built up the river bed over time. Sitting a lower elevation than the river makes the road more vulnerable to flooding. When the Park initially sought public comments back in 2008, WTA reluctantly supported closing the road and developing an upslope wilderness trail with continued hiking and biking access on the existing road. We knew that the 2006 closure of this road, 5 miles from the trailhead, would place the Carbon Glacier out of reach for many day hikers, but we saw no alternative to the reality of nature s force. Road access may not be possible in Mount Rainier National Park s northwest corner, but we hope that access by trail will continue well into the future. Comment: MORA _ carbon _ river _ comments@nps.gov. Written comments are due November 3, Review the Draft Stehekin River Plan When the Stehekin River rose to record levels in 1995, 2003 and 2006, the National Park Service knew it had to come up with a plan that would provide high-quality recreational experiences, protect natural and cultural resources, support the private community of Stehekin and establish sustainable administrative facilities in this valley at the north end of Lake Chelan. Public input over the past three years has helped North Cascades National Park to create a Draft Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan Environmental Impact Statement. Hikers are now invited to review the presented alternatives and provide the park with their thoughts and recommendations. The Park hosted three informational public meetings in October. For hikers, the most noticable elements of the park s Preferred Alternative will be the relocation of 2 miles of the Stehekin Valley Road around flood-prone McGregor Meadows and the addition of several new recreational opportunities, including a new raft take-out at the river mouth, a new campground at Rainbow Falls, and a Lower Valley Trail to connect the Stehekin Landing to High Bridge. The park would also shift to large wood management at the river mouth and revise the 1995 Land Protection Plan to update priorities for land protection and federal land available for exchange. Other elements of the preferred alternative are carried forward from the 1995 Lake Chelan National Recreation Area General Management Plan, including a move of the NPS maintenance facility and some NPS housing on Company Creek Road out of the floodplain. WTA appreciates the Park s work to preserve the environment while protecting the integrity of the road, and new recreation facilities in the area are very much welcome. Comment: File comments online at or via to noca _ superintedent@nps.gov or via fax to Comments are due December 13, WTA does not have a blanket position on whether park or forest roads should or should not be rebuilt, nor do we take a position on all road road projects. Instead, we consider each road individually. t Lace Thornberg Where the Carbon River Road was. Photo by Carole Bianquis. A house falling into the Stehekin River. Photo courtesy of North Cascades National Park. To discuss these proposals and others, visit the Signpost Blog at

12 12 WTA at Work Trail Maintenance» Our Meat and Potatoes WTA tackles significant projects and maintains hundreds of much-loved trails on day trips Diane Bedell Program Development Manager Imagine WTA s trail maintenance program is a dinner plate. Our Volunteer Vacations, Back Country Response Teams, Advanced Backcountry Youth Vacations and Front Country Youth Vacations are our spicy side dishes. The meat and potatoes, or the tofu and beans for the vegetarians, of this meal (trail maintenance program) are our one-day work parties. I work in WTA s trail maintenance program, and even I am simply astounded by the amount of work accomplished one day at a time. It is not uncommon for WTA to field up to 12 work parties in one weekend during the height of the summer, and we work on trails a mere six days a week during the shoulder seasons. Volunteers will find opportunities in southwest Washington, northwest Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula and in the greater Puget Sound area year-round. As we wrap up 2010, we will have completed more than 570 one-day work parties. That s nearly a year and a half of nonstop trail work! Our largest projects supported by one-day work parties have been the Glacier Basin Trail relocation project at Mount Rainier National Park and the Pratt River Connector Trail in the Snoqualmie Ranger District, and we ve also spent considerable time restoring the West Fork Foss Trail and building a new trail in Beacon Rock State Park. In mid-july, the first mile of reconstructed Glacier Basin Trail opened to hikers, easing part of the rocky scramble left behind by the 2006 floods. More than 150 volunteers contributed well over 6,000 hours moving rock, digging roots, building turnpikes, constructing bridges, and hauling dirt. Slowly, foot by foot,

13 November + December 2010» Washington Trails WTA at Work «13 a new trail emerged from the forest, built to exacting standards for the National Park Service. Climbers headed to the Emmons Glacier, carrying equipment-laden packs and plodding along in heavy boots, were especially happy to see that this stretch of trail was now open. Work on a second section of trail is now in progress, and we anticipate continuing our work there into This work was made possible, in part, through generous support from the Greg Ball Trail Fund and the Boeing Company Charitable Trust. We started working on this trail in 2008, so it was great to finally see a section of the new trail open to users. Envisioned to improve hiking options in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie area, the Pratt River Connector Trail is also taking shape slowly but surely. Day after day, week after week, WTA volunteers worked to create a beautiful trail in the place of an abandoned footpath. Leading from the Gateway Bridge toward the confluence of the Pratt River and the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie, this path restores historic access to a long-neglected area. WTA s prep work allowed a contractor to reach sections of trail that required blasting and machinery to complete. The first trail section, when complete, will lead to Rainy Creek. Two more miles of trail that will connect to the Pratt River Trail are slated for completion in the near future. In June, our crews started work on the West Fork Foss Trail in the Skykomish Ranger District. The West Fork Foss Trail was left in shambles after the 2006 floods. It has taken the Forest Service several years to complete the planning and secure funding to repair the trail, and we were able to start reconstruction this year. A new bridge will be installed over the West Fork Foss River next summer, and WTA crews were busy this summer building an approach to the new bridge location. Crews contributed more than 2000 hours to this project. Generously supported by the Spring Family Trust for Trails, our work on the West Fork Foss Trail also engaged several youth groups in trail development and maintenance. Youth crews from the International District Housing Authority WILD program, the Seattle Parks Outdoor Opportunity program and the YMCA s BOLD program all played a significant role in moving this project forward. WTA s southwest contingent of trail crew volunteers continues to flourish, tackling projects like the construction of the Hardy Ridge Trail at Beacon Rock State Park. Twenty-two one day work parties were completed at Beacon Rock, pulling stumps, filling holes and building beautiful rock walls. Our crews in southwest Washington are close to finishing the multiuse section of trail, with only a few hundred feet of final tread work to complete. More work remains on a hiker-only section that will keep us busy through the winter season. Turning raw forest into hikable trails, all of these relocation and construction projects have been resounding successes for WTA and, yet, these trails are hardly the whole story about our one day trips. We also completed a heck of a lot of basic trail maintenance during one-day work parties, reaching nearly 100 different trails across the state. Near Bellingham, crews improved several different trails in Larrabee State Park, including the popular Fragrance Lake Trail where they constructed a small bridge last spring. During summer, our Bellingham-based volunteers moved to higher ground to work on trails near Mount Baker. If trail names like Damfino, Welcome Pass and Heliotrope Ridge are in your hiking vocabulary, you can thank the hearty band of volunteers who spent more than 1,800 hours repairing tread and brushing the trails in the Mount Baker Ranger District this summer. In Spokane County Parks, crews spent 1,500 hours on several trail relocations, helping to improve both fragile riparian areas and hiking opportunities in one fell swoop. We ll be working on these trails again following the spring thaw. One-day work parties on the Olympic Peninsula accomplished an amazing amount of work for hikers this summer. We replaced a large footlog on the Notch Pass Trail at Townsend Creek over the course of eight work parties. WTA volunteers also worked on Mount Walker, Tunnel Creek, Elbo Creek and the South Fork Skokomish to list a few. Our Oly crews logged out miles of trail, replaced rotted crib wall, brushed and repaired hundreds of feet of tread. As you can see, our one-day work parties happen year-round and across the state. We ll be working in many places in the Interstate 90 corridor and on Guemes Mountain in the San Juan Islands, at Larrabee State Park, and at Beacon Rock State Park all winter long. Lend a hand to your fellow hikers and join us for a day of chopping roots, hauling rock and basically having a great time getting dirty. t Youth groups learned the basic elements of trailbuilding on the West Fork Foss Trail this summer. Photo by U.S.F.S.

14 14 14» WTA» WTA at at Work Work November + December 2010» Washington Trails Double Your Impact WTA Receives Matching Grant for Trail Work at Cape Horn Washington Trails Association recently received a generous matching grant from the National Forest Foundation for trail improvements at Cape Horn. If we raise $13,000, we will receive a dollar-for-dollar match, for a total of $26,000. To date, we have raised $2,000 toward this goal thanks to a grant from the American Hiking Society. Those who have been to Cape Horn know that it boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the Columbia River Gorge. Unfortunately, the existing trail poses safety risks for hikers and impacts nesting Peregrine falcons, Larch Mountain salamander and other wildlife. This funding will allow WTA to improve hiker safety, protect natural resources and protect critical habitat areas along the trail. This summer, WTA collaborated with Friends of the Gorge, the Cape Horn Conservancy and Forest Service staff to identify the highest priority trail improvements in the Cape Horn Trail Plan. Our major task will be to construct a 50-foot bridge and reroute a section of trail to link the new bridge site to the existing trail. WTA will also complete several other trail improvements and we will provide training to local user groups and residents who can help ensure that this trail system is safe, enjoyable and sustainable for years to come. Long after WTA volunteers have finished reconstructing key segments of the trail and have installed the new footbridge, this project will serve as successful model of collaboration and citizen engagement in effective land stewardship. To support this project, you can make a donation online at www. wta.org and type Cape Horn in the comment box. Your contribution will go twice as far thanks to the National Forest Foundation s matching grant. For more information, contact Rebecca Lavigne at rebecca@wta.org or call (206) t Upcoming Trail Work Parties Nov. 2 6 Nov. 6 Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov. 21 Nov Nov Nov. 30 Dec. 4 Dec. 4 5 Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec Cougar Mountain Dosewallips State Park Cougar Mountain Larrabee State Park Grand Ridge Guemes Island Dosewallips State Park Grand Ridge Larrabee State Park Grand Ridge Larrabee State Park Grand Ridge Larrabee State Park Grand Ridge Guemes Island Grand Ridge Grand Ridge Sign up online at Volunteer Appreciation Parties If you have volunteered with us, you are invited! We ll be celebrating statewide. October 30 in Spokane Mountain Gear Community Room November 4 in Seattle REI Flagship Store November 10 in Bellingham Bloedel Donovan Park, with a hiker potluck November 14 in Southwest Washington Clark PUD Community room December 4 on the Olympic Peninsula Quilcene Community Center RSVP online at Ryan Ojerio For a complete schedule, visit

15 November + December 2010» Washington Trails WTA at Work «15 Featured Trail Project» Loowit Trail WTA seasonal crew leader Ryan Schreiner gives us an update after a long, hot summer on Mount St. Helens As it circumnavigates Mount St. Helens, the Loowit Trail drops into and climbs out of deep gullies left by the eruption of Heavy rains damaged this trail in 2006 and lack of Forest Service funding left the trail in disrepair for several seasons. In 2008, WTA put the Loowit Trail on our endangered trails list and in 2009, WTA applied for funding from the South Gifford Pinchot Resource Advisory Committee. This summer, WTA used that grant to hire a full-time crew leader (me) to lead trail work projects throughout the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, with a focus on the southeast end of the Loowit Trail. Volunteers came from all over Washington to help out. As we worked, we began to hear reports from hikers about the trail s wonderful condition in other stretches. As is turns out, not only was WTA hard at work, but many others including crews from Washington Conservation Corps (WCC), the U.S. Forest Service and biking clubs were pitching in, too. While WCC and the others concentrated on the Plains of Abraham and the Blast Zone, WTA focused on the section between the June Lake Trail and the Ape Canyon Trail. If Mount St. Helens were a clock, this would be the section between three and six. This 5.5-mile stretch of trail includes thick forest, an exposed climb, a ridge walk and a series of glacial drainages. Our work started late due to the atypical spring snowfall, and our work parties in May and June were hemmed in by the slowly receding snowline. By midsummer, we had reached the exposed climb leading to the ridge. Our crew spent a lot of time watching the boulders that we had pulled out of the trail as they tumbled down these precipitous scree slopes. It was a blast. During our final two trips, we concentrated on the Muddy River and Shoestring Glacier drainages, perhaps the most challenging work we completed. Our goal was to create walking surfaces that were safe and not too steep in grade, and we did just that. Maintaining the Loowit Trail was no easy task, but our volunteers were up for the challenge that comes with hiking in to a remote work site. The heat didn t stop them either. On one particularly hot day, the crew took an afternoon siesta, but came back to work when the day had cooled off. There is more work to be done, but the Loowit Trail is headed in the right direction. The work that volunteers and trail users completed is awe-inspiring and I take pride in saying that this trail is no longer endangered. My most humble thanks to all of you who came out and lent a helping hand. Thank you for making this summer one to remember! t Ryan Schreiner Hike It» Loowit Trail Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Backcountry Response Team volunteers reconstructing the Loowit Trail as it winds through scree. Photo by Ryan Ojerio. Distance: 29 miles Elevation Gain: 4,100 feet Highest point: 4,800 feet Map: Green Trails Mount St. Helens 364, 364S Best Season: mid- to latesummer More Info: 100 Hikes in the South Cascades and Olympics; Gifford Pinchot National Forest website;

16 16» WTA at Work November + December 2010» Washington Trails Action for Trails» Gothic Basin, above Monte Cristo Janice Van Cleve The 411 on the DNR You may have heard of the Department of Natural Resources. Do you know what lands they manage? Jonathan Guzzo WTA Advocacy Director jonathan@wta.org At WTA, we spend a lot of time focused on the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). We maintain their trails, promote hikes on DNR lands on our website and in our magazine, respond to opportunities for public comment from them and advocate for funding for the agency. But who is the DNR, really? What does the agency do? How does their work differ from the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and Washington State Parks? What landscapes does the DNR manage? DNR is a statewide agency with an important mission namely, to provide funding for new school construction through the harvest of trees, shellfish and other commodities on state lands. Along the way, DNR has become one of the largest providers of wildlands recreation in the state. DNR s Natural Heritage Program DNR manages a portfolio of lands that are not intended to produce revenue, but rather to preserve unique species habitat, landscapes and recreation opportunities. Those include Natural Area Preserves (NAPs) and Natural Resource Conservation Areas (NRCAs). Of those two, the NRCA system is the most like the U.S Forest Service s designated wilderness areas. These lands are unroaded, do not allow motorized recreation and are not open for harvest of timber or shellfish. NAPs, while critically important for species habitat, are generally untrailed and frequently not open for visitation. There are 31 NRCAs, totaling 88,000 acres. Some of the finest hiking opportunities in Washington can be found in NRCAs, including West Tiger, Morningstar and Loomis. Important Lands, Unstable Funding DNR s harvest revenues are constitutionally required to be spent on new school construction; this means that none of the funds generated by the agency can be used to provide recreation opportunities. DNR s recreation program relies exclusively on the state s general fund, grants, direct agency appropriations from the Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) program and a small army of volunteers who do 90,000 hours of maintenance on the agency s lands each year. Much of the work

17 November + December 2010» Washington Trails WTA at Work «17 that we and other groups do on DNR lands is focused on the NRCA system. That reliance on funds other than trust-generated dollars means that when the state gets a cold, DNR gets the flu. General fund cuts and the transfer of NOVA funds to other uses means that DNR is essentially stripped of operating money to pay for both trail maintenance and day-to-day recreation site upkeep. If that trend continues, they will have no choice but to close sites in order to protect users and recreation facilities. DNR lands fill a critical niche in our system of public lands. They augment the U.S. Forest Service s wilderness areas, providing outlets for hikers that, in many cases, are close to urban areas. They also enhance habitat corridors. Unfortunately, these important preserves and conservation areas are primarily managed by the most endangered funds available at the state level general fund dollars. Washington faces another massive deficit this year, and general fund monies are on the chopping block. WTA needs hikers to take a moment and reflect on their outings this year. Chances are you ve hiked a trail that could be closed if DNR is subject to further and even more dramatic cuts this year. We will need your help to protect these areas in the coming legislative session. If you have further questions about DNR lands and the role they fill for recreation, contact WTA. We ll be working on maintaining adequate funding levels for DNR, as well as Washington State Parks, all session long. t Join WTA in Olympia Hiker Lobby Day, February 9 Do your part to help save these beautiful DNR lands from the state budget chopping block. Join hikers from around the state at WTA s Hiker Lobby Day on February 9, In what is going to be another tough budget year, it is vital that hikers come out in force to remind lawmakers that recreation is a core value and should be protected by the state. Just like one of WTA s famous trail work parties, we will provide you with all the tools and training you need to have a fun and successful day of trail advocacy. If you are interested in attending Hiker Lobby Day, sign-up through WTA s website or contact Kindra Ramos at Kindra@wta.org. t It s pretty here! This is DNR? Whether you know it or not, some of your favorite hikes could be on DNR lands. Here are a few of the great hiking areas managed by the DNR. Gothic Basin Located in the Morningstar NRCA, Gothic Basin offers remote high country views, clear tarns and abundant wildflowers. Hikers reach it via a steep, rocky and challenging route from the Mountain Loop Highway. Hikers start on a Forest Service trail, gradually leaving U.S.F.S. land for the higher reaches, which are managed by DNR. Gothic Basin is one of Washington s classic alpine rambles. Given the challenges inherent in managing land above timberline, it s also expensive to maintain and monitor. Table Mountain Located in southwest Washington, traversed by the Pacific Crest Trail and bordered by Beacon Rock State Park, the Table Mountain Natural Resource Conservation Area boasts views of Mount Hood, Mount Adams and the Columbia River Gorge. Table Mountain is a critical recreation resource for hikers in Southwest Washington. Dishman Hills This beautiful landscape of sculpted hills and hollows dotted with ponds is the site of potential new recreation development in the Spokane area. Dishman Hills was acquired using Conservation Futures funds, which allow this undeveloped landscape to stay wild, and offer recreation opportunities and support conservation values. WTA s 5th Annual Hiker Lobby Day State Capitol, Olympia, WA February 9, 2011 * 8:30am - 4pm If you want to protect Washington s great hiking trails, please join us! Meet Our Members! Kevin Friedrich Kevin began volunteering in the WTA office in August to keep himself busy during the days while pursuing his master s in Public Administration at Seattle University in the evenings. After moving to Seattle last winter, he has been exploring places to hike and trail run in the Issaquah Alps, the Olympics and beyond. When not in class, studying, trail running, volunteering with WTA, or exploring his new environment, Kevin also volunteers at Real Change. Biking to the WTA office in the rain for the first time was a reality check on relocating to Seattle, but Top Pot doughnuts have helped to make up for the frequent drizzle. Kara Chin

18 18» WTA at Work November + December 2010» Washington Trails Membership News» Test Your Trail Smarts I admit it. I love quizzes. If you do too, let me invite you to take this short quiz. Question 1: What do the following hikers have in common? Kirk Clothier, a former WTA board member, hiked 143 miles in the month of August. Most of us would consider that an impressive feat on its own. But Kirk turned his miles into $4,925 for trails, earning the award for the top Hike-a- Thon fundraiser of the year. If you ve hiked the eastern Olympics in the last decade, you might have run into Rich Tipps. Rich is one of WTA s standout volunteer crew leaders, and he helped lead four challenging Backcountry Response Teams this year to improve trails like Marmot Pass, Duckabush River and Tunnel Creek. Meagan MacKenzie s first trail work party was in May, and she hasn t looked back. WTA is thrilled to have her energy and enthusiasm on crews at Mount St. Helens and in the Olympics. Andrew Gove, a member of the Google mapping team, is the volunteer behind WTA s new Hike Finder. He made it possible for WTA to finally move the search-by-map feature off our wish list and into our online Hiking Guide. Newlyweds Dustin Gilbert and Elizabeth Joneschild encouraged friends and family to make a gift to WTA instead of buying them more stuff and helped raise more than $2,000 for trails. a) They ve all gone the extra mile for trails this year. b) They re all members of WTA. c) Both of the above Answer: c) Both of the above. Congratulations on getting the first question right. Wasn t that easy? Question 2: In this season of giving, what s the best way you can give back to the trails you love? a) Make a special contribution at or mail a check to WTA by December 31. b) Give a WTA gift membership to a hiker you care about at c) Both of the above. Answer: c) Both of the above. Got that one right, too? Good job. (Next time I ll have to make this is more challenging.) Thanks for taking my quiz. And thank you for your support. t Long-time WTA member Mercy Rome, center, poses with fellow members of the SPROUT Giving Circle following a hard day s work on the Pratt River Connector Trail. The SPROUT Giving Circle is a group of Seattle-area families that join together to make a significant gift of time and money to one local nonprofit each year. Thanks to Mercy Rome, Canuche Terranella and other hikers in the group, WTA was selected as their 2010 nonprofit. Rebecca Lavigne WTA Development Director rebecca@wta.org Tzuria Falkenberg, now a junior in high school, earned her WTA trail crew vest this summer after contributing 25 days of trail maintenance from Mount Baker to Mount St. Helens. Your question, again, is: what do they have in common?

19 19 On Trail Northwest Explorer» You can pick a route. You can get the maps and pack your gear. But, you can t tell Mother Nature how to behave. Particularly when you hike in winter, your best-laid plans might call for last-minute adjustments. Plan B: Shi-Shi Beach John D Onofrio

20 20» On Trail November + December 2010» Washington Trails Northwest Explorer articles describe backpacking trips in the Northwest and beyond. Want to write about your trip? editor@ wta.org. With the words tent-bound and struggling to stay warm, the wilderness ranger is well on his way to convincing us to abandon our plan. That plan: to spend a few winter nights in the high country of the Olympic Mountains, exploring Obstruction Point on snowshoes. The problem: a storm is coming and the forecast calls for whiteout conditions and snow with temperatures in the mid-teens and winds of 25 miles per hour. After much discussion and a little math (with wind chill, it will be 22 degrees below zero), we have to agree with the ranger. We resort to Plan B: the north wilderness coast. Three hours later, we are hiking to Shi-Shi Beach in brilliant, warm sunshine. So far, so good. The trail across the Makah Reservation is a marvel of ingenuity. We cross hobbit bridges in the sun-dappled forest. The tribe built this section of trail, replacing the old route that led through the woods via the muddiest road in the west. Of course, the marvelous new trail deposits us back into the mud when it abruptly ends, but who s complaining? We exit Makah lands and enter Olympic National Park, climbing down the headland to reach the always sublime Shi-Shi Beach. We hike down an empty beach toward the spectacle of the Point of the Arches, fording Petroleum Creek and making camp at a well-used campsite at the edge of the forest. A standing dead tree is covered in an impressive collection of hanging buoys, floats and boat fenders; a float- em pole. The site comes with a driftwood dinette set and complimentary giant tarp. Life is good. Taking advantage of the low tide, we drop our packs and set off toward the point in the sweet sunshine. Point of the Arches is truly a natural marvel a line of stone dragon s teeth stretching out into the blue Pacific, some of them undercut to form soaring sea arches. We climb to the top of one of the arches and take in the wild panorama of rock and waves. Small succulents are flowering near the top, delicate petals standing in contrast with the rugged rocks. We round this point on slippery seaweedcovered boulders. At the next crescent beach, we flop out in the sun and bask like seals. Bull kelp bobs in the reflections of the sea stacks, glinting in the elegant light. Sea gulls chastise us, and puffy clouds dance across the horizon. My friends head back to camp, and I explore the tidepools and rocks as the sun goes down, painting the water orange and purple as it falls.

21 November + December 2010» Washington Trails On Trail «21 The sky is dark by the time I head back down the beach toward camp, but the sand is illuminated by a gibbous moon. We sit beside a crackling fire until the lullaby of the waves calls us one by one into our tents. In the morning, the wind is howling and a succession of rain squalls blows over us. A bit of hail thrown in adds variety. By early afternoon the clouds begin to break up and shafts of sunlight break through, illuminating the breakers in dramatic light. We round another point on the outgoing tide and hike up the beach, weaving our way through rocks the size of SUVs. Boulder-hopping around the next point, we slip through a double arch and gain entrance to a little pocket beach. A tiny half-moon of sand is surrounded by tortured sealashed rocks. Climbing a headland with the aid of fixed ropes, we follow a little path along a knife-edge ridge to the highest point, a small green aerie with a bird s-eye view of the magnificent coastline. Below us, momentous waves pound the cliffs and spray shoots high into the air, to be carried away by the whipping wind. We descend the ropes and head back toward camp amongst the fluttering foam, blowing across the beach like a flurry of white birds. An eagle passes overhead, its dinner dangling from its talons. As evening falls, we return to camp and enjoy our own dinner, lingering around the smoky fire as the moon bathes us in luxurious light. We agree on this: Plan B can turn out pretty well indeed. t John D Onofrio is a regular contributor to numerous publications including Adventures Northwest, Washington Trails and Cascadia Weekly. His photography and essays can also be found at Hike Details Shi-Shi Beach. Olympic National Park, Makah Nation Distance: 8 miles roundtrip Elevation change: 200 feet to sea level Map: Custom Correct North Olympic Coast, Green Trails Cape Flattery No. 98S Permits: Obtain permits by phone or in person at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles, (360) Contact the WIC for other locations where permits are issued. Points to Remember Hard-sided food containers like bear canisters are required to store all food, garbage and scented items. You can pick these up at the Wilderness Information Center. Pets, weapons and wheeled devices are prohibited on coastal beaches and trails. A Makah Recreation Pass must be purchased in Neah Bay prior to arriving at any trailheads on the Makah Indian Reservation. Overnight parking for Shi-Shi is allowed only at designated private parking lots. Build campfires on the beach and use only driftwood to protect tree roots in forested areas. Petroleum Creek can be difficult to cross in winter during heavy rains. When traveling along the coast, know the tides. Bring a map and tide chart to plan your route. Be prepared to hike over headland trails during high tides. Some headlands cannot be rounded even during the lowest of tides.

22 22» On Trail November + December 2010» Washington Trails Adventure in Patagonia Trekking in Patagonia, delighting in the wind, drizzle and drama Pam Roy Pam spent four years planning for this hike. It was worth the wait. A gust of wind knocks me sideways, off the trail. I pick myself up and resume hiking, bracing for the next gust. It s windy, I shout to Sebastian, the Chilean local I m hiking with. He smiles and replies, Not really for Patagonia. It s kind of fun, since there s no exposure here, but soon I realize there s grit between my teeth, and a fine layer of dust is plastered to my face. Patagonia is giving me a glimpse of its fabled weather. Located at the southern tip of South America, the area is subject to wildly tempestuous weather. Average summer temperatures range from 50 to 70 degrees F and the weather can change dramatically in a matter of minutes. Wind is ever-present. The trekking season runs from late November through March. Hiking trails will take you to elevations between 3,000 to 7,000 feet. The treks through Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina feature spectacular scenery. We fly through Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile, along the Magellan Strait and travel by van across the wide wind swept expanses of the Patagonia steppe to Puerto Natales, a fishing village. Staying at a small familyrun hostel, I m grateful for my rudimentary Spanish since the proprietors do not speak English. From there, a three-hour drive brings us to Torres del Paine National Park for a fourday trek of what s known as the W route, covering many of the scenic highlights of the longer Torres del Paine circuit. Torres del Paine National Park was created in 1959 and declared part of the International Biosphere Reserve Network by UNESCO in It covers an area of 181,414 hectares. It s home to guanacos, foxes, pumas, the rare huemul, condors, flamingos, rheas and more. We start hiking up from Hosteria Los Torres on an unusually warm day with temperatures forecast in the high 70s. There are no switchbacks as the trail heads up through open country dotted with bright red blooms of Chilean firebush and the prickly calafate bush. After a couple of hours, the trail levels off and descends along the Ascension River to Refugio Chileno, tucked into the trees. We ve elected to take advantage of the excellent hut system offering dorm-style bunks

23 November + December 2010» Washington Trails On Trail «23 and good food. Quickly dropping packs, we grab water bottles, snacks and cameras, continuing on the one-and-a-half-hour hike to Mirador Torres, through beech forests, then steeply up through granite boulder fields. As we crest the final rise, immense granite towers thrust upward 3,000 feet above a tiny jade-colored alpine lake. Their sheer verticalness is stunning! Another ten minutes of negotiating large blocks of granite leads to an exploration of the lakeshore and more upward gazing. Too soon, it s time to head back to our refugio. On the way down, we refill our water bottles at a stream and take delight in the sweet-tasting water. Park officials have assured us the water is safe to drink untreated. Sunrise the next morning paints the towers fiery colors. On the trail by 8 a.m., we re treated to a display of many early summer flowers: lady s slipper, dog orchid, yellow orchid, draba, Patagonia pea and prickly heath. Wooden trail signs indicate hiking time between points rather than mileage. We soon realize these hours reflect actual walking time, not including time for snacks, photos or lunch. We manage to stretch the six-hour hike into eight, marvelling at the incredible aquamarine blue waters of Lago Nordenskjold, soaking our feet in a tiny unnamed lake and viewing birds such as yellow-necked ibis, loica and upland goose. One stream crossing requires some rock hopping, but most of the terrain is moderate ups and downs, with no huge elevation gains. The rocky trails are fatiguing (or is it that I am carrying 13 pounds of camera gear?), making the new Refugio Los Cuernos a welcome sight. We show our passports and quickly claim second-level berths in a room of bunks stacked four high. Wind and rain pelt the refugio all night, Donning rain gear for the first two hours of the next morning, we follow the lakeshore, then climb past a couple of camping areas. A sidetrip up the beautiful French Valley gives closer views of Los Cuernos The Horns. Wet snow avalanches across the valley offer lunchtime entertainment. Bits of blue sky gradually replace the grey ceiling and the dramatic horns emerge. The sky stays blue, but winds kick up, driving rooster tails across the lake for the rest of the hike to Lodge Paine Grande. Shortly after being blown off the trail, we round a corner to see Lago Pehoe, an The sublime Torres del Paine range, Chile Elusive Mount Fitz Roy makes an appearance.

24 24» On Trail November + December 2010» Washington Trails even more surreal blue color. The lodge is full of trekkers of many nationalities as well as tourists who ve crossed the lake by boat. The next morning, we hike up and over old moraines above the shores of Lago Grey for three to four hours towards the Grey Glacier, a 650-foot wall of ice at the lake s north end. Leave the trail at Refugio Grey, we board a boat to get closer to the glacier among a maze of floating icebergs. The boat brings us to shore at the south end of the lake, then we head to El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina. En route, a rest day allows us to visit the Perito Lenticular clouds signal more wind to come. Moreno Glacier. This glacier features a wall of ice 200 feet tall and 3 miles long. Huge blocks of ice break off the wall. We hear thunderous cracks followed by loud splashes as the blocks fall into the turquoise waters of Lago Argentino. After a long bus ride of four to five hours the next day, we reach the town of El Chalten at the base of Mount Fitz Roy. Climbers come from around the world hoping to climb Mount Fitz Roy, spending as long as six weeks waiting for the clouds to clear for even a glimpse of the peak. We re treated to our best views of Fitz Roy upon arrival in El Chalten. El Chalten is growing rapidly, offering more and more amenities to visitors. Our hostel is a two-block walk from the bus station and makes a decent base camp for day trips. On the first afternoon, as we hike to Laguna Torre, Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre become engulfed by clouds moving in from the west. That evening, huge lenticular clouds build and we re cautioned they portend high winds. Early the next morning, we set out for a 15-kilometer hike to Laguna de los Tres in light rain. Climbing into beech forests above a broad U-shaped valley, the forest floors are devoid of any undergrowth due to the shade and the dense carpet of tiny beech leaves. Our local guide, Luiz, knows the birds by call and enthusiastically names the flowers. He is a delight to hike with. The rain stops after an hour, but the cloud ceiling stays low. Two hours of hiking brings us into open country. The top of Fitz Roy is hidden, but we see large snowfields and a blue hanging glacier. An ever-changing dance of rain, wind, sun and clouds continues throughout the day; the wind is the constant. Three Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

25 November + December 2010» Washington Trails On Trail «25 hours into the hike we stop and have a quick snack at Camp Rincon, a crude wooden shelter for climbers. Due to weather our climb to Laguna de los Tres will be for exercise, not views, says Luiz. It is one and a half hours up, with 1,300 feet of gain on rough rocky trail. As we enter the lake basin, the weather drastically worsens. Rain blows sideways so ferociously that I seek out a 6-foot-long perfectly dry area on the lee side of a lone rock in the lake basin and take shelther there. The lake is 90 percent snow-covered; the spectacle of peaks above the lake is not to be seen today. We clamber up a side hill for an amazing view straight down 1,000 feet to another small lake. A 50- to 60- mile per hour gust of wind drops us to our knees in an instinctual defense against being blown off the rock into the lake below. We carefully retreat. Once back down to Camp Rincon, the weather improves, and blue sky accompanies us on our hike back to town. A delicious grilled dinner refuels tired muscles. The next day s hike to Loma del Pleido starts out windy and cold, but clear. A day-old pile of puma scat catches our attention. Once above tree line, we hike into more weather, and the views are muted, but still quite stupendous. Tiny alpine flowers bloom in the fellfields. The wind and drizzle do nothing to dampen our sheer delight in the dramatic scenery and beauty of the Patagonian wilderness. t Logistics Fly via Santiago, Chile, to Punta Arenas, or via Buenos Aires to El Calafate, Argentina. Fly into one and leave from the other to see it all. Regular bus service makes rental cars unnecessary. Key Resources Read Lonely Planet s Trekking in the Patagonian Andes. These websites were particularly helpful: and Be Sure to Bring In addition to rain gear, clothing layers and sturdy boots, you ll want a bandanna or buff wear to protect your face from blowing dirt and eye drops for dealing with the dirt that will inevitably get in. World-class beauty and dramatic weather are guaranteed on any hike in Patagonia. When you are not hiking, you can enjoy sea kayaking and mountain biking. Be sure to eat plenty of calafate berry ice cream and go see the penguins at the Ottoway Penguin Reserve and Magdelena Island.

26 26» On Trail Go by Snowshoe If you can walk, you can snowshoe. It s that simple. The trick is to find a place that is close and convenient where you can return time and again. Don t worry; you won t get bored. Snow has a way of changing the terrain so that each outing offers new discoveries and challenges. In this feature, WTA members Reisha Holton and Ryan Schreiner share a few of their favorite snowshoeing destinations Cabin Creek near Snoqualmie Pass, the snowfields above Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park and the Mount Adams Ranger District and, WTA s recipe maven, Sarah Kirkconnell, shares three new chocolate recipes. You ll deserve them! As snow blankets the backcountry, it beckons: Come! Enjoy the silence and the calm. Come! Explore! Photo by Dave Schiefelbein.

27 November + December 2010» Washington Trails On Trail «27 Cabin Creek A holiday outing at Cabin Creek. Photo by Ken Smith. I began snowshoeing on the slopes north of Interstate 90, just past Snoqualmie Pass, at the Gold Creek area. This popular and relatively flat excursion offers early-season hiking on a seemingly never-ending trail. When covered in snow, the trail is transformed into an endless wash of white against a cloudless blue sky. (Well, it s occasionally cloudless.) I soon tired of the level playing field at Gold Creek and longed for a more aerobic outing. I found the perfect mix of convenience and cardio at Cabin Creek. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers share the entrance to this winter haven, but most skiers peel off as the slope heads upwards. Essentially a Forest Service road, the wide trail is perfect for traveling alongside your two- or four-legged friend. Don t be alarmed when you look up Cabin Creek in Dan Nelson s Snowshoe Routes: Washington and find that you are actually climbing Amabilis Mountain. I have trekked in this area a dozen times or more over the past two years, but I have yet to reach the 4,554-foot summit. There are a number of spots to stop for a snack or lunch that offer views to the southwest over some of the craggy peaks of the Cascades. I never know how much of the 2,100 feet of elevation I ve tackled. I just know that when I get back to the car and settle in for the drive over the pass, I am worn out from the workout and I can t wipe the smile off my face. Reisha Holton Getting There Drive I-90 east over Snoqualmie Pass to exit 63, signed for Cabin Creek. Turn right at the end of the ramp and park at the Cabin Creek Sno-Park. A Sno-Park Permit is required. The parking lot can be very icy and slippery, but wait until you cross the freeway overpass to strap on your snowshoes. Look for the start of Forest Road 4826 on the left. You ll see machinegroomed tracks for the cross-country skiers, so try to skirt around these for a quarter of a mile until you see Forest Road Here the climb begins. Easy Nut and Chocolate Truffles Ingredients 1/2 cup nut butter of choice 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar 2 Tbsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract For rolling Cocoa powder Mini chocolate chips Shredded coconut At home: Mix everything in a medium bowl, using a fork to gently combine. Scoop out balls of the mix, about 2 teaspoon in size. Roll gently in your topping of choice. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator until trail time. To carry: Pack in a small plastic box to protect. A lightweight sandwich box works well and can do double duty as a dinner bowl afterward! Notes: We use a small disher (an ice cream scoop) to do the scooping; these can be found in any well-stocked kitchen department. They keep your hands mess free and make evenly sized truffles! Natural style butters, where the oil separates, will result in a softer truffle. A mixed kind will result in firmer truffles.

28 28» On Trail November + December 2010» Washington Trails Paradise Solitary snowshoer at Paradise. Photo by Paul Raymaker. Getting There Take State Route 7 from Tacoma toward Elbe and pick up State Route 706 there. Pass through Ashford and through the Nisqually Entrance into the park. Drive 16 miles on the plowed road to the parking lot at Paradise Lodge. Mocha Pudding Ingredients 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix 2 3 cup dry milk 1 tsp. espresso powder 2 cups cold water 1 4 cup glazed pecans At home: Pack the pudding mix, dry milk and espresso powder in a quart freezer bag. Tuck the pecans in a small bag. In camp: Add the cold water to the pudding bag. Seal tightly and shake for 2 minutes, or use a spoon or whisk to beat it. Park the pudding in a cold stream or snowbank to finish setting up for 30 minutes or so, or until you have eaten dinner and crave dessert. Divide up and top with pecans. Makes 2 servings. Mentioning Mount Rainier conjures up images of alpinists in crampons, lugging ice axes and 40-pound packs over the glacial ice just above the Muir Snowfield. But this gradual slope is home to some of the most picturesque and wide-open snowshoeing the area has to offer. Both beginners as well as more accomplished snowshoers can get a great workout with incredible views of the 14,410-foot volcano here. There are 19 Mount Rainier National Park adventures detailed in Snowshoe Routes: Washington, but I return time and time again to the simple challenge offered at Paradise. You can start your adventure right from the parking lot between Paradise s Jackson Visitor Center and the ranger station by trudging past the sledding area and heading up The Mountain. Climbers use the troughs channeled through the snow, but with snowshoes you can cut your own path. Another starting point is behind the Guide House almost across the parking lot from the front door of Paradise Inn. This route offers a more gentle start, although the appeal of any outing from this location is the gradual ascent toward Camp Muir. Weather is a factor when deciding to visit Mount Rainier. It changes quickly and can become hazardous. Starting from Paradise, however, is a safe bet because beginners will most likely keep the buildings of the visitor center, guide hut and Paradise Inn in sight. The 5-mile trek to Muir may beckon the more advanced snowshoer, but I have been content to simply wander through the snow as long as time permits. One of my favorite ways to enjoy snowshoeing at Mount Rainier is to book a room at National Park Inn at Longmire the only winter lodging available in the park and enjoy a two-day adventure. Hot drinks and delicious meals make this an escape worthy of playing hooky from your daily responsibilities! Reisha Holton

29 November + December 2010» Washington Trails On Trail «29 Getting There The five Sno-Parks in the Mount Adams Ranger District are all within striking distance of Trout Lake. Pineside, Pipeline and Smith Butte Sno- Parks can be reached by following the Mount Adams Recreation Area sign. Make a right turn as you enter Trout Lake. Reach Atkisson Sno- Park by following Highway 141 past the Mount Adams Ranger Station for 5 miles. To reach Flattop Sno-Park, go 1 mile past the Ranger Station and make a right on Forest Road 88. Follow FR 88 until it is no longer plowed. Mount Adams Ranger District - (509) Taking a break in Horseshoe Meadows. Photo by Dean Myerson. Mount Adams Well, it s that time of year again. Snow is falling. Autumn is a memory. If you are like me, you are feeling a bit cooped up and ready to get back outside. It s time to snowshoe! Southwest Washington boasts a plethora of choices for winter recreation, and its most exceptional snowshoe getaways are tucked away, just off the beaten path. Located north of the Columbia River Gorge, the Mount Adams Ranger District gives the eager snowshoer plenty of options. In this district, you ll find 27 miles of signed ski and snowshoe trails, as well as 80 miles of signed snowmobiling trails that are fair game to snowshoers. These trails vary in length and in difficulty. Each offers something special to any level of experience. One of the most scenic snowshoe hikes in the district is the Natural Bridges Loop. This 6.75-mile round loop will impress even your most temperature-sensitive friends. The traffic level here is low, granting you some solitude as you soak in the scenery. Snowcovered trees add to the distinctive beauty of this chasm s otherworldly charm. Access this trail from Atkisson Sno-Park. A clearly marked loop will take you to a collapsed lava tube with natural land bridges. This would be an amazing sight to see in any situation, but it is especially dramatic in the snow. Don t forget to bring your camera. And even more importantly, make sure to stay well away from the edge of the collapsed tube, as it may be icy. Here s a tip: Pack a stove, cups and cocoa mix in your day pack. When you reach a scenic vista and then offer your friends a steaming mug of hot cocoa, you can be sure they ll say Yes! the next time you ask, Want to go snowshoeing? Trail Mochas Ingredients 1/2 cup dry milk 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder 1/2 tsp. cornstarch or potato starch Pinch of salt At home: In a large bowl whisk the ingredients together; for a smooth powder, sift it as well. Pack into three snack-size bags in 1/2-cup portions. To prepare: Add 1 cup boiling water slowly to the mix, stirring well. Sip away and wake up! Makes 3 servings. Notes: Medaglia D Oro instant espresso can be found in the coffee aisle in most grocery stores; look for a green-capped glass bottle. Ryan Schreiner

30 30» On Trail November + December 2010» Washington Trails Getting Started Technique: It s true that if you can walk, you can snowshoe. You just have to widen your step. The first couple of steps feel awkward, but your body quickly adjusts to the width of the snowshoes. Walking backwards or turning takes a little practice. You may fall, but the snow is soft. Conditions: Check conditions often before you head out to snowshoe. For mountain forecasts, try Washington Online Weather or the National Weather Service. The Northwest Avalanche Center s website provides detailed avalanche forecasts and comprehensive weather data and forecasts for the mountains. For road conditions, Washington State Department of Transportation has up-to-date mountain pass conditions, including cameras on five well-traveled routes. It is also wise to call ahead to the ranger station where you plan to hike or snowshoe to determine current conditions. General Safety: Choose your destinations wisely. Routes that are popular summer hiking trails, such as McClellan Butte, Granite Mountain or Snow Lake, can be deadly avalanche hotspots in winter and should never be considered as snowshoe destinations. Consult a guidebook to find the best low-risk snowshoe routes. Knowing how to navigate is also key. Snow tends to make the landscape look uniform and obscure landmarks. Finally, always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return and call them when you get home. Standing amidst splendor, near Paradise. Photo by Paul Raymaker. Clothing and Footwear: Lightweight ski pants, rain pants with long underwear, or snowboarding pants lined with a little fleece layer or regular trekking pants will work well. Snow in Western Washington is quite wet, so you ll want something water resistant. Layer your upper body with a quick-dry piece close to your body, then a fleece jacket that can be unzipped for ventilation. You want to be a little cold when you start because you will warm up quickly. For your feet, you ll want warm, waterproof boots. If your hiking boots come with materials like Gore-Tex, they will be just fine. Equipment: Rent gear if you want to check out the different types. Most snowshoes now have aluminum frames with a decking material that will keep you on top of the snow. Teeth or cleats on the bottom are essential for the icy, hardpacked snow of Western Washington. Some shoes have straps that secure your boot to the shoe. Others offer a binding mechanism similar to ski boots. In Your Backpack: Snowshoeing is hiking on the snow, so you ll want to carry the same essentials that you take hiking, including a map and compass, a hat and gloves, water, sunglasses, sunscreen and snacks. Always pack the 10 essentials and a few extra winter ones on any hike. Etiquette: Snowshoeing is an increasingly popular activity, though not without conflict. Snowshoeing is permitted on all ski trails but snowshoers are requested to keep to one side and not walk across the ski track. On steep grades, snowshoers should keep in mind that skiers have the right-of-way. Do your best to move to one side and allow skiers to pass. Permits: Depending on where you go, you may need a Northwest Forest Pass, a National Parks Pass or a Sno-Park permit. This winter, Sno-Park permits will be available for purchase online at beginning November 1. Plunging downhill from Lake Annette. Photo by Dave Schiefelbein. Stay safe, have fun, and let us know what you find by filing a trip report on WTA s website. Visit WTA s website for more snowshoeing tips, plus contact information for Sno-Parks and ranger stations.

31 31 Backcountry The Gear Closet» Giving Gear Gift ideas for each and every hiker on your shopping list Tis the season! Alas, not the ski season, although that will be here soon enough, but the shopping season that precedes the flurry of gift-giving. Knowing that the hikers on your gift list come in all shapes and sizes, we ve come up with a list of the sorts of individuals that you may be shopping for, and we ve rummaged through our own gear closets to bring you gift ideas for each of them. Consider this our gift to you! We ll start with your parents, who not only birthed you, but probably introduced you to hiking, too. Your parents, who can recall camping during the Paleolithic era, or thereabouts Ken Burns The National Parks: America s Best Idea Take your parents on a fantastic voyage through the history of America s national parks. They can reminisce about parks they have been to and dream about parks still on their life list. Featuring beautiful cinematography, this series compels viewers to get out and experience nature s best locations in person. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray. $65.99 and up. REI Siesta +30/40 Double Sleeping Bag Nothing s better than snuggling all night with the one you love. This bag-built-for-two is super warm when it s zipped together (shared body heat!), and on nights where you re going solo, or not feeling the love, it zips apart to create one 30-degree F bag and one 40-degree F bag. $139. Northwest Forest Pass Give the rents Washington and Oregon for an entire year or at least the ability to park at trailheads throughout the Northwest. You can buy this pass online through WTA s website or stop at your nearest ranger station Monday through Friday. $30. Every hiker is a little different. Use these suggestions to find the perfect gift for each and every hiker on your list.

32 32» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails Trekking poles: more romantic than they look Your teenager who will want to use the gift right away Kodak Easyshare C180 Camera This camera is lightweight and can easily travel in a pocket, handy to catch photos quickly. This camera will also take videos, which children of all ages really enjoy. If you want to make a great gift even better, add an 8GB SD card. Camera: $100, SD card: $20. Highgear Alterra Shadow Multifunction Watch Amuse your teen for hours as he or she plays with the many functions of this terrific device. Features include an altimeter, barometer, digital compass, digital thermometer, black light and, of course, time. Before hiking season, you can track ski runs using the Ski Chrono function. $175. Your romantic interest who doesn t exactly like hiking yet Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles Help your honey enjoy his or her first few hiking experiences. Trekking poles help with balance and reduce the impact on knees. And really, is there a better way to say I dig you than to take care of someone s knees? Black Diamond s FlickLock technology ensures the poles don t slip during adventuring. $80. An eco-friendly, nature-loving neighbor Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover Jacket Made from all-recycled materials, this ultralight, ultracompressible jacket will keep them warm on the chilliest of days. It serves equally well as outer or inner layer. When the jacket is all worn out, they can recycle it directly to Patagonia. Available in both men s and women s sizes. $149. Nesco / American Harvest Dehydrator Snackmaster Entrée This is a great choice for hikers who want to know what they are eating. It saves money, keeps fruit from being wasted and makes your house smell wonderful. $ The new hiker (a.k.a. the hiker with an empty gear closet) SmartWool Hiking Socks Their feet are what s going to get them to the scenery, so start them off right with good hiking socks. Available in light, medium and heavy weights, these no-itch merino wool hiking socks wick moisture away to keep feet dry and comfy on the trail all day. Starting at $ Spenco Orthotic Inserts Save your friend from pain! With rigid black plastic underneath the padding, these rigid orthotics align your feet and your knees and protect your feet from rocky trails. $25. Outdoor Research Women s Aria Hoody Down Jacket Warm enough to stand around in on a windy day at 13,000 feet and cute to boot. Thrill your friend with this terrific coat. With 650+ down fill, elastic cuffs and a hem drawcord, OR has really nailed this product. $190. Washington Trails Association membership There s no point in amassing gear if you don t have a wealth of places to use it. Equip your new hiker with the knowledge and the inspiration to advocate for trails and wild landscapes by giving them a gift membership to WTA. Go to Membership starts $40, no upper limit. The caffeine addict $25 gift card to The Espresso Connection, Monroe, Wash. This card gives 20 percent more than it costs. Conveniently located on the way to Stevens Pass, this drive-through will fuel your caffeine addict on the way to or from their favorite mountainous activity year-round. Highway 2 and Main Street. $20. GSI 50 oz. Java Press Coffee Maker If your friend is truly an addict, they won t mind carrying a little extra weight to enjoy a cup of cowboy coffee without the grounds. This cup filters the grounds as you drink. $ More Ideas Find three ideas on page 37 and check WTA s blog in December for stocking stuffer ideas. The hiker who has (almost) everything Remote Medical International s Wilderness First Aid Course Hiking with a first-aid kit isn t enough if you don t know how to use it. Give a course in wilderness first aid, and prepare your friends and family members with the proper knowledge of how to react during both minor and emergency backcountry medical situations. Certification received upon completion of two-day course. com. $175. C.A.M.P. XLC Aluminum Crampons Perhaps your hiker friend is turning mountaineer or your climbing friend has a heavy backpack; these amazing crampons are light, and since they are strap-ons, they will fit most boots. As C.A.M.P. boasts, these crampons are the lightest strap-on crampons in the world! $140.

33 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «33 The hiker who enjoys fine dining in the woods Platypus PlatyPreserve Wine Preservation System You don t have to stain the Platypus you use for water with red wine. Keep your wine fresh and lighten your load with the Platypus Wine System. $30 for four or $9.95 each. The aspiring photographer Joby Gorillapod with Ballhead Mount Let them capture their photos from anywhere, on any surface, with the innovative, flexible Gorillapod. As it now features a professional-quality ballhead mount, framing those perfect shots just got easier. With 360-degree pan and 90-degree tilt capability, this compact tripod supports SLRs and camcorders up to 6.5 pounds. $80. Pelican Memory Card Case Help them keep those precious memory cards safe and dry from the Northwestern elements with one of these compact, bomb-proof cases. Two configurations available for storing CF or SD cards. $ A gizmo and gadget lover Brunton Explorer Foldable Solar Panel Know someone who takes a GPS, ipod, camera and other electronics into the backcountry? Power them up with this lightweight solar recharger. Easily attached to the outside of a backpack, it utilizes Copper Indium Gallium diselenide (CIGS) panels, the most efficient thin film solar technology available. $69.95 A hiking partner who just had a baby Kelty FC 2.0 Child Carrier With a padded waist belt, go-to pouches on the belt, and plenty of storage for everyone s belongings, this pack keeps the carrier happy. As one gear tester says, I used this backpack to carry my 30-pound nephew up Mount Pilchuck, and I can testify to its extreme comfort. $200. An unbridled nature-lover, one who likes everything outdoorsy Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest Encourage your friend to become the ultimate backcountry flora guru with the ultimate field guide. This tome offers descriptions and illustrations of 1,200+ species, superb color photographs and range maps. By Timber Press. $ For your pet or pet lover in the family Ruff Wear Bark n Boots Grip Trex Keep Buster s feet dry and abrasion-free on rocky and snowy trails in these Vibram-soled doggie booties. Easy to slide onto dogs paws, they stay in place with cinch closures. Available in six sizes to accommodate all varieties. $60. Best Hikes with Dogs: Western Washington Featuring 85 of Washington s most dog-friendly hiking trails, this revised second edition includes both day hikes and overnight trips, with new locations in the North Cascades and Indian Heaven. Content includes trail info, scenic value, hiking-with-dogs pointers and first aid. By The Mountaineers Books. $ The mountain prince or princess, who doesn t like to rough it too much Therm-a-Rest Trekker Chair When sitting on a rock or tree stump just isn t going to cut it, help them turn their sleeping pad into a comfy backcountry lounge chair. Easily packable and weighs in at less than a pound. $ Exped DownMat 7 Do we need to say more than down? This will make any person who suffers from the inability to fall asleep outdoors pass out like a baby. With insulated walls and 2.8 inches of air between the ground and your prince/princess, there is no way he or she should feel the slightest pea protruding from the ground. $150. Happy hiking, brainstorming, and shopping this winter! We hope our suggestions will help get your shopping done early, leaving you with more time to hit the trails and perhaps even participate in some WTA trail maintenance before the holidays are upon us. t Sleeping on an Exped DownMat 7 is about as posh as sleeping in a tent gets. A gift for your favorite trail Protect the trails you love with a year-end gift to Washington Trails Association. Make your taxdeductible contribution by December 31 and help us meet our $25,000 goal. Every dollar you give keeps WTA working yearround so your favorite trails will be open next season and for generations to come. Give now at org/donate or mail a check to Washington Trails Association, rd Ave. Ste. 100, Seattle WA

34 34» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails Nature on Trail» Eagles and Salmon Watch an ancient natural cycle play out along the Skagit Three eagles perch in a logjam. Photo by Alan Bauer. As fall fades into winter, many Pacific Northwesterners retreat to their houses, where they will wait it out until the rain abates sometime in June. We hikers keep venturing in to the great outdoors and in the damp and dark, we have the privilege of witnessing an ancient natural cycle. That cycle involves two quintessential northwest icons eagles and salmon and nowhere does this cycle play out more vividly than the Skagit River. This river valley in northwestern Washington supports one of the largest wintering populations of bald eagles in the lower 48, with an estimated 600 to 800 birds flying in from as far away as Montana, Canada, northern California and even Alaska. Eagle numbers typically peak in early January, coinciding with the spawning and dying of the large chum salmon run. During this time, bird watchers on foot, in vehicles and in boats gather to take in this spectacle, watching hundreds of eagles scavenging at the river s edge, perching on cottonwood trees or soaring overhead. Interestingly, some researchers think that communal feeding grounds such as the Skagit offer significant benefits to young eagles. Not only is food abundant, but when they are surrounded by adults, they may also be learning how to scavenge and picking up other survival traits. Scavenging on dead salmon is typical bald eagle feeding behavior. Contrary to our image of eagles as proud hunters, eagles often feed on dead and dying salmon, steal food from other birds or scavenge carrion. The Skagit River salmon buffet is short-lived, and when the salmon run ends, the eagles make their way up or down the coast to catch other salmon runs. Fewer than 20 nesting pairs reside on the Skagit year-round. Eagles are generally faithful to their nesting sites, as well as their mates; they will return year after year to the same nest, usually in a large dead tree, adding to their home until the nest becomes an enormous structure that can weigh up to one ton. Eagle courtship is an elaborate aerial dance in which the male divebombs the female and locks talons with her, then they free-fall together and swoop up just before they hit the ground. Female eagles may lay two or more eggs, but typically only one chick will reach fledgling age. A larger chick will often kill a smaller one, or a chick may not make it through its first winter. Relative to other eagles and hawks, bald eagles remain in the nest for a long time. For three months, chicks will be fed by both parents as they grow to nearly their parents size. They continue to be fed even after they leave the nest and begin to fly. Young eagles are harder to spot, as they don t develop the trademark white head for several years, but seeing young birds perched in the trees around the Skagit River is an indication of how far this species once on the brink of extinction has come. t Sylvia Feder An Icon Survives Hiking along the Skagit and watching eagles congregate so close to civilization, one might be hard-pressed to believe that, in the lower 48, eagles were on the brink of extinction in the first half of this century. While battling habitat loss, hunting and the effects of the pesticide DDT on their eggs, eagles numbers dropped to fewer than 500 nesting pairs. Protection, in the form of hunting bans, declaration of endangered status, and banning of DDT, permitted the population to rebound and ultimately resulted in its delisting as an endangered species certainly one of the most dramatic success stories.

35 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «35 Youth & Families» Experiences Head outdoors for a holiday season filled with memorable moments Do you dread holiday stress? Shopping for the perfect gift, in the right size, at the right price. Juggling a hectic schedule of holiday parties and events. Keeping your house clean for friends and relatives. Giving your family the gift of quality outdoor experiences could be the perfect antidote. Hike! Explore the great outdoors found in Washington State Parks. Depending on which park you choose, you could spend the day combing the beach, bird-watching, hiking through old growth or standing in the spray from a waterfall. Most Washington State Parks have hiking trails within the park, and if not, there s bound to be hiking trail nearby. Either way, you re likely to have the whole trail to yourself. As winter weekends tend to be cool and wet, tent camping may not be the most appealing option for staying overnight. Happily, you can rent a cabin, yurt or vacation house at several state parks. WTA favorites include Cape Disappointment, Cama Beach, Fort Worden, Moran and Wallace Falls. Rates for these accommodations are usually lower between October and April. Reserve vacation houses at vacationhouses and yurts or cabins at wa.gov/yurtsandcabins or call (888) CAMP-OUT. Snowshoe! If your family loves snow, give the gift of a ranger-guided snowshoe walk at Mount Rainier National Park. You ll all learn a tremendous amount about plants, wildlife and the history of the park. Beginning in mid-december, these walks are offered twice daily. After early January, the park hosts walks each weekend until spring. These snowshoe walks are offered on a first come, first served basis with a sign-up sheet available at the Jackson Visitor Center information desk one hour before each walk. You can bring your own snowshoes, but you don t need to. You can borrow shoes from the park for a $4 per person donation. Call (360) , ext or visit the Longmire Museum or Jackson Visitor Center. mora/planyourvisit/winterrecreation.htm Ski! Perhaps your family is more of the crosscountry skiing type. If so, there may be no better option than the scenic Methow Valley, which boasts 200 kilometers of cross-country ski trails. Get all the details about the Nordic trails, accommodations, and other family-friendly activities in the area by visiting the Methow Valley Sports Trails Association (MVSTA) website, How about some recreation that leads out from your front door? Rent a Rendezvous Hut and you can ski to and from your accommodations. With huts located about 5 miles apart, your family may decide to rent one hut as a base camp or ski to several over the course of your stay. Your family will love this backcountry experience with the comforts of home. Rendezvous Huts also offer a freight-hauling service to deliver food and gear to the huts. The trails connecting the huts are groomed daily and linked to the trails run by MVSTA. Visit For reservations, call (800) or (509) This year, see how much fun your family can have exploring the outdoors when you give the gift of experience. Whether you choose a day hike in the woods, a guided snowshoe trip or a ski adventure, be sure to enjoy Washington s wildlands this winter. t Krista Dooley Out for a stroll along Washington s coast. Photo by Hillary Benson.

36 36» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails How to Do It» Photo by Wade Trenbeath. Navigation Next Steps Break your trip into legs, build handrails, and more tips on how to make your way with a map and a compass Todd Miller Todd is a professional mountain guide based in Seattle. It felt like a stroke of luck when, after hours traveling through a whiteout on Mount Baker, we finally popped out from underneath the clouds and we could actually see our camp. Then again, we had diligently followed a route plan that I had sketched out the night before and updated during the ascent. Thanks to the plan, we were back to the comfort of our tents, in spite of several disorienting hours in a total whiteout on the glacier. So, we ll compromise and say luck favors the prepared. To create and use a route plan, you will need a small weatherproof notepad, a sturdy pencil, a compass, a topographical map and an altimeter. I will assume that you are already familiar with these tools. If not, you will need to become comfortable with maps, compasses and altimeters before you can learn how to navigate. The first step in formulating a route plan involves studying the map and sketching out the route. Separate your trip into many legs. A leg is simply one section of the route. For example, Leg One could be from camp to the rocky ridge, Leg Two could be from the rocky ridge to the toe of the glacier, Leg Three could be from the toe of the glacier to the flat area of glacier at 9,000 feet. Keep each leg as short as reasonably practical to minimize your chances of making an error while traveling through that leg. Using your compass, determine the bearing that you should travel to reach the start of the next leg write down the bearing for both the ascent and the descent, and write down the start and ending elevation of each leg. I find it helpful to draw the lines and bearings on the map, in addition to recording the information in my notepad. Try to incorporate handrails into your route plan. For example, in Leg One, it would be intuitive to simply aim directly for the base of the rocky ridge. However, in a whiteout you could follow a bearing of 40 degrees towards

37 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «37 the base of the ridge and walk right past it without seeing it. A better plan would be to aim a few degrees off, say around 43 degrees, and try to hit the middle of the ridge so that you can t miss it. Then you can follow the ridge, using it as a handrail. Use handrails whenever possible this minimizes time spent navigating using instruments, minimizing your chances of making an error. When traveling, save time by folding your map so that your entire route is visible, and place the map in a zip-locked bag so that you can see your route. Keep the map in your pocket and check it frequently. Using your map, identify areas where disorientation is likely in a whiteout, such as large flat sections of the glacier. You might consider using wands along these sections. Surveyor s flags work just fine for this purpose. Place a wand every ropelength when in doubt, or more in a heavily crevassed zone where finding the exact way down is critical. Don t rely on wands placed by others; they may not be there on your return. If there is a break in the clouds, take advantage of it by orienting yourself on the map and taking a bearing to your next destination. Using your altimeter, you can further define your location on the map by triangulating bearings and taking a reading from the altimeter and seeing how it corresponds with the map. Be aware that elevations given on the map for a glacier are not totally reliable since the features on a glacier change. Also, your altimeter needs to be recalibrated frequently. Recalibration should be done in a location where there is a known elevation. Altimeters work using barometric pressure, and changes in barometric pressure change the reading of the barometer. If the question Can t I just use my GPS? is running through your head, remember that their batteries can fail. GPS units can greatly simplify the problem of determining location in a whiteout, but the GPS is a tool to be used in addition to the core navigation tools of map, compass and altimeter. The next time bad weather ruins your weekend plans, use the time to head out to the mountains, find an area that is relatively safe and where you will not get lost, and practice your navigation skills. If you re lucky, it s a skill that you will never have to rely upon but when you do find yourself stuck on a glacier in a whiteout, you ll be happy you took the time to learn how to navigate. t Navigationally challenged hiking partner? Give a gift that will set him straight Garmin Oregon 450 GPS Keep on track with easy touchscreen operation and a hi-res, daylightreadable screen. The 850 MB built-in memory stores up to 1,000 waypoints, 200 routes and 20 tracks, and can be expanded using MapSource SD cards and software. $ Trailside Navigation: Map & Compass Give them the knowledge to know where they are, where they re going, and how to get there safely. This handy guide offers tips on choosing a compass, reading a map, plotting a course and using a GPS. By Backpacker Magazine and Falcon Guides. $ National Geographic TOPO! Software No matter where your hiking partner spends her time, National Geographic will help her stay on route. With this simple-to-use software, she can create colorful digital topographic maps at various detailed levels as well as track GPS coordinates. $50. Gear Review: National Geographic Map Covers Broad Swaths of the Cascades In 2010, National Geographic released five newly updated Trails Illustrated maps for Washington s Cascades. Each is published on waterproof, tear-resistant paper and covers a broad region. I used the new map for the Goat Rocks, Norse Peak and William O. Douglas Wilderness areas on a summer backpack in the Goat Rocks. When our destination changed at the last minute, I was glad I had this map. The Trails Illustrated map had both our planned and our actual destinations on it, and a whole lot more. The breadth of coverage was the feature I appreciated most. I was able to sit atop the summit and identify peaks far in the distance and how other trails moved through the topography. This map shows a huge area. Also nice were contrasting colors and the differentiation between hiker, biker, horse and motorized trails. The map was easy to use and so well-made that it came out of my pack still looking brand new at the end of the trip. As much as I liked the map, I missed having it spell out the trailhead and destination elevations and I really missed seeing the mileage between waypoints. I think next time I ll bring both a Green Trails map and a National Geographic Trails Illustrated map. Susan Elderkin

38 38» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails Trip Reports from Hikers» Take a Hike! Photo by Dale Blair. Search more than 29,000 trip reports online at Safety Notice Neither Washington Trails magazine, the Washington Trails Association, nor their personnel accept any liability for accidents or injuries in connection with articles, trail or road reports published in WA Trails magazine. The reports provide updated information of interest to the region s trail users; readers are cautioned to supplement the reports with other sources of information when planning a trip. Additionally, readers should be aware that reported conditions may change, that there may be errors in the reports, and that certain hazards are inherent in backcountry travel Here are a few of the most iutriguing trip reports submitted in Septmeber and October. Of course, conditions can change rapidly in the winter and many of these trails will no longer be accessible as hikes this year. Keep them in mind for the future and check WTA s website for the best hikes to take right now. North Cascades 1 Ptarmigan Ridge Green Trails Mount Shuksan 14 Sep 30, 2010 by love2hike The weather was perfect. Blue, blue skies and a very gentle breeze. The hike starts at Artist Point, on the Chain Lakes Trail. The views start at the trailhead and never stop. Fall colors are just peaking. A few snow patches to cross,

39 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «39 but no problem. A member of our group saw a herd of goats (about a dozen) at the lake. We hiked to Camp Kiser where we had our lunch before returning. We thought this was going to be a quick hike and we would do Chain Lakes on our return, but the beauty of the scenery kept our pace to about a mile/hr so we ran out of time. 2 Mount Pilchuck Green Trails Granite Falls 109 Sep 30, 2010 by Donald Shank A trip report in three haikus... Foggy Everett left behind, Pilchuck ahead a crowded trailhead Cool trees warm boulders feeling summer and autumn warm colors abound stayed in a little cabin near Merritt Friday night. Between packing up two kids and assorted delays we didn t start hiking until about noon. The weather was perfect. Trail climbs steadily to wooded Irving Pass, then turns left and continues climbing with ups and a few downs. Views begin peeking through the trees in both directions about 1.5 miles from the car. Really glorious day. The 3-year-old got carried and the 7-year-old hiked it with just a few bribes of Starbursts. Summit was great, views and colors in all directions. We saw about a dozen other hikers. Trail is in good shape with a short awkward section picking along a rocky side hill. No water at all, so carry it! We returned to the car on the late side, around 5 p.m. A rocky descent round, angular, boot snaring gotta watch those feet 3 Easy Pass Green Trails Mount Logan 49 Oct 01, 2010 by CA Adams This was our first time on this hike and it was wonderful. The fall colors were great. There aren t a lot of larch trees until you get to the top of the pass, but the leaves on bushes were bright red and yellow. We spotted a mountain goat (billy) not far away from the pass, which was a real treat. The views were perfect this week end. We did three hikes in three days, and this one was our favorite. (Although Maple Pass and Cutthroat Pass were also great.) Central Cascades 4 Poe Mountain via Irving Pass Green Trails Benchmark Mountain 144 Oct 02, 2010 by Lunapeople We hadn t been to the Lake Wenatchee area for a long time and with the hope of fall colors and great weather we headed that way. We 5 Enchantment Lakes Green Trails The Enchantments 209S Oct 02, 2010 by Raghu Enchantment Lakes in fall is really awesome. Larch conditions: At this point, the larches are near peak. Around 90 to 95 percent of larches were yellow. Only a few larches near Lake Viviane and very few in one section of inspiration were partly green, but I guess those would turn very soon. We were blessed with good weather, and the entire trail was almost snow free. Saw lots of mountain goats too. All lakes were ice free. Easy Pass. Photo by Doug Diekemma.

40 40» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails One hiker passing by remarked: It s so beautiful everywhere here that you could point your camera in any direction and the picture would be awesome... so true! 6 Carne Mountain Green Trails Holden 113 Sep 30, 2010 by Grasshopper Saw the WTA fall hikes suggestion for Carne Mountain and decided to give it a try. Spectacular! It s always hard to call the peak of color for the larches but I can t imagine it being much better than today. Some of the trees, particularly in the lower basin still have quite a bit of green on them, but none have turned brown. I imagine that they will remain spectacular for the next several weeks but today seemed perfect. The trip description describes the road getting to the trailhead as being very rough. There are some rocky sections but we had no difficulty getting there in a Honda Fit. The trail is in great shape with no snow or downed trees. This is a spectacular hike with 360-degree panoramic views from the top and, of course, the spectacular larches. until the climb up to the glaciers then it is a bit of a climb but still well worth it. When you get to the very top and look down on Lyman Lake and the valley leading to Holden Village it makes a guy wish he had longer to spend up there. I will be back and this time I will do the entire trip coming out on Lake Chelan. There was some mud -- nothing that you couldn t go around -- and a few river crossings but easy to rock walk across. Snoqualmie Pass Area 8 Tiger Mountain - Chirico Trail to Poo Poo Point Green Trails Tiger Mountain 204S Sep 27, 2010 by blue eyes Peaks in the Entiat framed by larches, Carne Mountain Trail. Photo by Cindy Clark. 7 Spider Meadow and Phelps Basin Green Trails Holden 113 Sep 26, 2010 by digity777 Two days of light drizzle did little to make this anything but an amazing trip. The fall colors are everywhere and look like a painting you would see up on a wall. The hike was easy This morning the weather was cloudy, warm and humid with drizzle off and on. The trail is mostly undercover protected by the trees of the forest. Very few people were on the trail. One can usually have a great view of Mount Rainier from the first grassy view point. Today, the mountain was in hiding. It takes less than 10 minutes to continue to the top - Poo Poo Point - where the paragliders typically take off and one can see the town of Issaquah, Bellevue, Seattle and Mount Baker on a clear day. Today, I was the only one at the top with views of Issaquah and Bellevue. The highlight of my hike was the number of mushrooms popping up all over - several different varieties. In addition, the vine maple trees are starting to lose their leaves as a reminder that autumn has arrived. 9 Annette Lake Green Trails Snoqualmie Pass 207 Oct 02, 2010 by Michael and Linda What a beautiful day and hike! We left Seattle under clouds arriving at the trailhead about noon. The clouds had just given way to sunshine and blue sky only a few moments before and the sun shone brightly until about

41 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «41 two hours on the hike back. The fog that gathered during the remainder of the hike was enchanting. We left the lake about 30 minutes later than we should have because the last half hour was in failing light, though not quite bad enough to break out the flashlights. Olympic Peninsula The trail condition is mixed varying from flat soil to quite rocky and rooty. It crosses through talus which provides splendid views of the adjacent mountain. The small streams and falls along the way provided pleasant diversions from the nearly constant upward climbs, especially when crossing over the larger ones via the rustic, but quite safe bridges. Amazingly, and quite thankfully there is a primitive toilet off the trail as you near the lake. Look for the sign on the tree to the left and the image posted with this review. It is private in that the flora keeps it from view of the trail users. The lake was glistening in the sun and, after hiking south along the west side of the lake we were rewarded by an amazing view of Silver Peak bathed in sunlight. There is a camping site at the north shore area that was occupied by boy scouts - something to note when we are feeling more adventurous. This southerly trail continues past other camp sites and over some large rocks, though we didn t explore past that point. Our walk down was pleasant, with the fog rolling in. This is the longest hike that my wife had been on and she found it rewarding in spite of the additional effort. Be sure to bring nutrition and water (or a filter) - and as always the remaining 10 essentials since this is a back country hike. 10 High Divide, Deer Lake, Deer Lake and Bogachiel Peak, Sol Duc Falls Green Trails Seven Lakes Basin/Mount Olympus Climbing 133S Sep 18, 2010 by hiking.on.the.mission We left Kitsap County at 6 a.m. to meet up with the rest of our church hiking crew. (They made the smarter choice to spend the night at the Sol Duc Hot Springs Lodge!) Weather forecast was questionable, but we re very glad we went! We hit the trail around 8:30 a.m., right as the clouds were starting to burn off. We climbed out of the valley and up to Heart Lake slowly. (Bridges are out at Cross Creek, but the creek isn t flowing that deep.) Plenty of ripe berries once you hit the high country. We saw our first the bears of the hike around this point. We had lunch at Heart Lake, enjoying the gorgeous scenery. (My camera battery died, so I don t have any shots!) A little higher up the ridge, the view of Olympus was spectacular. Pika hiding along side the Lake Annette Trail. Photo by Ralph Radford.

42 42» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails Along the Sol Duc Falls Trail. Photo by Jason Jones. Deep blue sky and clouds moving in and out. The stuff postcards are made of. There are even a few snowfields that have hung on through the summer. After a short trip up to Bogachiel Peak (another beautiful view, of course), we continued on, enjoying the high country. Wish we could have stayed longer, but I had to make it back to Kitsap for an evening meeting. Continued the rest of the hike with one hiking partner. About a mile after the Hoh Lakes turn off, we saw a few more bears down the ridge. Then, after the Seven Lakes Trail and some interesting boulder washes, we startled a good-sized black bear. It barked a warning, so we waited awhile for it to leave. Some tense moments when it ran a few steps towards us. I have never carried pepper spray in the Olympics before, but I might start now. (At least for autumn hikes in the high country.) One more close run-in with a black bear just before Lunch Lake. Joined up with two more hikers for some added bear security. Ran into quite a few overnighters along the way. Lots of people planning to fish. Deer Lake had quite a few people. At the very end, we were dazzled by Sol Duc Falls. (We d walked right past them at the beginning of the hike!) All in all, it was a great hike. Trail is in great condition. And I made it home in time for my meeting... only to find out it had been cancelled. Should have lingered in the high country and finished the day at the Hot Springs! 11 Grand Park (via Lake Eleanor) Green Trails Mount Rainier East 270 Oct 01, 2010 by KathyM We did this hike on a warm, cloudless fall day, and found Grand Park to be magnificent. The short climb up to and past Lake Eleanor was unremarkable -- only one boggy spot to cross; we found a few leftover blueberries just before hitting Grand Park to be a tasty excuse for a break. The vast meadow is covered in golden hues now; no less beautiful than when it is carpeted with wildflowers. At the trail junction we turned toward Berkeley Park and found a good shady spot for lunch, then returned. Only saw three other hikers and no critters all day. This hike is easily one of my top five in Washington. A minor road repair (culvert replacement) on Forest Service Road 73 is passable and will be done soon. Mount Rainier 12 Shriner Peak Sep 25, 2010 by Wendy W Green Trails Mount Rainier East 270 It was a beautiful early fall morning when we headed up. The trail is in great condition. It is all never-ending uphill to the top and, of course, all downhill going back. The views are fabulous. The leaves are turning colors. The huckleberries are ripe, delicious and the bushes are turning red. We saw a black bear eating huckleberries about three quarters of the way up near where the small creek flows by the trail. What a neat experience that was! It got out of our way when we made some noise. It took us 50 year-olds over four hours to get up to the top. The view was so worth it! It was appreciated that there is a solar toilet up there. On the way back down the view is south and amazing. We saw the bear again eating the huckleberries not far from where we saw it earlier. Seemed to take forever to get back down to the car. We were exhausted! What a great hike! 13 Glacier View Green Trails Mount Rainier West 269 Oct 01, 2010 by NobleHikers Amazing panoramic view from Mount Rainier

43 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «43 to a front coming in over Seattle from the old lookout location. The trail is in great shape, except sometimes a bit narrow due to overgrown huckleberry bushes on both sides. It was narrow enough in many places to make using trekking poles difficult. There were a few bugs at the top, but not many, and the wildflowers are still blooming along the trail. It was a bit longer than we expected because our guidebook said it was 3 miles round trip. The WTA description correctly shows it as 4 miles. The road is in rather poor condition, but it does improve somewhat after the first two miles. summit provides a wonderful 360-degree view of the southern Cascades. The trail is steep all the way up (3,400 feet elevation gain), and levels out only a few places that permit you to catch your breath. It s a great work out, although not as difficult at Mount Aix located a few miles to the south (that has 800 ft more elevation gain). The steepness of the trail also means it is mercifully short. It took me 2 hours to reach the summit, a little longer than I ve done in the past indicating that age and being out of shape are taking their toll. The summit has a slanted rock formation that acts as a comfortable recliner, and is a great spot to eat lunch, relax, and soak up the views. You can see the Stuart Range to the north, Mount Rainier to the west, Mount Adams and the Goat Rocks to the southwest, Nelson Ridge and Bumping Lake to the south, and everything in between. Two large birds of prey were riding the thermals, passing several times over the summit and checking me out. I moved around a bit to indicate that I was not a carcass and not The view from Shriner Peak. Photo by Ed Robison. Thanks to WTA s Corporate Partners! Rainier - $25,000+ South Cascades Olympic - $10,000-$24,999 StockCharts.com Cascade - $2,500-$9, Goat Peak Green Trails Bumping Lake 271 Oct 02, 2010 by eeyore The trail to the summit of Goat Peak (Trail 958C from Highway 410) is a hike that I do nearly every year and is one of my favorites. First, it is easy to get to. Second, there are never very many hikers - even on a weekend (I passed only three parties today). And, third, the Alpine - $1,000-$2,499 Aveda, Hilleberg the Tentmaker, lululemon athletica, The Mountaineers Books, Orthopedics International, Outdoor Research, Seattle Outdoor, Therm-a-Rest and MSR To find out how your company can support WTA s work for trails, please call us at (206) or rebecca@wta.org.

44 44» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails an appropriate item on the lunch menu. Unlike other popular fall hikes, there are no larches or aspens to provide color along this trail. However, the low angle of light filtering through the trees did provide nice displays of color from the underbrush. But today was sunny and warm anyway, and felt more like summer than October. Inland Northwest 15 Packwood Lake Green Trails Packwood 302 Sep 25, 2010 by crabbysheep Took the ramble up through the Goat Rocks Wilderness and Gifford Pinchot to Packwood Lake. This is a fairly easy hike; the trail is in pretty good shape with only a few mucky spots and minimal horse poo. The lake itself is an unreal turquoise color. My hiking buddy and I saw a few day-hikers and people fishing in boats, but they had all left by the evening. We ended up having the lake to ourselves. There s only one fallen tree across the trail. Fall colors are starting to show in many places and that, combined with the beauty of the lake, makes the hike worth it. We were spoiled by amazing weather on Saturday and a steady, light rain on Sunday. I highly recommend this hike, especially to people who might not want to expend too much energy. 16 Panjab USGS Panjab Creek Sep 22, 2010 by Mary Cooke Five hikers from the Fun, Fit and Over Fifty Club in the Tri-Cities did this hike on a perfect fall day. The hike is in the Umatilla National Forest southeast of Dayton. It is a nice valley hike along Panjab Creek and up a ridge to a meadow called Indian Corral where there is an intersection for several trails. The hike was 5.5 miles to the meadow for a total hike of about 11 miles (round trip) with an elevation gain of 2,466 feet (total climb elevation was 3,460 by my GPS). The trail is good although wet in places. This is a beautiful hike through some nice forest to open meadows. We heard elk on the way down. 17 Palouse Falls USGS Palouse Falls Sep 08, 2010 by Cruiznbye Three day trip to Palouse Falls in Eastern Washington. This was our first visit the area and we took our Teardrop trailer with us. The State Park is located two miles in on a gravel road (good condition) from State Route 261 just north of Starbuck, Washington, in the Palouse Mountains. No trees or shade, except for the small tent camping area and day use area at the parking lot and overlook. We hiked all the upper ridge overlook trails of the park in the afternoon of arrival, then spent the night in the tent camping area in our Teardrop. There were four occupied camping units for the night out of ten spots. Quiet except for the trains that travel through every few hours. Next morning, we hiked a half mile north on the railroad tracks to a gully, taking a hiker trail down to the ravine below the falls. Watch out for poison ivy (lots of it as you near the river basin). Rattlesnakes and Bullhead snakes in the taller grasses, so stick to the low grass,

45 November + December 2010» Washington Trails Backcountry «45 rocks, and main trails as much as possible. Follow the side of the Canyon and you can sneak all the way to the base of the Falls. Some loose rock, lots of brush, and a few river bank holes to watch for. It is about 200 feet down from the ridge-top to the ravine basin. We returned to upper viewing area and decided to hike the upper side of the falls through another ravine about half mile south on the tracks to another gully entering the upper ravine. Squaw Falls comes into view first and is much smaller and a good place to wade if hot. We then followed the ravine along the upper river along the cliff banks out to the castle and top of the falls. Again, snakes and poison ivy in area so be watching. Loose rock and a few steep areas encountered. Neither ravine hike is recommended for those not familiar with hiking rock and steep sections. Children below age 10 not really advised due to the trail conditions. We enjoyed viewing the castle up close and the ravines, but you cannot see the falls from the top as it sits down below the rock edge about 20 feet or so. We hiked back out and had lunch. Then took a leisurely drive to Fish Hook Park on Lake Sacajawea on the Snake River where we spent the final night before heading back to Seattle. t Editor s Note: The Take a Hike section of Washington Trails will appear in a new format in our next issue. Would you like to suggest a hike in Washington that makes a great January or February outing? Send your 250-word suggestion to editor@wta.org. PCT to Reopen Near Glacier Peak; continued from p.7 her nine-person crew in the Milk Creek area on the northwest side of Glacier Peak, 25 trailmiles south of Suiattle River. Although her crew got a tremendous amount done, she said there is still more to do to make it fully accessible. Snow at the high elevations has ended work for the season, but the increased crews gave them the jump-start they needed this summer. Erickson plans to keep that momentum going next summer. WTA s volunteer crews weren t involved in repairing the damaged section of the PCT. Instead, WTA crews have been working on the trails on the east side of Glacier Peak that served as the official PCT detour route while the PCT was closed to hikers. Through a series of volunteer vacations and backcountry response trips, WTA volunteers improved the Boulder Creek Trail and the Buck Creek Trail. Both trails are now in better shape than they were before the PCT flooded and they became more heavily used access routes. Running 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, the Pacific Crest Trail is one of only 11 designated national scenic trails in the country. Look for a special feature about the PCT in Washington Trails next summer. t Lace Thornberg See Palouse Falls at its height in winter. Photo by Paul Raymaker.

46 46» Backcountry November + December 2010» Washington Trails A Walk on the Wild Side» Finding the Center Susan Sampson Susan is a a WTA member from Malaga. Some people look for the seven cities of Cibola. Some people look for the brass plaque that marks the nominal geographic center of Washington. The City of Cashmere s centennial commission had placed this plaque in 1989, but no one had published its coordinates. You can eyeball the map of Washington, and see that the geographic center of the state is going to be someplace close to Wenatchee. A geographic center is not an important landmark. At most, finding it gives you bragging rights. And yet there we were, setting out for the Devil s Gulch Trail on Forest Service Road The scariest part of the trip was getting onto the road from Number Two Canyon Road in Wenatchee. The first half-mile of this access road is steep, rugged, and eroded. We put the Jeep into low-low gear. I held my breath I have a phobia of tipping over until Jerry reminded me to breathe, noting, Your face is turning pink. From the trailhead, we expected to walk 4 miles in. The 8-mile round trip would be close to our daily limit. We aren t armchair travelers, but we are easy day travelers. We like to be back at home in time for dinner and a cold drink of sugar-free lemonade for him, an adult beverage for me. The trail sloped uphill gradually, with only occasional short stretches of steeper terrain. We walked under the shadow of huge folds of sandstone of the Chumstick formation and through forests of old-growth fir and pine. We began watching for the marker at about the 4-mile mark. We knew it was embedded in granite; around us, we saw only crumbly sandstone and flaking shale. We crossed a creekbed lined with granite boulders, but any marker there would have been washed downstream. It never occurred to us that we might fail. We allowed a margin for error in the guestimate of the plaque s being four miles from the trailhead, as it had been placed before the era of happy hikers using GPS. But not finding it? Never. After 5 miles, we turned around. This is still a mission, Jerry declared. Mush! At mile 4.2, the most likely spot for the marker, we lingered and looked, peering under the carpets of moss on rocks, uselessly. Disappointed, we plodded toward home. We were outside the 4-mile range for the plaque when Jerry observed, There s a rock. Simultaneously, we yelled There it is! Someone had gouged the brass face, but the engraved letters were legible enough. We placed the GPS next to the plaque and took our photographs. We had won our bragging rights. t Find It» The rock with the plaque sits 3.85 miles from the parking lot, on the high side of the trail at an altitude of 2,624 feet. Its geo-coordinates are 47 degrees, minutes north latitude; 120 degrees, minutes west longitude, plus or minus 15 feet.

47 Featured Landscape» Fragrance Lake Follow a well-built, hiker-only trail through big timber to little Fragrance Lake in the heart of the shore-hugging Chuckanut Mountains. Then loop back on a gentle old fire road, passing this delightful cascade. Craig Romano, Winter Hikes of Western Washington Deck Hike It» Fragrance Lake Trail. Larabee State Park. Distance: 5.5 miles roundtrip. Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet. Map(s): USGS Bellingham South. More Info: Winter Hikes of Western Washington by Craig Romano.

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